Page 217 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

Box B2 Human–Elephant Interactions in Semi‐captive Asian Elephants 189

VetBooks.ir spirit, so that they were submissive to except for some skin abrasions due to
ropes (Oo 2010).
humans. Wild‐caught elephants take more
time to tame than those born in captivity,
which is thought to be because of prior neg- 3) A combination of both crush and cradle.
The main aim of taming is to train the calf
ative experience with humans. The breaking to understand and obey common commands
procedure, therefore, undoubtedly incorpo- such as stop, come/move, kneel, laydown,
rates stress and compromises the welfare of and back. It is also intended that they will
the animal, especially during the first few develop a close relationship with their
days of taming. In modern times, elephants mahout. Whilst training of zoo elephants
are treasured as flagship species with the aims to support a range of activities, includ-
highest level of international legal protec- ing feeding, exercise, training, and environ-
tion. Many countries now ban wild capture mental enrichment (details in Stevenson and
of both Asian and African elephants Walter 2006; Greco et al. 2016), Myanmar
(Loxodonta africana) and thus the majority calf training focuses on desired behaviour
of captive elephants in most Asian countries that is useful in logging in a free‐contact situ-
are of captive‐born stock. Captive‐born ation. Based on the calf’s behavioural
calves grow up in a human‐dominated land- responses to cues a combination of positive
scape, so are half‐tamed from birth, there- and negative reinforcement strategies are
fore traditional methods of taming are not used to coerce them into complying with the
necessary. As trust and mutual affection requested cue, after which, when the desired
should be the basis of a relationship between behaviour is performed, they are rewarded.
an elephant and its trainer, the use of hooks Taming can take between 21 and 30 days.
or sharpened spikes that may traumatise the Adult Myanmar elephants need to be
elephant are discouraged. trained to accept fetters being put on and
The first step in elephant training in
Myanmar is for the mahout to intentionally released, being ridden on the neck and back,
walking with fetters, kneeling down for
take the role of an alpha animal within the mounting and to complete requested tasks,
herd. Once the elephant is considered to such as lifting, pushing, and dragging. Most
accept the mahout as dominant, evidenced of this training is achieved through desensiti-
by allowing him to ride on the elephant’s sation, where the trainers lessen the negative
neck, a trusting and positive relationship experience to a variety of procedures over
can then be orchestrated through positive time. The elephants are trained with serial
interactions. This may take 8–10 years, and (highly repetitive) exercises. During the
will include activities such as taking the course of training, the trainer mahouts
elephant to foraging sites, hand‐feeding, should consider the animals’ instincts and
playing, and bathing. biology, but also individual variations in
About 70–100 four‐year old captive born
calves are trained annually in Myanma these, as they are likely to affect their learn-
ing abilities (McGreevy and Boakes 2007).
Timber Enterprise (MTE). Taming training is
conducted using half‐tamed young calves,
and uses one of three methods: Conclusion
1) The crush method (two walls) or one‐
sided crush method (one wall): this has a The majority of captive elephants in Asia
wide safety margin for trainers, but can undergo a taming procedure before they
cause injuries to elephants when they reach adulthood. Advances in animal welfare
push against the walls. science, along with a deeper understanding
2) The cradle only method: this is consid- of the basic needs of elephants in captivity,
ered safer for elephants and trainers so is have enabled methods for taming elephants
preferred. The trainee calf can be moved to be fine‐tuned over the past decade.
freely in the cradle without injuries, Myanmar captive elephants are not exposed