Frequently asked questions - Elephant Experience

What kind of elephants do you care for?

Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus)

Do I get to touch the elephants?

Yes! You will have several opportunities to be up close and personal with the elephants. This includes helping with an elephant bath as well as several photo opportunities.

How many elephants live at The Preserve and what are their names?

Kitty

Species: Asian Elephant

Gender: Female

Born: 1967

Been with the family since: 1990

Identifying feature:  Our biggest girl with very long hair and abundant ear hair

Roise

Kitty

Species: Asian Elephant

Gender: Female

Born: 1984

Been with the family since: 1994

Identifying feature:

Becky

Species: Asian Elephant

Gender: Female

Born: 1987

Been with the family since: 1994

Identifying feature: Youngest member of the herd who is very petite, for an elephant

Where do you get your elephants?

Our elephants have been with our family for decades. They came to us from zoos or animal parks around the United States. Each elephant in our care has been specifically chosen to become a part of our family.

What organizations grant you permits and licenses to own elephants?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) issues our Animal Welfare license. We receive this license by proving that we have the proper facility and qualifications to care for elephants. The Preserve receives a minimum of two unannounced inspections per year. Inspectors review the premises, facilities, husbandry practices, program of veterinary care, records, and animal handling procedures.

We are accredited and inspected by the Zoological Association of America (ZAA). We go above and beyond the ZAA requirements for housing, handling and veterinary care. ZAAs objectives are:

• Establish professional standards for husbandry, animal care, and safety.

• Ensure accurate animal and medical records by our members.

• Enhance the survival of species by the use of professional methods.

• Ensure an appropriate, safe, and quality existence for animals in human care.

What kind of experience does your employees have working with elephants and other animals?

The key people who care for and work directly with the elephants have been with our team for between 16 and 25 years. Some have experience in zoos or other facilities with elephants and some are graduates of the Exotic Animal Training and Management program at Moorpark College. No matter what experience they have, everyone undergoes additional training here to assure consistency, quality and the humane care and management of our elephants. Our founders, the Johnsons, each have over 50 years of experience with elephants.

We are very proud of this dedicated, hard-working team of people who believe so strongly in the importance of preserving this endangered species. Our lives are centered on a positive cause and we are devoted to promoting the health and welfare of elephants everywhere.

What is the elephant’s daily routine?

Our day begins at 7:00 a.m. The elephants go outside to play while their barn is cleaned. At about 8:30 a.m. they begin their customized exercise program. Each elephant is walked for aerobic exercise. Next, stretching and warm up then the elephant yoga begins! They practice behaviors they already know and are always learning new ones. This is a great way to stimulate the learning centers in their brains, keeping them engaged and mentally fit.

After exercise each elephant gets a bath, which includes a good scrubbing with stiff brushes to exfoliate their skin. They are turned out to roam around, play, throw dirt, catnap or graze. They may get a pedicure, participate in an Elephant Experience, do some art projects, or just hang out during the day. About an hour before dark the elephants get some more exercise. When they go into the barn for the night they are fed their grain and hay.

Each elephant receives supplements, vitamins and minerals specific to her needs. We check on them every hour, pick up the poop and give them fresh hay. Their last feeding is at 10:00 p.m. when they are given enough hay for eating and bedding to last through the night.

What is The Preserve doing to help endangered elephants in their native habitat?

When focusing on elephants, we want to ensure the best for the species as a whole. This includes making improvements to the lives of wild elephants when possible, but doing so relies heavily on what we know and learn from elephants in managed care. There are three primary reasons managed care, and specifically the elephants at The Preserve, contribute to overall elephant conservation.

1. Understanding the species better. The relationship between our elephants and their human caretakers is unmatched. Because of the level of trust we have with our elephants, we are able to provide them with the highest level of care. This includes accessing all parts of their body and the small details of how elephants work. This also allows our girls to easily and comfortably participate in scientific studies, which help the veterinary community and elephant managers better understand ways to care for and manage elephants. All of this knowledge can be applied to creating the best possible plan of action for conserving elephants in the wild.

2. Educational opportunities for those not regularly involved with animal care. Reading about an elephant in a book is one thing, but having the opportunity to get up close and personal is enough to change someone’s world. Providing these incredible experiences that allow for that type of interaction truly encourages people to care. The more people that care enough to understand elephant conservation, the greater chance the species will survive.

3. Shared knowledge and resources with elephant organizations. The Preserve participates with other people and organizations that support elephant conservation. This includes service on the Board of Directors of the International Elephant Foundation, as well as financial contributions to, and participation in, conservation projects and research.

What is the difference between Asian and African elephants?

The big difference that most people notice is the ears. The African elephants have very large ears while Asian elephants have smaller ones. African elephants have two “fingers” at the end of their trunks while Asians have only one on top. African elephants have fewer toenails than Asians. African elephants usually grow taller. The African elephant’s trunk is more slender and flexible.

African elephants have one dome on top of their heads, while Asian elephants have a double-domed skull. African elephants have a dip in their backs, Asian elephants have a hump. At first glance the species appear to be the same. Upon closer inspection, nothing is exactly the same. In fact, Asian elephants are more closely related to mammoths and African elephants are more closely related to mastodons, even than they are to each other.

How much do the elephants weigh?

Our adult females weigh between 6,000 – 9,000 pounds.

How long do elephants usually live?

Elephants live into their 50’s or sometimes 60’s with great nutrition and veterinary care. They don’t live quite as long in the wild. The median life expectancy for Asian elephants is 47 years. Elephants grow at about the same rate as humans and reach maturity in their twenties.

How long is their gestation (term of pregnancy)?

Gestation is about 22 months.

How much do newborns usually weigh?

A newborn calf in human care can weigh between 200 and 400 pounds. The elephants born in the United States usually have a much higher birth weight than those born in range countries due to better nutrition for the mothers.

What are some of the behavioral traits of the Asian elephants?

Asian elephants are extremely intelligent. They form close bonds with each other and with the people they become familiar with. Females generally make good mothers and help care for each other’s babies. Each has a unique personality that makes them easy to fall in love with.

How long does an elephant sleep?

Elephants sleep about 4 to 6 hours over a 24-hour period. If they lay down on their side to sleep, they usually get up about every hour or so to eat awhile and then lie back down. Most of their sound sleeping is done very late at night or early in the morning. Elephants can also sleep standing up. They often take naps during the day.

Why do elephants have spots or light coloring on their faces?

This is a common trait in Asian elephants – African elephants do not have it. Elephants develop freckles through a process called depigmentation. This means that elephants actually lose pigment over time, resulting in spots that are lighter than the surrounding skin.

Animals that completely lack skin pigment are albino, while those that lack most (but not all) of their skin pigmentation are leucistic. So elephant freckles are in fact reverse-freckles: rather than being caused by a concentration of melanin, they are caused by a reduction in melanin in select areas.

How do elephants communicate with each other and humans?

Elephants communicate with each other through touch, vocalization, body language and scent. Their range of sound varies from high-pitched squeaking and trumpets to low-pitched vibration-like sounds that humans can’t hear, called infrasound. Elephants can communicate with each other over long distances using infrasound.