PC for all elephants at TCSA

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Gajah69

Well-Known Member
Well the 'Fat lady has sung'. From June 2013 until the TCSA decides that elephants need to be managed properly again, the current herd at both sites will be managed in PC.
I'm glad I'm not an elephant as their world has now become as small as their enclosures. A little better for those at TWPZ. Not much though as I'm sure some animal transfers will reduce their capacity.
When the 'Thai 8' arrived there was a glimmer of hope that Australia could join the USA and Europe in their bid to improve elephant management and not return it to it's past of the 70's - 00's.
Taronga likes to be the first, the first Asian elephant calf to be bred and born and now the first zoo to commit their herd to PC for the duration. The birth is something to be proud of but the latter won't be shouted from the heights of the 'Ivory Tower'.
If as much effort had gone into improving the standard of management as there has to reduce it to PC then it would have proven to be a success.
Disappointed:(
 
Excuse the double post, but I don't see how this is going to be conducive to the breeding program as Gung's enclosure is only accessible to the females if they are walked to his facility...
 
loxodontaafrica said:
Excuse the double post, but I don't see how this is going to be conducive to the breeding program as Gung's enclosure is only accessible to the females if they are walked to his facility...
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Yeah, I was thinking that too, presumably they will be forced to use AI or put Gung or a female in a truck and drive them to the other exhibit if they want the two to breed.

The whole thing seems stupid, the exhibits were set up for PC, and without it are immediately (even more) inadequate.
 
The Dubbo Africans were denied the opportunity to leave their enclosure and go for long enriching walks for 30 years due to management and staff inadequacy. Staff have lifted their game - apparently management has not. The elephants miss out.

The Sydney situation was always doomed to failure. Seven elephants held in an enclosure that is only legal for two. Hands off management [of staff] by CCTV. A bull at a remote location. Now this knee jerk decision. The elephants miss out again.
 
From JUNE 2013?????? FC is still OK for the next six months????????

Is there someting in the new Mayan calendar that I haven't caught up with yet???
 
Steve Robinson said:
From JUNE 2013?????? FC is still OK for the next six months????????

Is there someting in the new Mayan calendar that I haven't caught up with yet???
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No point questioning the logic as there is none. You know there hasn't even been that much heat from AR either.
 
Gajah69 said:
You know there hasn't even been that much heat from AR either.
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Well Cate has her safe run to the Senate sewn up and so, unless Rhiannon is having a bad day, you wouldn't expect much!!!

There can't be an OH&S imperative otherwise it would have to be done right now.

How are the girls going to get to Gung?
 
Steve Robinson said:
Well Cate has her safe run to the Senate sewn up and so, unless Rhiannon is having a bad day, you wouldn't expect much!!!

There can't be an OH&S imperative otherwise it would have to be done right now.

How are the girls going to get to Gung?
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The Germans will be having units on the Gold Coast as well their own private jet. Between Taronga and Melbourne they will have been better clients than the rest of Europe put together, said with tongue in cheek.
Regarding OH&S, who knows, it suits when it needs too and is good to hide behind to prevent positive animal management. You look at the Statistics and elephants aren't even included in the most dangerous animals in Australia. We still handle dogs, horses and cattle.
I just wish sense could be seen.
 
Taronga's Review of ELephant Management

Taronga has released this document on their website, which is a conclusion to their review of the "elephant incident" last year.

It says that the two male calves will be moved into Restricted Contact (RC) (is this PC or somewhere between FC and PC but closer to PC?) but mentions no other changes to the management of elephants. It does not say that the rest of the elephants at the zoo and TWPZ will be managed PC, as stated by Gajah. Where did you get your info from Gajah, and what is definitely happening?

Conclusion of Review of Elephant Incident at Taronga Zoo. | Taronga Conservation Society Australia

Tuesday 15th January 2013

Following an incident during an elephant training session at Taronga Zoo last October where a Senior Keeper was injured, the Zoo’s Life Sciences Division conducted an investigation to better understand the circumstances that led to that event.

