ZSL Whipsnade Zoo Keeper hurt by elephant in Whipsnade

This exactly why most of the zoo`s in the U.K have moved to PC,I only hope that Whipsnade and Twycross see sense and move to it before something more serious happens to a keeper.
 
I disagree, I think FC is better for the eles and the keepers management wise, PC is just safer :)
 
Sorry but I`ve seen at first hand what Blair Drummond have achieved with their African Elephants in pc they had never fitted in to the herds from which they came from in fc,but at B.D they are starting to bond both with each another and the keepers under pc.
 
I was thinking more from moving them around and that, but I never thought of it from your perspective, that's a good point :D
 
i've worked with ele's in both FC & PC and I prefer PC, being in free contact puts you at risk and also to a degree involves dominating the animals.

I've seen an elephant wince at the meer sight of an ankus, I've heard too many stories of elephants being 'shown who's boss' and seen to many abuse videos on the internet, we're at a point now where collections will either cling onto the past or embrace the future.

All of the elephants at Belfast had previously been kept in free contact and all quickly learnt target training, foot care is not an issue as all is done through PC the ele's are trained to present their feet, through positive re-enforcement, they can also present ears for blood samples to be taken, and open their mouths for teeth inspections, amongst other things.


Free contact is the easy option for sure, but in some cases the keepers are using the animals as 3 1/2 ton penis extensions you only have to view krefeld zoo's elephant show as evidence of that kind of thing, PC develops a bond where the elephants do things because you ask them to do it, not because if they don't they'll get an ankus point, or an electric goad if they don't.
 
Jarkari said:
Free contact is very beneficial to elephants. and makes looking after them a whole lot eaasier.
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Also makes it alot more dangerous for the keepers,I know a few that are very lucky to get away with their lives after things what wrong in Free Contact,all of them now work in Protected and wouldn`t go back as they say they can still do everything they did in free in protected contact without the risk of been thrown round the enclosure!!!
 
I love elephants, and being my favourite animal I hope that one day I'll get to work with these brilliant animals. But if and when I do, I'd much rather have it PC. Yep, I admit that seeing the Longleat elephants getting walked by their keepers on Animal Park encouraged me early on, but when you're at somewhere at Howletts and you can get close to magnificent kinds like bull Jums, you realise these aren't domestic dogs, and they could kill you very easily. And having seen footage of that happening, it definately isn't pretty.
There have been so many keeper deaths from FC, and we have to bring the lives of those who sustain the elephant's lives into account.
 
Yassa;273451 Aziza attacked a keeper during a walk about a week ago.[/QUOTE said:
Was it on a 'walk', or in the paddock? According to the article, it happened in the paddock, but then it says he was pushed against a tree. There are no trees in the main paddock- but maybe there are in the other offshow paddock.
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Lets hope they are confident that there will not be another issue. I detect slight annoyance at the ambulance being called. If this had not occurred, the incident might never have made the news.
However, after what happened in London, with animals now in this herd, and with the recent losses of infants, Whipsnade can ill-afford to lose a keeper, even in a classic case of 'wrong place, wrong time'.
 
Cat-Man said:
What is FC and PC?
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FC= Full Contact I.E elephants and keepers are in close proximety without barrier.

PC= Protected Contact mean the keepers never actually go in with the elephants as it were contact is through bars and barriers usually done by target training.
 
I am in full favour of Protected contact (PC) and feel that safety should take priority over everything else. Im no expert but I would say most of the things achieved through FC can also be achieved through PC.
 
If Whipsnade went over to Protected Contact - which I am in favour of - they would no longer be able to give the Elephants their daily walk through the Park or give the Training Demonstration in the Arena . They do have large paddocks though and should be able to provide more feed-based enrichment here .
 
foz said:
I am in full favour of Protected contact (PC) and feel that safety should take priority over everything else. Im no expert but I would say most of the things achieved through FC can also be achieved through PC.
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All the keepers that I know that have worked in both methods,say that in PC they can do everything they did in FC in far greater safety,in fact some of them are even getting Elephants to do stuff that they could never have done when working in FC now that they are working in PC.
 
easytigger said:
i've worked with ele's in both FC & PC and I prefer PC, being in free contact puts you at risk and also to a degree involves dominating the animals.

I've seen an elephant wince at the meer sight of an ankus, I've heard too many stories of elephants being 'shown who's boss' and seen to many abuse videos on the internet, we're at a point now where collections will either cling onto the past or embrace the future.

All of the elephants at Belfast had previously been kept in free contact and all quickly learnt target training, foot care is not an issue as all is done through PC the ele's are trained to present their feet, through positive re-enforcement, they can also present ears for blood samples to be taken, and open their mouths for teeth inspections, amongst other things.


Free contact is the easy option for sure, but in some cases the keepers are using the animals as 3 1/2 ton penis extensions you only have to view krefeld zoo's elephant show as evidence of that kind of thing, PC develops a bond where the elephants do things because you ask them to do it, not because if they don't they'll get an ankus point, or an electric goad if they don't.
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Couldn't agree more. Love the 'penis extension' quote which is sadly true in some cases.
 
You cant go from FC to PC with some Elephants because it's not fair on them they get a lot from keeper contact you get things like this happening all the time anyway you just don't hear about it. I have worked with Elephants FC and sometimes when there wasnt enough keepers in that day you would have to work PC which just comfused them. Having worked with Elephants for a number of years FC I think that it should be up to the Elephant Keepers themselves if they want to work FC or PC not someone sitting in a office having never worked with Elepants FC before. It's mainly bunny huggers that like PC!
 
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