New Delhi: In a bid to introduce an alternative to traditional elephant training methods in India, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) is organising a series of workshops by renowned animal trainer Dr Andrew McLean. The initiative, supported by Working for Animals, Australia, aims to sensitise the Indian authorities concerned, on the need and availability of a new elephant training method.

The first workshop was organised today in Thiruvananthapuram, in collaboration with the Kerala Forest Department. Dr McLean, Head of Training, Human/Elephant Learning Program, Australia, introduced his ‘Positive Learning Method’ to about 70 participants including Forest Department officials, veterinarians, elephant owners among others.

“Elephant training like the teaching of any species involves capturing their motivations and rewarding correct responses. Science gives us an enlightened toolbox with which we can teach elephants to do what we want in a much faster and safer way than traditional methods. My experience in Nepal showed that change can occur so swiftly that the Nepalese government committed a five-year plan for us to prove our positive learning method. If successful, our method would be made mandatory throughout Nepal,” said Dr McLean.

“Currently, there are about 4000 captive elephants across India. All of these elephants have undergone traditional training methods, which are considered, by many, a painful exercise for the animals. These training methods have continued to thrive for lack of awareness about availability of alternative methods,” said Dr NVK Ashraf, Director, Wild Rescue Programme, WTI.

KB Ganesh Kumar, President of the Kerala Elephant Owners’ Federation who was also present during the workshop, said that there is a need for establishing elephant training facility to popularise better training methods among trainers, and to integrate modern methods for training animals. Expressing support to the new method, Kumar added that more humane methods should be used for training to ensure well-being of the elephants.

Dr Brandon S Corrie, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests and head of the captive elephant programme of the Kerala Forest Department said that the department was open to incorporate new techniques to traditional training methods. Appreciating the work of Dr McLean, he added that appropriate steps must be taken to implement the new training method.

The workshops target authorities within the government and non-governmental institutions as well as other stakeholders including elephant owners, trainers and experts concerned with captive elephant welfare, to prompt favourable changes in the traditional training methods. In addition to Kerala, the workshops will also be conducted in Assam – the Indian states with the highest captive elephant population – and in Delhi to introduce this concept to spread awareness among relevant policymakers.

Jose Louies/WTI