- Padfoot the Painting Ocelot
- Unique jaguar makes public debut
- Jaguar gets new smile thanks to Valley team
- Rhinoceros Hornbill Chick
- New Jaguar on Exhibit!
- Zoo Babies! Black Footed Ferrets
- Positive Effects for Andean Bears
- Learn More About Phoenix Zoo Animals
- Budgett's Frog
- Poison Dart Frogs
- Siamang
- Patagonian Cavy
- All About the Desert Tortoise
- The Turkey Vulture
- Meet the Phoenix Zoo Meerkat Family
- The American Bald Eagle, Our Nation's Symbol
- Ruppell's Griffon Vulture Facts
- Facts About the Common Raven
- Undulated and Laced Moray Eels and the Coral Reef
- Giant Vietnamese Centipede
- The Phoenix Zoo's Asian Elephants
- When It Comes to Bird Beaks, Size Does Matter
- Wild Dogs
- My Arts Community
Daily Routines
Daily Routines/Husbandry
Proper care of elephants takes a lot of time. Here at the Phoenix Zoo we shower the elephants everyday and check their feet. We have hot and cold water in our barn and use a power sprayer to hose them down. The entire process takes at least half an hour for each elephant. Showering an elephant is very important, it helps to exfoliate their skin and remove any debris. By showering them everyday and giving them access to natural substrates to scratch on, we've seen dramatic improvement in their skin condition. The skin is healthier and they have a lot more hair growth.
In addition to showering and foot checks we also do other procedures needed to care for captive elephants. Elephants in captivity generally don't grow much tail hair. They are constantly banging them on unnatural surfaces such as concrete and steel. This can cause numerous problems such as ingrown hairs, which can be very painful. We do daily tails soaks for our elephants in warm soapy water which helps soften the skin. This, in turn, helps prevent ingrown hairs.
Wild elephants walk 20-30 miles a day constantly moving and foraging for food. Elephants in captivity don't walk as much as they would in the wild. Exercising is another important way in which we care for the elephants. We walk the elephants around our exhibit by using treats and encouragement. This exercising is good for their overall general health, especially their feet.
Medical Procedures
One of the most important medical procedures that we do is weekly blood draws. We draw blood for two main reasons. First, it's done to test and check their general health. Second, and most importantly, is to be sure that we can draw blood when needed. For example, if one of the elephants had something wrong, we would be able to draw blood from behind their ears instead of having to immobilize them, which can be dangerous for such a large animal. By having the elephants trained to present their ears, it's safer and less stressful for them.
The keepers spend everyday with the elephants and are constantly examining them. One of the most important things to watch for is overall body condition. Elephants in captivity have a tendency to be overweight due to inactivity and rich diets. Here at the zoo the elephants are weighed monthly. We have target weight ranges for all of the elephants to try to make sure they stay as healthy as possible.
Another procedure that we do is test for tuberculosis, or TB. Elephants are susceptible to the human strain of TB and must be regularly checked for their safety and ours. The procedure to test for TB requires the elephants to accept about 60cc of saline being flushed into their trunks. The elephants are then trained to blow the saline into a plastic bag. The fluid in the bag is then sent to be tested for the presence of TB.
Elephant Foot Care
Foot problems are the number one killer of captive elephants. It's very important to take proper care of their feet. Here at the Phoenix Zoo this doesn't just include daily foot checks but also includes monthly trimming. Elephants in the wild walk 20-30 miles a day, naturally wearing down their nails and pads. In captivity, elephants don't walk nearly enough so it's necessary for keepers to trim their feet. Although at first glance it may not be obvious, elephants actually walk on their toes. Because of this, tremendous pressure is applied to each nail and overgrown nails can quickly become a huge problem. Keeping the nails properly trimmed is vital to having healthy elephants.
There are three major components to trimming elephant's feet. First, you must have sharp tools. Sharp tools make trimming easier for the keepers but more importantly it is easier on the elephant. Sharp tools make the trimming process go faster and there is less pulling and tugging on potentially sensitive areas of the foot. Secondly, you have to treat each nail independently. Every nail on an Asian has a particular shape, some nails are "horseshoe shaped" and some are "teardrop shaped". When trimming the nails it is important to keep those shapes in mind. Lastly, you need to have space between the nails, preferably one-finger width. On the front feet the center nail is often crowded by the nails on either side of it, those three nails are the ones that frequently have problems.
In our program we trim one foot of each elephant every week, for example we will trim the front right feet of all three elephants in one week. We use hoof knifes, rasps and Swiss knifes to accomplish this. It takes keepers anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to trim one foot. The elephants are all trained to present their front and back feet for trims. With the
entire elephant staff able to do foot work and understanding the importance of it, we are able to stay on top of foot care. Most importantly, we are extremely fortunate to have Alan Roocroft, who is world renowned for foot care, as our consultant. He is a wonderful asset to our elephant program and a great teacher.
