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Training and care of elephants

There are different methods in capturing, training as well as taking care of elephants in various parts of the world; the same is applicable in keeping them in good humor. Even though isolated incidents of cruelties to elephants get reported in these processes; it has to be admitted that the methods adopted in India especially in the southern region are some of the best available in the world.

What are the basics in elephant training, why certain animals like dogs, elephants are only taken for training? Answer to these questions naturally end up in the traditional methods of animal training that existed here for centuries. These are 100% practical, comparatively easy; and to a great extend enjoyable (both for animal and trainer).

Scope of animal training

First let us see; what actually is scientific method in training?

There is no universally accepted training method; yet many animals are trained for various purposes like medical, physiological as well as psychological researches. The list of animals include from fishes to monkeys. The motto of training is to extract some sort of service from the subject. It can be involuntary services as in medical researches and voluntary like those by dogs and elephants. The fact remains that some of these animals are ‘trainable’ by nature while some of them not.

What is elephant training and how is it done?

Turning the behavior of the animal as per the wish-list of the trainer (and the society at large) can be taken as training. In short the trainer helps the animal to render a service or to attain the goal (a sort of education). The trainer should have a clear view on the aim and should possess the ability to impart it on the subject. All its achievements should be rewarded adequately; a reward can either be a tasty bit of food or soft assuring word or loving pat as per the performance. Tasty food (in bits) accompanied with love-coated words is best for starters.

Cats and dogs

The animals which live in herds they have a habit of admitting one individual as the leader of the herd and the rest follow the leaders’ dictate. This is the main reason for elephants and dogs (which live in herds in the wild) to become most trainable animals. Cats on the other hand are at par with dogs in intelligence but they are poor students being independent in life-style they better die than being enslaved.

Step by step

When only one technique is fully learnt; next step started. Dogs and elephants are comparatively intelligent animals and they are capable to appreciate rewards of appreciations like good words and cheers. Punishments though scorned by animal lovers are an essential part of training; slight pain accompanied by harsh words initially and as training progresses words alone will serve the purpose. This process of training (rewarding and scorning) continues as long as the final goal is achieved.

Patience

Patience, love towards animals and practical wisdom etc on the part alone can make both win the goal. Animal training can be explained as a joint activity between animal and its trainer, the most important aspect a trainer should be born in mind is that any trick that is beyond the physical and mental capacity of an animal is cruel as well as impractical that will end in the defeat of the both.

Training and natural skills

Pavlov and his dog

The theories of psychologists on education and training are mainly centered on human beings; animal training a different ball game. Pavlov was perhaps the first to do researches on objective psychology. He fed a dog after the ringing of a bell; later the ringing of the bell used to condition the animal for the intake of food (like salivation and production of intestinal juices etc). Later Pavlov began to ring the bell in a particular tone and served a particular food. It was found by the analysis of the dog’s digestive juices that the tone of the bell for meat produced juices for the digestion of meat and that for bread produced juices fit to digest carbohydrate!

Not to let it gather rust

It may be mentioned that the observations of Pavlov was purely too objective in nature and things like effects of patting or saying scornful or loving words etc were not involved. Pavlov could find only animal body not the soul! Elephant being intelligent and strong animals; training them to perform various tasks is much more complicated and rewarding. It may also mention that any skill that remains idle; gradually gets lost as iron rusts on disuse; hence repetition and constant use of skill is also necessary for its up keeping.

Mahout as the herd-leader

The relation ship between elephant and its mahout is different from that of a dog and its master; dog is by nature dependent and obedient where as elephant obeys only if the mahout can prove or make the elephant feel that he is smarter. Another quality of the herd leader is love and affection to the members; if the same is shown by the mahout; it will be highly appreciated by the animal and their relationship will flourish.

Catch them young

As all human beings are not alike; elephants also vary one from the other; there are elephants that can be easily taught as well as laggards and rebels. Age also is an important factor; the younger the elephant more adaptable is it for learning. It is real hard to train matured elephants yet there are also examples of elder elephants which have excelled young ones in learning skills. The elephant training center at Muthumalai in Tamilnadu has created a record by capturing and domesticating one young tusker with a history of murdering 12 people in short intervals.

Combination matters

A good mahout and a good elephant make an excellent pair; it is accepted fact that a bad mahout spoils the elephant. A patient mahout for a bad tempered elephant and a patient elephant for bad tempered mahout somehow go well. If both are bad tempered the result would be a disaster! It is a sad fact that in most cases the last combination is the order! However well trained an elephant is; it can be spoilt by a bad mahout; as it is easier to learn bad habits. Just think of a rebellious elephant comes in to the hands of an in-efficient mahout; it must be sure recipe for disaster.

Creating head-lines

A dog selected for training for a specific work (to guide blinds etc) later found unfit can be discarded; needless to say such an option is not open in the case of elephants. An elephant that is relaxing after a day’s hard work should not be asked to do any further work; as an elephant cannot be convinced about human exigencies. If forced a tired elephant may most probably disobey his mahout inviting incidences which may find place in next day’s newspapers; for which an elephant is not at all responsible.

Standard and poor

Reward for good work done by an elephant is often compared to cash deposited in to a bank in to the account of the elephant and punishments to withdrawal from its account! One who has ample cash at bank lives a happy and contended life; while the other at debt lives in fear. An elephant with a stock of rewards is a happy and satisfied one he is ready to obey orders to increase his ‘bank-balance’ where as ‘indebted’ one is a threat both mahout and public.

Sides of the same coin

Elephants are often famed for their vengeance towards their enemies; and a livelihood as a mahout is very often described as a condemned prisoner who does not know when the D-day comes. There are many instances of elephants not only killing its mahouts but doing every disgrace to the dead body. There are much more instances as well for elephants showing gratitude to its mahout, owner and even their family members. A mahout who leads elephants on deserted forests actually relies upon the elephant for his safety. Every mahout has many stories to tell about elephant saving his life from robbers and wild animals. In fact anger and love; both are two sides of a same coin.

Keep them in good company

Elephants are intelligent animals; they cannot suffer neglect; keeping them idle in isolated places for long time make them bored and rebellious; swaying of head, purposeless actions by the trunk etc are symptoms of monotony and anger of isolation. Always give it a friendly company and some light activity that requires some intelligence so that the animal remains in good spirits.

Ten Commandments of Elephant Training

1, a mahout should ask himself; whether this particular activity is against the interest and well being of the animal?

2, should understand that each animal is a different individual,

3 think whether the interest of the owner and wellbeing of the animal is in consonance, a mahout’s place comes in between both the owner and the animal,

4 does he himself makes any progress in understanding the interest of the animal by the passing of time,

5 whether the skills of elephant (to do work) and his own skill in managing it; improves or decrease by the passing of time.

6, he should be firm in approach but never cruel or adamant.

7 whether the love, respect and consideration of the elephant increase as time passes.

8 does the elephant has the feeling that the mahout is the ‘leader’,

9 try to develop skill and knowledge by discussing things with other mahouts as well as observing other elephants.

10 always take care of him-self as a second is enough for all to end.

A common question asked by mahouts as well as others is this that “what is there so much to study about animals and this job; as these are to be understood from practice”; a mahout’s job is a really serious one; that deserves knowledge, skill, common sense, and guts. They should be well-versed in cooking food, traditional herbal medicines and even surgery as he alone may be there to manage the animal during critical times. He has to read, discuss as well as share experience with others to become proficient in his job.

Tail end

Two students took a course in “how to manage lions”; both joined for jobs in a circus company after completion of the course. The smart student efficiently managed lions while his friend was ‘managed by lions’!