A Milestone for Elephant Care and Welfare in Malaysia
Wild Welfare US is delighted to announce a series of milestone achievements through their ongoing collaboration with Lok Kawi Wildlife Park in Sabah, Malaysia. The partnership predominantly focuses on improving the well-being of the wildlife park’s resident Bornean elephants.
Wild Welfare US has developed a long-term partnership, working hand-in-hand with the dedicated staff at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park, the Sabah Department of Wildlife and the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Environment (MTCE).
The initial breakthrough saw the successful completion of the first-ever voluntary blood draw on a female Bornean elephant at Lok Kawi Wildlife Park. Amoi, a 14-year-old Cow, participated in the procedure, demonstrating the trust built through positive reinforcement training and Protected Contact (PC) management. This method allows for safer veterinary care to be conducted with the elephants, without resorting to physical restraint or aestheticization. Lok Kawi animal keepers Brent Boniface and Florian Marcus worked together to prepare Amoi for the blood draw session by conducting a series of targeted behavioural training exercises. These included gradually introducing Amoi to the sight of the blood draw equipment, conditioning her to associate the equipment with positive experiences, such as receiving treats, and teaching her to voluntarily present and position herself for the draws. Shortly following Amoi’s participation, Brent also successfully performed a blood draw on the female, demonstrating the exceptional progress made in PC training by the park’s in-house team. Lok Kawi have also secured an upcoming internship for Brent and Florian at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, which will aim to further enhance their expertise in elephant care.
“I am so excited to see Brent’s and Florian’s stellar development as PC trainers and elephant managers,” says Margaret Whittaker, Wild Welfare US Executive Director; who also oversaw their training. “Accomplishing a voluntary blood draw takes a great deal of patience, practice, skill, dedication, and a keen understanding of the process involved to shape a complex behaviour. This, coupled with an understanding of each elephant’s response, yields these successes. All of us at Wild Welfare US are thrilled to help take their expertise to the next level through their upcoming internships at The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee!”
A further exciting development was the appointment of Eric Sushill Baln as the park’s Foot Care Coordinator. Eric has demonstrated a natural aptitude for elephant foot care and has been honing his skills under the skilled guidance of Wild Welfare US representatives. This dedicated focus on foot health and the ongoing development of such specialised skills is crucial for the overall positive well-being of elephants at the park.
A recent visit by Puan Jose Lai, Permanent Secretary of the MTCE, aimed to further strengthen vital working relationships for lasting change between the Malaysian government, Lok Kawi Wildlife Park and Wild Welfare US. “The maintenance of close collegiate relationships with the management authorities of facilities holding captive wildlife are a core Wild Welfare ethos, but more besides – we nurture genuine friendships in doing so,” expressed David Morgan, Co Founder and Field Director at Wild Welfare. “For us to seek to improve the care and welfare of captive animals, we also need to uphold genuine care and concern for the folk who look after them as well.”
These achievements highlight the importance of Wild Welfare’s collaborative approach with captive wildlife facilities. Through the nurturing of long-term partnerships, the up-skilling of staff through training, and a focus on positive animal welfare practices, Lok Kawi Wildlife Park and Wild Welfare US are striving towards setting a new standard for elephant care within the region.
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Notes to Editors
For more information or interview requests please contact Wild Welfare on communications@wildwelfare.org
Wild Welfare is a global organisation committed to improving animal welfare for captive wild animals. By uniting the world’s leading zoos, zoo associations and animal welfare organisations, we build trusting partnerships that help provide long-term solutions to critical wild animal welfare issues.
Our vision is to end the suffering of captive wild animals around the world and ensure full and sustainable protection is given to all animals in human care. Find out more at wildwelfare.org. Registered charity in England (no.1165941).
