1. UNDERSTANDING ELEPHANTS Elephants in the Oregon Zoo Problems and Solutions

2. Elephant Nature Largest land animal Up to 13 ft tall Up to 14,000 lbs Long life 60-70 yrs Keen social learners Highly evolved intelligence Emotionally complex Joy, compassion, empathy Grieve and mourn Feel pleasure, pain, fear 3. Elephant Nature Highly complex social structures Matriarchal stable family groups 8-12 adult females and offspring Daughters stay with their mothers until death 4. Space Requirements Typically roam 8-30 miles per day Habitats Tropical climates Forest, desert, savannah Move continuously on natural, varied substrate and with live vegetation Active up to 18 hours per day 5. Elephants in the Oregon Zoo Packy 6. Elephants in the Oregon Zoo 1.2 acres for 8 elephants, being increased to about 4 Too small for healthy movement, interaction or natural behaviors No live trees to forage or grasses compounds inactivity Confined to cells or display area All have foot disease (often fatal), arthritis, weakness. Packy eating his birthday cake 7. Most express abnormal repetitive stress behaviors (swaying, pacing, head- bobbing) Rama Social instability. Forced associations and separations Disciplined/punished/trained with bullhooks 8. Oregon Zoo breeding program Babies taken from mothers much too early. Of 28 calves born in Oregon Zoo, 18 are dead. 7 died in infancy, 15 shipped to zoos and circuses, 12 of them at less than 2 years old. No captive-bred elephant is ever released to the wild. Lack of suitable space and conditions for offspring. Prince born in the Oregon Zoo, sent @ 16 mos to Ringling Bros Circus, where the training is brutal and highly abusive. Now at PAWS. 9. The Bullhook Steel-tipped rod with long, straight handle Used to prod, strike, hook and beat elephants to gain dominance and control by inflicting pain. 10. Elephants in Circuses & Zoos Principal training instrument is the bullhook. Elephants, including babies, beaten to make them afraid not to comply. Bullhooks are used on the elephants most sensitive places (per diagram). They are also used as clubs to beat the animal. 11. Elephants in Circuses 12. Training of Annie at Milwaukie Zoo 13. A New Standard of Care Protected Contact Prohibits bullhooks. Uses soft- tipped target pole as a behavior cue, reinforced with food and praise. Barrier separates handler & elephant. Participation by elephant is voluntary. Enables routine maintenance and intensive veterinary care. Less risk to handler, better for elephant. 14. PAWS 2,300 acres at San Andreas, CA 15. Hills, pastures, ponds, pools Natural substrate Live vegetation grass, trees, foraging for nutritional health Year-around access to the outdoors Freedom of choice in companions and daily activities Freedom from fear-based handling Freedom from repetitive routines Elephants at PAWS 16. Beginning Recovery Restores quality of life Restores damaged and diseased feet Mental and emotional health improves Repetitive behaviors and aggressions decrease Close bonds and friendships begin to form 17. Stories At PAWS, Maggie, Prince, and Annie behave in ways not seen in zoos and circuses 18. Prince at PAWS 19. Annie 20. Urge Action End use of inhumane bullhooks and free contact system at the Oregon Zoo. Implement Protected Contact without delay. Many other zoos have done so with great success. Provide the elephants with an environment that better meets their needs Retire elephants to PAWS as space is available. Develop a large off-site natural habitat to better suit elephants health and welfare.