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Episode - 21 December 2020
Host: Barbara Heidenreich
Guests: Gerry Creighton
What does it take to create an elephant program that supports learning, social behavior, and good animal welfare? In this episode, I talk with Gerry Creighton about approaches to elephant care that look to the natural history and ethology of the species for guidance.
We discuss the importance of creating opportunities for elephants to learn from other elephants and how that perspective can influence herd structure, day-to-day management, and interactions with caregivers. Moving toward this type of elephant care can require facilities to rethink some long-established management practices and consider how the environments and social opportunities we provide influence behavior.
Gerry also shares examples from his work with elephant programs around the world and discusses the evolution of the elephant program at Dublin Zoo. Our conversation explores how changes in management, social structure, and husbandry can contribute to better welfare outcomes and what elephant care professionals can learn from programs that have taken a different approach.
If you work with elephants—or are interested in how an understanding of species-typical behavior can influence animal care—this conversation offers plenty to consider.
Recommended Citation:
Heidenreich, B. (Producer/Writer). (2020, December). Elevating Elephant Programs with Gerry Creighton. [Audio Podcast]. Animal Training Fundamentals with Barbara Heidenreich.https://animaltrainingfundamentals.com/podcasts/elevating-elephant-programs-with-gerry-creighton/
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Guest Bio:
Gerry Creighton
Gerry Creighton has worked in Dublin Zoo since 1983, starting as a trainee keeper, before becoming a full time zoo keeper in 1986. He subsequently worked as Team Leader responsible for large apes, carnivores and elephants for nearly ten years before becoming Zoo Operations Manager for animals and grounds in 2009. Gerry also holds an advisory role acting as elephant consultant for many international zoos, within Europe, Asia and North America. Gerry’s career has spanned several decades of exciting development, during which time Dublin Zoo has transformed from its Victorian beginnings in 1831 into a modern, vital and progressive European centre for conservation, education and animal husbandry.
About Barbara Heidenreich
Barbara Heidenreich is a zoologist and animal training and behavior consultant specializing in species managed in zoological facilities. She earned her B.S. in Zoology from the University of California, Davis. Barbara consults internationally with zoos, universities, veterinary professionals, and conservation programs and has worked onsite with more than 90 facilities in 30 countries.
In addition to her consulting work, Barbara serves as an Adjunct Instructor at Texas A&M University and operates AnimalTrainingFundamentals.com, a comprehensive online education program offering hundreds of courses on animal training and behavior. Her work focuses on applying behavior analysis to improve animal welfare through building behavior, contingency analysis, genuine choice, and constructional approaches to behavior change.
Barbara has authored two books, contributed to five textbooks, and co-authored two Fear Free® Avian Certification Courses. She advises the Animal Training Working Group and Parrot Taxon Advisory Group for the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria and serves as Co-Chair and founding member of the Zoological Association of America’s Animal Training Committee. She has contributed to conservation projects including the Kakapo Recovery Program and the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation and has received seven awards from zoological trade organizations recognizing her contributions to the field.
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