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Practical Elephant Management – a Handbook for Mahouts (India)

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Practical Elephant Management – a Handbook for Mahouts (India) Practical Elephant Management A Handbook for Mahouts Nibha Namboodiri, Compiler and Editor K. C. Panicker and J. V. Cheeran, Technical Editors First published in Malayalam – July 1997 Elephant Welfare Association, Publisher Zoo Outreach Organisation, Designer and Printer Artwork by Rachael Mills and Jose Copyright: Elephant Welfare Association FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Zoo Outreach Organisation - CBSG-India P.O. Box 1683 Peelamedu Coimbatore 641 004, INDIA Tel: +91 (422) 563 159 Fax: +91 (422) 563 269 Practical Elephant Management: A Handbook for Mahouts The copyright of this publication belongs to the Elephant Welfare Association for contact details regarding publication see Title Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The publishers gratefully acknowledge the funding provided by the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, United Kingdom for sponsoring several workshops and for the publication of this volume, for the infrastructure, facilities, and support provided by the Kerala Forest Department for the various training courses, and to Zoo Outreach Organisation for coordinating and facilitating various and publications. The Publishers, Elephant Welfare Association, and Zoo Outreach Organisation on behalf of UFAW acknowledge the assistance of Ms Nibha Namboodiri who coordinated the several mahout training courses which led to the articles contained in this volume. Ms Namboodiri took copious notes on the practical lectures of the mahout trainers whose valuable traditional and practical knowledge otherwise would not have been available for use by others for training of other mahouts and management of elephants. CONTENTS (Linked in WILDPro to species page Elephas maximus - Asian Elephant ) Title Page Acknowledgements Contents Foreword SECTION 1--INTRODUCTION Elephant facts Significance of Various Internal and External Organs Evolutionary History and Subspecies SECTION 2--HEALTH Signs of Health Common Ailments Diseases in Captive Elephants Colic Impaction Sick and Injured Elephants: Care and Cure Health Care of Departmental Elephants SECTION 3--MANAGEMENT A Traditional Perspective on Elephant Management Traditional Knowledge on Elephants Management Practices in Kerala Elephant Management in Tamil Nadu Forest Department Elephants in Captivity: Some Experiences from North Bengal Elephant Management in Kerala Forest Department Care of Pregnant Cow Elephants Care of Elephant Calves Handrearing and training of an Elephant Calf Bathing an Elephant Elephant Food and Fodder Timber Elephants of Kerala Transportation of Elephants SECTION 4--MUSTH Musth in Captive Elephants Handling Musth Elephants Tranquillisation SECTION 5--HANDLING Handling of Elephants Significance of sensitive Points Sensitive Regions Practical Aspects of Elephant Handling Practical Pointers Animal Psychology as Applied to Training Training Elephants at Elephant Camps SECTION 6--WILD ELEPHANTS AND CAPTURE Wildlife Protection Act Life of Wild Elephants Man-Elephant Conflict - Case Study in North Bengal Elephant Capture and Training in Kerala Forest Department Elephant Capturing in North-eastern India SECTION 7--MISCELLANEOUS FACTS Elephant Trade in India Purchasing Elephants - Tricks of the Trade Auspicious and Inauspicious Signs The Image and Profession of Mahouts in North-eastern India Evolution of Elephants - the Mythological Story Authors Glossary FOREWORD The elephant has been with man in war and peace as a trusted friend from time immemorial. Our epics and folklore are replete with legends about this magnificent giant. How man could tame the largest terrestrial animal is a question on which we can only speculate for answers. Possibly the initial associations must have started when both the man and the animal were forest dwellers and shared the same habitat. The elephant has a position of distinction in our cultural and political history. Classical literature and other writings of those ages clearly point out that elephants have been accorded a position of dignity and divinity. There are also treatises dealing with the art and science of elephant maintenance. All this speaks of the strong bond man had with the elephant. This bond was based on respect for the elephant and a sound understanding of the needs of the animal. Sadly, this situation has changed recently. When man started using elephants for economic gain only, the traditional bond of love respect and understanding that the elephant and mahout shared underwent a transformation. The bond became exploitative. Health and welfare of the elephant became insignificant issues as long as the elephant was able to bring in money. People interested in correcting the situation have formed