At Tama Zoo 's Asian Elephant enclosure, training for Asian Elephant using a semi-indirect enclosure called a Protected Contact Wall (PC Wall) began in April 2013.

While elephant training can sometimes involve zookeepers approaching the elephants directly, using a PC wall aims to provide a safer environment for both animal keeper and elephants to manage the elephants' health.

Important aspects of elephant health management include limb care and blood sampling. An elephant's limbs support a weight of 3,000 to 4,000 kilograms, meaning that each limb bears approximately 1,000 kilograms of weight. Therefore, if even one limb becomes abnormal, it can be a life-threatening problem. However, elephants will naturally not accept sudden procedures such as hoof trimming or wound disinfection. It is therefore important to train them from a young age to become accustomed to stimulation of their feet and ears.

However, if you try to train an elephant on all the topics at once, it may become confused and, conversely, become less receptive to training.

We started with training to care for the elephant's limbs. The training involved animal keeper designating a limb and having it extend through a door in the center of the PC wall. This door is divided into three sections, allowing for height adjustments depending on the elephant's size and whether it's a front or back limb. Initially, the elephant is encouraged to place its limb on the lowest section, and if successful, it is praised and given a treat as a reward. In the next stage, the height is gradually increased using wooden planks, and the elephant moves on to practicing extending its limb through the second window. This allows the elephant to gradually raise its limbs while simultaneously finding the most comfortable position for it. The training is time-consuming, giving the elephant time to think, and progressing step by step.

Some may think that luring them with food is a bad idea, but anesthetizing such a massive animal for treatment is a life-threatening task. This is because if an elephant lies down for a long time, its own weight can compress its internal organs. Therefore, this daily training is extremely important.

Anura (male, 60 years old), Amara (female, 8 years old), and Vidura (male, 6 years old) are all actively undergoing training. Please come and see how these elephants are improving day by day.

Photo: Training results allow for care of the soles of the limbs.

[Tama Zoo Tama Zoological Park]

(September 27, 2013)