In March 2009, the renovation work on Asian Elephant elephant enclosure was completed. The male elephant enclosure, in particular, involved a large-scale project that took two months to complete, including the installation of a new fence. This fence was intended to enhance the elephants' training.

Atti, a male elephant at Ueno Zoo, has turned 13 years old. When he was younger, animal keeper took care of his health by washing him and letting him ride on them. However, as male elephants grow older, they can go through a period where they become aggressive. For this reason, zoos generally maintain an indirect relationship with elephants, using fences and gates to ensure their safety.

However, proper health management requires the cooperation of the elephants. Therefore, zoos are increasingly using training methods that involve giving commands to the elephants from outside their enclosures. We modified the enclosure this time so that we can also conduct such training with Atti.

Atti is undergoing "target training." She is instructed to touch her head, ears, and paws to a "target" indicated by her handler. In the photo on the right, the white part at the end of the stick is the target. When she does as instructed, she is given a treat to help her remember.

The newly constructed fence has a space that allows the elephants to extend their ears and feet towards animal keeper. This system allows for more detailed health management, including blood tests and the application of medications and olive oil. Target training itself was being done even before the fence was improved, but as you can see in the photo, chains were used, which meant the elephants had a lot of space to move around, and because the chains were not fixed like posts, it was difficult to ensure the safety of the keepers in case of mischief from the elephants.

Additionally, the training fences have horizontal bars installed at an angle between the posts. This is to make it more difficult for elephants to push with their trunks or heads.

Atti's training has just begun, but training can only be successful with the elephant's cooperation. Therefore, the challenge going forward is to build a "relationship of trust" so that the elephant can participate in the training with peace of mind.

[Waka Otsu, Animal Care and Exhibition Staff, East Ueno Zoo, Ueno East Garden]

(April 17, 2009)