An elephant calf being trained to stretch and lie down several years ago at Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's Center for Elephant Conservation in Polk City, Fla. A handler is touching the back of the elephant's neck with a bullhook or "guide." Another handler stands next to him with bags of treats for the elephant. PETA, the animal rights group, claims images like this show cruelty to the elephants. Ringling responds that this is a picture of standard, humane, professional elephant training.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
Samuel Haddock in his living room in Clermont, Fla., earlier this year. He worked as a handler at Ringling's Center for Elephant Conservation from
1997 to 1999 and from 2002 to 2005. He died last month at 53. Toward the end of his career, he said in a written declaration, he began to question the treatment of baby elephants during training. He contacted PETA and gave the group 70 pictures he took at the center, some dating to the late 1990s, but most taken earlier this decade.
Courtesy Of Peta-courtesy of PETA
While teaching an elephant calf to stretch and lie, a trainer is touching a bullhook or "guide" to the back of the elephant's neck at Ringling's Center for Elephant Conservation. Ringling says this is a painless way to "cue" the elephant to perform a trick. The photos were taken by Samuel Haddock, a former employee at the center who is now deceased.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
A baby elephant being trained several years ago to lie down at Ringling's Center for Elephant Conservation. Gary Jacobson, the director of elephant care and head trainer, is holding the elephant's trunk. Jacobson, who has trained 9 of the 22 touring elephants, says the calves are treated as humanely as possible.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
Jacobson pats a young elephant that was learning several years ago how to lie down. Eventually, many of the elephant calves raised at the center will go on the road with the circus as crowd-pleasing performers.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
A baby elephant photographed at Ringling's Center for Elephant Conservation in about 2002, near the beginning of the process of being separated from its mother. Calves are usually separated from their mothers at the age of 18-to-22 months. Ringling maintains that calves are separated only when they are ready for more independence. PETA contends the separations are cruel, in part because they happen earlier than they would in the wild.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
Several elephant calves tethered in a barn in about the late 1990s after being separated from their mothers at Ringling's Center for Elephant Conservation. Ringling says nowadays calves are no longer separated abruptly from their mothers -- a more gradual process is employed.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
A baby elephant being trained to sit on a tub at Ringling's Center for Elephant Conservation several years ago.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
As part of the training, a elephant calf is taught to sit on a stool. Jacobson uses a bullhook or "guide" to remind the elephant to keep its right leg up
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
A baby elephant being trained to sit on a tub at Ringling's Center for Elephant Conservation. Is that bullhook or "guide" touching the elephant? PETA says yes, Ringling says no, in this case. It is an example of how photos can be tricky to interpret.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
A young elephant being trained to stand on its head at Ringling's Center for Elephant Conservation several years ago. A rope is attached to the elephant's trunk. Bullhooks are poised to remind the elephant to keep its hind legs up. Ringling says young elephants naturally do headstands while at play.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
A pair of young elephants perform a trick at Ringling's Center for Elephant Conservation several years ago. Within days of being taught a new move, the trainers no longer need to use ropes, Ringling says. These elephants have learned their lessons and may soon be ready to perform on the road.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
Earlier this month Jacobson gives a snack of banana leaves and white bread to baby Sundara, 13 months, and mom Sally. "The last thing they're afraid of is me, these little elephants," he says.
David Montgomery-The Washington Post
The late Samuel Haddock sits with baby Riccardo in 2004. Riccardo was injured in an accident that year at 8 months old, after he fell off a low tub that another handler had led him to. He had to be euthanized. Ringling says he was not yet in training to be a performer at such a young age, but he was being taught other basic maneuvers as part of his care and upbringing.
Samuel Haddock-Courtesy of PETA
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