The investigation included a full review of the incident, as well as reassessments of the zoo’s elephant husbandry procedures and policies, behavioural assessments of the elephant calf and the wider herd and a review of facilities to understand if they contributed to the event in any way.

The (Acting) General Manager Life Sciences, Research and Conservation, Dr Rebecca Spindler said today: “We’ve undertaken a comprehensive review of what occurred in this incident because it was vitally important that we understood exactly what happened and could identify anything in our program that needed to be changed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of our keepers, as well as the ongoing health of our elephant herd.”

“We looked at the incident from a number of perspectives, and the investigation concluded that the actions of the zoo staff and the elephant management procedures and policies were not at fault. Additionally, there was no failure of facilities that caused the accident”.

“However, the daily assessments that our keepers undertake on all the elephants had picked up the emergence of some particularly boisterous behaviour in two year old male calf Pathi Harn in the days prior to the accident. He was particularly reacting to a female elephant that was in season.”

“At that time, Taronga’s male calves Luk Chai, 3 ½ and Pathi Harn had already been in training to transition to a more hands-off management style for the previous five months, which is a normal step in managing maturing males.”

“It was actually during one of these training sessions with his keeper, Lucy Melo that Pathi Harn lifted his trunk and pinned her to a pole. Two other keepers adjacent to Lucy were able to guide the calf away and call for medical assistance.

“We take any matters such as this very seriously, and our investigation has determined that Pathi Harn was experiencing hormonal surges at a much younger age than most males, and this may have triggered unpredictable changes in his behaviour.

“We immediately put in place strict protective measures for any interactions with Pathi Harn and these remain. Additionally, we’ve determined to accelerate the transition of our male calves into the more hands-off management style, called Restricted Contact, and this is currently underway.

“These young calves are just starting the process of maturing into bull elephants, and a bull will naturally seek to take more control of his environment, so from here on our calves will be managed with a protective barrier between them and their keepers, or comparable security measures.

“We’re very proud of the elephant program at Taronga Zoo and it has seen some extraordinary successes to date. However, this was an accident with very serious consequences, and we’ve acted to ensure that our ongoing practices, behaviour assessments and facilities continue to support the program and ensure the wellbeing of keepers and elephants alike,” said Dr. Spindler.
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Also when i was in Sri Lanka Restricted contact referred to the use of a chain in the management of primarily Bulls but am not sure what they mean in this case.
 
zooboy28 said:
Taronga has released this document on their website, which is a conclusion to their review of the "elephant incident" last year.

It says that the two male calves will be moved into Restricted Contact (RC) (is this PC or somewhere between FC and PC but closer to PC?) but mentions no other changes to the management of elephants. It does not say that the rest of the elephants at the zoo and TWPZ will be managed PC, as stated by Gajah. Where did you get your info from Gajah, and what is definitely happening?

Conclusion of Review of Elephant Incident at Taronga Zoo. | Taronga Conservation Society Australia
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Must be totally off track. If that is what the media has produced then stand corrected.:(
 
Gajah69 said:
Must be totally off track. If that is what the media has produced then stand corrected.:(
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Well, its not what the media has produced, but what Taronga's media people have produced. But I will be interested to see what happens regardless of TCSA's statement.
 
Yassa said:
Interesting article, zoochat member Gajah69 mentioned:
Taronga's male elephants forced to pack trunks for Dubbo after new safety rules

Does "all male elephants" really include Gung?
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Possibly. Maybe they could send the cows as well? Bring Gigi and Burma to the city zoo - it's legal for two.

Interesting that they are so prickly about comment/criticism. They are taxpayer funded but don't want to be responsive to the hand that feeds them.

Interesting also that ZooChat features in the article. Should increase the number of hits - if anyone still reads the SMH that is.
 
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