Free-contact

Definition of Free-contact

From the elephant glossary Section: management

Random Literature
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases

The free contact (FC) is based on the 5 000 years tradition of alpha animal training technique. The trainer is not only trainer, but is part of the Herd, and the trainer is the leader of the Herd, the alpha animal. NO alternative here, if the trainer fails with this, the elephant will challenge the trainer, either by attacking the trainer, or someone else. It is when the elephant doesnt accept the trainer as alpha-animal, that "accidents" occur.

Records about Free-contact from the Gajah Glossary at https://www.asesg.org/PDFfiles/Gajah/23-01-Glossary.pdf Free-contact: [see also: protected-contact] Doyle 1993) Working with captive elephants, in which there is no border between the human and the elephant.

M. Philip Kahl and Charles Santiapillai, Gajah Elephant Glossary, Gajah nr 23 (2004), Journal for Asian Elephant Specialist Group

Less and less locations in the Western Hemisphere manage elephants in FC.

Central Asia

Almaty Zoo (Alma-Ata Zoo) in Kazakhstan

Europe

Zoos

Belgium

Leipzig Zoo

Czech Republic

Liberec Zoo

Germany

Berlin Zoo, Elefantenhof Platschow, Hagenbeck Tierpark in Hamburg, Leipzig Zoo, Wilhelma Zoo in Stuttgart, and Wuppertal Zoo.

Hungary

Sosto Zoo

United Kingdom, UK

West Midlands, Woburn safari.

Slovenia

Ljubljana Zoo

Switzerland

Knie Kinderzoo in Rappersville

Non Zoos

Skanda Vale Temple, Wales, UK

North America

Canada

African Lion Safari in Cambridge Ontario, and Edmonton Zoo.

U.S.A.

Only privately owned elephants are FC, since AZA mandated PC years ago.

Reference list Koehl, Dan, (2024). Free-contact. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 20 September 2021 at https://www.elephant.se/index.php?id=90. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

Andy Hayton, UK
*EASLEY
Gábor Vadász, Hungary
Garry White, Switzerland
Matija Ramšak, Slovenia
Records about Free-contact from the Gajah Glossary, https://www.asesg.org/PDFfiles/Gajah/23-01-Glossary.pdf

Selected publications

Links about Free-contact

Selected external links for this article about Free-contact:

External relevant search

Search more on the web for elephant+%22Free-contact%22 (Opens in new window and the word elephant+%22Free-contact%22 is already submitted into the link, just click on the link for relevant results)

Categories glossary | management

About this documentThis document was created: 2004-06-06. Latest update: 2023-09-08 15:13:49 included 1693 characters with valid HTML5