Page 342 - Zoo Animal Learning and Training

314 13 Last but in Fact Most Importantly … Health and Safety

VetBooks.ir could indicate a lack of proper supervision B) Positional awareness
or accountability regarding compliance
When working with potentially danger-
ous animals, zoo professionals must
issues and certainly puts everyone at risk.
always maintain an awareness of their
position in relation to the animal and any
13.4 ‘Gut’ Feeling barrier meant to separate and protect
them from each other. Additionally, the
Increasingly research is demonstrating that zoo professional must understand the
over 80% of decisions are determined by the capabilities of the animals they are work-
subconscious, which was previously attrib- ing with. By being keenly aware of an ani-
uted to gut feeling (e.g. Kahneman 2011); mal’s reach and speed, proper positioning
when we feel or detect subtle stimuli long can be maintained to avoid being within
before we have consciously considered them. the animal’s reach. When working in the
The activation of the sympathetic nervous same space as the animal, a zoo profes-
system can occur without conscious knowl- sional must know where their egress to
edge of what triggered it. Learn to recognise safety is and must always protect it. Be
your own signs of reflexive discomfort, such vigilant in maintaining your position
as stomach butterflies, increased heart rate, between the animal and your exit.
muscle tension, and mood swings. Become C) Physical/mechanical training skills
sensitive to these internal cues and do not Much animal training is based on knowl-
ignore them. Teach yourself to take a step edge of animal behaviour modification
back for a moment to ascertain potential techniques and principles, that when
threats in the training environment. applied correctly result in behaviour
Maintaining situational awareness can help change. The physical aspects of training
you make better decisions and keep you safer, are often mechanical in nature and
so it is important to know ways to maintain require practice to employ them skilfully.
situational awareness; listed below are a few Training tools (Figure 13.2) include: event
examples.
markers, like clickers and whistles, where
A) Experience the timing of their use is critical; targets
Life and work experience create mental of various size and material that must be
files that the mind can draw upon and wielded with precision; containers to
combine with new information in the hold food that must be conveniently
working memory, i.e. the system used for located for quick access; and apparatus
temporarily storing and managing the like tongs and ‘meat sticks’ to deliver food
information required to carry out highly safely to the most dangerous of animals.
detailed cognitive tasks. In complex With the use of these tools, some training
environments, there are far too many programmes can be quite cumbersome,
stimuli bombarding the senses, which distracting, and possibly compromise
can lead to difficulty trying to synthesise safety. At first, zoo professionals should
and interpret the best course of action in practice the use of their training tools and
an instant. To overcome this situation, techniques away from the animal to develop
the brain stores composite stimuli pat- the mechanical skill and fluency necessary
terns that are related with certain situa- to be effective and safe when training. This
tions and their eventual outcomes. When can be done using a co‐worker to play the
these patterns (exact or similar) are rec- part of the animal and in a similar environ-
ognised again, the mind draws upon ment to the actual training setting. If you
this reference to expedite the decision‐ cannot master the use of all the tools you
making process. plan to use in practice, consider simpler