First steps in medical training for the young female elephants Himba and Rosie!
At just a few months old, Himba and Rosie already have a lot to learn! Himba, born on 15 February to N’Dala, and Rosie, born on 22 March to Ashanti, both have Akili – the breeding bull at ZooParc de Beauval – as their father. Since August, the animal keepers have been introducing the two young elephants to medical training. These exercises are essential for gradually familiarising them with the care they will receive throughout their lives. Watch a video of their first lessons!
Learning to cooperate from a very young age
It all began when Himba and Rosie, who are particularly curious, got into the habit of seeking attention from the keepers during their mothers’ medical training sessions. The teams then decided to introduce their own exercises to gradually teach them how to focus and follow certain instructions.
“It’s absolutely vital to set clear boundaries with the elephants right from the start, for the future,” explains Johanna, an animal keeper. These early lessons will also make future veterinary examinations and daily care easier, whilst ensuring the safety of both the animals and the teams.
For the time being, the exercises remain simple: recognising their names, coming when called, or touching a target with their heads. The sessions, lasting between 5 and 10 minutes, are based on positive reinforcement. The two young elephants are encouraged with verbal cues and rewarded with foods they particularly enjoy. Rosie is mad about bananas, whilst Himba is more tempted by apples and pumpkin!
These tasty treats accompany their gradual introduction to solid food. Whilst they continue to suckle regularly from their mothers, Himba and Rosie are also starting to eat hay and leaves, whilst trying out different vegetables, such as beetroot and turnips. And the two half-sisters are growing before our very eyes! At their last weigh-in, Himba weighed 284 kg, compared to 207 kg for Rosie.
Between walks in the Plain with the group and medical training sessions, Himba and Rosie’s days are very busy!
Two pupils with very different personalities
Out on the plain, Himba stands out for her calm and reserved nature, whilst Rosie is much livelier and more spirited. But these differences in character hold a few surprises during the medical training sessions!
“Rosie was immediately more studious and focused,” says Johanna. Himba, on the other hand, tended to interrupt her exercises to go and find her friend, before returning to the carers!
But the two young elephants have made rapid progress. They are now responding better and better to instructions and are learning to stay calm during the sessions. “Honestly, they’re really impressing us,” says Johanna.
And whilst Himba and Rosie are becoming increasingly attentive, their curiosity sometimes has a few surprises in store for the keepers! In particular, the presence of a camera during filming somewhat disrupted Himba’s concentration; she was far more interested in this unusual visitor than in her exercises. Proof that the two young elephants still have a lot to learn… and a few surprises in store for their keepers!
