Elephants perform circus tricks at zoo
November 2002

As part of our campaign to highlight the suffering of elephants in captivity, for the past two years CAPS has been drawing attention to the training of elephants in zoos to perform circus-style tricks. Blackpool Zoo's 'elephant encounter' has been the focal point of our campaign.

During 2002, Blackpool Zoo appeared to increase the range of tricks carried out by the four female elephants held captive there. These tricks include:

• Keeper riding elephant
• Elephants standing on podiums, raising legs and trunks
• Elephants carrying logs
• Elephants walking across podiums
• 'Long Mount' - one elephant raises her front legs onto the back of another elephant
• Elephant picking up litter and putting it into a bin
• All four elephants face the crowd, raise a leg and a trunk as 'goodbye' then cross the raised leg over the front of the other leg in a 'bow'
• The audience is encouraged to applaud after each trick

In response to criticism of these tricks - tricks that would not be out of place in the circus - the zoo owners, Blackpool Borough Council, claimed that "the animals are only asked to do activities which mirror their actions in the wild or are necessary for their health". The council has so far failed to explain how these tricks have any relevance to the natural behaviour of elephants.

CAPS asked three leading vets for their opinion on these tricks.

Simon Adams, zoo and wildlife veterinarian and adviser.

Mr Adams acts as a consultant and expert worldwide on captive elephant issues.

Mr Adams pointed out that the training of elephants to perform tricks such as these is based on intensive hands-on training which "represents a severe danger of injury or death to the elephant keepers and compromises the welfare of the elephants".

This type of intensive training "thwarts the development of their [the elephants] normal social structure by substituting the keeper for the matriarch of the group".

• Acts such as an elephant holding the tail of the elephant in front of her can potentially cause damage to the spinal cord if the tail is pulled with excessive force. Weakness or paralysis of the bladder or hind legs can result, which in turn can lead to permanent disability
• Log sharing can cause elephants to become possessive (particularly females in captivity), and this can lead to aggression. As with tail-holding, it is important to understand that elephants are hierarchical herd animals each with her own social position within the group 'pecking order'
• Balancing / walking on podiums. Elephants prefer a solid footing, so to train an elephant to perform this type of trick, the elephant's motivation to walk on relatively unsafe ground must be greater than this natural fear. "Encouraging an elephant to perform a trick it inherently fears is unwise as the stress can lead to unpredictable behaviour." There is a danger an elephant may slip and injure herself or panic and injure a keeper through aggression
• "The balancing trick performed by Marcella has no conservation or welfare benefits and I consider it to be a particularly dangerous circus trick. In my opinion, this should be banned henceforth in the best interests of her safety and welfare."
• The 'Long Mount'. Mounting out of oestrus could be seen as a hierarchical challenge, which could lead to aggression. This behaviour is innate, and does not need to be learned. The commentary during this 'show' actually explains that any breeding of these elephants will most likely be via artificial insemination, not mating

Samantha Scott, Honorary Fellow at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh University and Honorary Clinical Lecturer at Glasgow University Veterinary School.

Ms Scott is a leading authority on the subject of animal behaviour and the welfare of captive wild animals.

Ms Scott believes that "these demonstrations are no more than circus tricks". Her criticisms of these tricks include:

• "Elephants do not pick up litter in the wild, let alone put it into bins"
• "Walking across podiums does not remotely mimic 'climbing hills to look for minerals'. It is potentially dangerous and purely for show"
• "The long mount is dangerous. Most of the weight of the mounting elephant is on its hindlegs. There is little weight on the back of the mounted elephant so it does not mimic a bull mating... Elephants do not need to practice such a normal behaviour and imposing it on them in this artificial way is asking for trouble"
• "Elephants, keeper and public are at risk during these performances. There can be no doubt that these are circus tricks in a very thin guise."

Dr William J Jordan, international wildlife vet and founder of Care for the Wild.

Dr Jordan was a veterinary consultant to Chester Zoo for 16 years and was a founder member of the British Veterinary Zoological Society.

Dr Jordan agreed with the other experts these tricks have the appearance of a circus. Of all the tricks performed by the elephants in Blackpool Zoo's 'elephant encounter', "the only routine which would be useful for veterinary treatment is the raising of the legs to examine the sole of the foot". He concludes, "All the other acts would be of no value for veterinary treatment. They are similar to circus acts."

In a year when only one British circus travelled with an elephant (and even she did not 'perform' tricks) isn't it ironic that in order to see performing elephants one would have to visit a zoo - those bastions of 'education, conservation and research'? It is even more ironic when one realises that Blackpool Council ban animal circuses from council land yet allow their own zoo to carry out circus-style tricks.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

	Help us campaign for an end to these tricks. Contact Blackpool Borough Council and tell them circus tricks are a thing of the past and don't belong in zoos. Steve Weaver, Chief Executive Blackpool Borough Council PO Box 77, Town Hall, Blackpool, FY1 1AD Phone: 01253 477000 Email: chief.executive@blackpool.gov.uk
	Read Horrors that elephants won't forget.
	Become a CAPS supporter - you can help to make a difference.

Photographs © Captive Animals Protection Society