Elephants Elephants - Wildpro - Twycross Zoo

enrichment and access to food (see section on cows above). It has been
demonstrated that elephants benefit considerably from having 24 hour access
to the outside area (Priest et al 1994) (and see Section 3.3.2) and zoos MUST
strive to provide conditions that allow elephants this choice consistent with
welfare and safety consideration. Lighting should be on dimmer control so
that a low light level can be provided when required (3.3.2) and there should
be a means of providing food during the night (see Section 3.4). Observation
cameras, which can record nocturnal behaviour, should be fitted 1.
GENERAL
As far as possible, elephants, especially females, should be maintained in
social contact with other elephants. Husbandry regimes entailing separation
MUST be rigorously justified and approved at the highest of levels within the
collection.
Sufficient time MUST be set aside for elephants to interact naturally within
groups during the daily routine. Although the time spent by keepers with
elephants can be mutually beneficial, it is inevitably on the keepers’ terms and
cannot be regarded as a proper substitute for elephant to elephant
interactions. Freedom of choice and control are widely accepted by welfare
scientists as critical aspects of animal welfare, as are ability to express speciesspecific
behaviours and interactions.
3.3.2 Enclosure
All elephants MUST have indoor and outdoor facilities and, when weather
conditions allow, they should have reasonable access to both over a 24 hour
period (i.e. the animals should not be shut in overnight under normal
circumstances, see Nocturnal Behaviour section, above.). Both enclosures
MUST be designed to ensure that absolutely no physical contact is possible
between public and elephant.
INDOOR
It should be noted that these areas are minimal and zoos should strive to
provide larger areas.
The indoor space for the cow herd MUST allow 200 sq.m for four animals and
should increase by 50 sq. m. for each additional animal over two years of age
(n.b. the minimum herd size is taken as four females over two years of age).
Since it has to be the objective of every collection to manage compatible herds,
the housing MUST reflect this desire, and facilitate its fulfilment. The inside
area therefore MUST be designed for such a herd, ensuring the elephants can
move freely as a group and be able to move, turn and lie down. Separation
and isolation facilities i.e. separate pens, MUST be available to allow
veterinary and behavioural management such as maternity areas for cows and
1 Guidelines on nocturnal management have been updated.
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