pressure groups and also pushed for regulations and legislation to further the cause of elephants. In addition to this short term strategy it is also necessary to improve skills in elephant management on a long term basis. "Practical Elephant Management: A Handbook for Mahouts " is an attempt to cater to this need. Kerala is known as the "elephant state" for its large captive elephant population. The current estimate is that there are 600 elephants and at least 80% of them are tuskers. These elephants are an important aspect of Kerala’s cultural and religious festivities. The mahouts who manage these elephant were respected and admired. The skills of mahoutery have been passed down for many generations of mahouts. It is a specialised profession requiring both intelligence and physical prowess. The mahout should have patience, tolerance and humility and at the same time presence- of-mind and quick reflexes. The profession can also be dangerous. There are many instances of accidents where the mahout is injured or killed. Elephant lovers of Kerala fondly remember the names of popular elephants and their mahouts even today. Till recently mahouts were respected in the society. In recent years, the quality of elephant management has degenerated. Increasing demand for elephants at festivals and functions have made elephant management a lucrative affair. This has attracted a new breed of youngsters with no traditional method of initiation in the art of mahoutery. These new aspirants had neither knowledge to handle elephants, nor respect for the work they have taken up. Not surprisingly many of them used various violent methods to control elephants. This led to casualties for both elephants and mahouts. Private elephant owners who see the elephant only as an investment have not paid much attention to the quality of elephant management. Elephant management deteriorated as a result. These issues brought people with concern for elephants together and the Elephant Welfare Association, was formed in Trichur. EWA aimed at improving elephant management through a multi-pronged strategy. As a part of this strategy the need to improve the capacities of mahouts were realised. The mahouts were taken through a training program which drew on the expertise of modern disciplines like veterinary sciences and traditional strengths like indigenous mahoutery and skills. The first training course was a collaborative effort of Kerala Forest Department, Elephant Welfare Association, Zoo Outreach Organisation ( Z.O.O.) and Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW at UK), the latter being an animal welfare organisation which provided financial assistance for the course. The first batch of trainees underwent a three month training programme. This was held in the last quarter of 1995. The training programme was an innovative stride forward in elephant management in Kerala. However it also led to some misunderstandings. The traditional mahouts assumed that the trained mahouts would replace them from the current jobs. The elephant owners thought the training course has created the perfect mahout who could handle any elephant given to him. These misconceptions were gradually cleared. The organisers of the course consider that the graduates are fit only to be installed as second or third mahout to an elephant. The course is not merely an attempt at enhancing skills of elephant management. It also looks at ways of instilling an ethical dimension to elephant management. Thus self reliance, spirit of co-operation, perseverance, self respect and dignity of labour are seen as core values for a mahout. ‘Practical Elephant Management - A Handbook for Mahouts’ is the result of the experience gained from training two batches of mahouts. The sharing of ideas among trainees, trained mahouts, elephant owners, veterinarians and general public was an enriching experience and provided the inspiration for this book. The book covers a broad range of topics such as - management in captivity in various parts of India, evolution, musth, physiology, anatomy, disease, wild elephant and their conservation. Though the articles are based on cultural and traditional practices in various parts of India, I am sure that it holds universal lessons for elephant management. This book has been written in a very lucid style. A Malayalam version of the book has been distributed to mahouts, elephant lovers, owners and elephant managers in Kerala. I am extremely glad and privileged to write the foreword to this book, since I have been associated with the course at its conception and also during its implementation. I hope the book would be interesting and useful not only to mahouts, elephant mangers and students of wildlife but also to any one who loves elephants. T. M. Manoharan, I.F.S. Chief Conservator of Forests Kerala State Forest Department SECTION I INTRODUCTION Elephant Facts Significance
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