What is Protected versus Free Contact?

ELEPHANT MANAGEMENT AT THE SAN DIEGO ZOO SAFARI PARK

African elephant in Tanzania (photo taken Spring 2010)

Why are the elephants at the Safari Park in their own exhibit instead of in the large field exhibits?

This is one of the most common questions I'm asked on tours by fellow elephant-lovers. The answer is simple: if the elephants were with all of the other herbivores in the large field exhibits, keepers would not be able to drive into and walk through the exhibits. I would also not be able to lead tours through the exhibits.

The elephants at San Diego Zoo Global are managed using protected contact, which means that there is always a barrier between the keepers and the elephants. If you read my previous "Training 101" post, the video of me training Tala, the North American river otter, depicts protected contact. There is a barrier between Tala and me at all times. The photos of me training Xiao Li, the red panda, in the same blog post portray free contact. Free contact means there is no barrier between the trainer and the animal.

Free contact used to be the accepted management style, not just for elephants, but for all animals. However, free contact is inherently more dangerous for the trainers and the animals. In free contact with elephants, the trainer enters the elephants' enclosure and uses positive and negative reinforcement to become a dominant member of the herd. Using free contact, the keeper has to punish the elephant for misbehaving or risk losing dominant status. For the keeper's own safety, the elephant (a 12-foot, 7-ton animal) can never be dominant, so the keeper must insist on 100% compliance at all times. Elephants are punished with a bull hook or ankus for misbehaving. Keepers are capable of having loving, meaningful relationships with their elephants using free contact, but more often than not the elephants are afraid of or resentful of the keepers. Free contact with elephants resulted in many keeper injuries and fatalities over the years. Between 1976 and 1999, 17 keepers in the United States were killed by elephants using free contact. Free contact can be a very useful management tool for other animals, but with an animal as big and powerful as an elephant, it is unsafe. So many zoos and sanctuaries have switched to protected contact in recent years.

Brian Greco checks Umngani's mouth using protected contact
(photo courtesy of San Diego Zoo Global via Union Tribune San Diego)

San Diego Zoo Global began transitioning to protected contact with elephants in 1992. Using protected contact, the keeper does not enter the elephants' enclosure or societal hierarchy. Protected contact is still "hands-on" because the keepers touch the elephants, but they do not share physical space with the elephants. The keeper only uses positive reinforcement, never negative reinforcement, punishment, or physical discipline. This fosters a positive, cooperative relationship between the elephant and the trainer. The elephant trains because it wants to train to receive treats and rewards from a keeper. If an elephant is ever bored or uninterested, it simply walks away. This is acceptable because the keeper is not in danger from the elephant disobeying. Even though protected contact is not foolproof, it is safer for the keepers and the elephants than free contact. Protected contact training is also teachable: there is a consistent formula for new, inexperienced keepers to follow. Finally, operant conditioning using positive reinforcement and protected contact is actually enrichment! Training sessions get the elephants out of their normal routines and discourage stereotypic behaviors. These sessions reward the elephant for thinking through problems and forming cooperative bonds with other herd members and trainers.

Keepers at the Safari Park give a pedicure to Ranchipur,
an Asian bull elephant before he was moved to the San Diego Zoo
(photo courtesy of Los Angeles Times)

Protected versus free contact management styles are still hotly debated. Yes, it's true that using protected contact, keepers can't ride an elephant, jump into a watering hole to give an elephant a bath, or bring an elephant to a TV studio. But using protected contact, keepers can give the elephants pedicures, baths, vaccines, blood-draws, play-time, and install tracking devices...voluntarily! Protected contact is a much safer, more positive management style for both elephants and the keepers who care for and love them.