ECC elephant welfare policy

Our Policy at ECC is based on best practices and rely heavily on the  “Five Animal Freedoms” (Source: OIE International)

1. Freedom from malnutrition

• by providing ready access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health and vigour.

2. Freedom from thermal and physical discomfort

• by providing an appropriate environment including shelter, shade, access to bathing facilities and social interaction with other elephants.

3. Freedom from injury or disease

by providing :

• Experienced mahouts or keepers who can handle the elephants without causing injury.
• Preventative health care.
• Access to veterinary care.

4. Freedom from fear and stress

• by ensuring conditions and treatment which avoid mental suffering.
• Limited use of bull hook (ankus), and efforts made to phase out its use by adopting positive reinforcement training techniques.
• Minimize public contact.
• Elephants free to move at will, escape and find refuge.
• Maintain elephants in social groups when at rest.
• Elephants should not be tethered except for welfare reasons.

5. Freedom to express normal patterns of behavior 

• By providing sufficient space and areas where elephants are able and encouraged to dig, bathe, dive, forage, dust bathe etc and company of other elephants ideally in a social structure of mixed sex and age.