Handrearing

Definition of Handrearing

From the elephant glossary Section: management

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The the first documented succesful hand rearing of an orphaned infant African elephant was made by game hunter and animal dealer Hans Schomburgk in German Tanganyika, in 1908. The elephant, who he named Jumbo, was sold in 1910 To Firma Carl Hagenbeck, through Hagenbecks agent Cristoph Schulz, and renamed Toto, later sold to Rome Zoo in Italy.

The first zoo born handreared Orphan, rejected by the mother, was Roma, born 1949 in Rome Zoo. Roma was rejected by her mother, and heandreared by the elephant keepers, after the biologist, later director of Rome Zoo, Ermanno Bronzini, researched hand rearing and had the milk from Giulietta analyzed. This was probably the first succesful handrearing ever, of a captive zoo born elephant.

The claim of first hand rearing of an orphaned baby elephant described in International Zoo Yearbook article, is therefore not correct, however interesting since its written by a scientist, the danish biologist Niels Bolwig, who were probably not aware of earlier succesful attempts.

When lecturing professor at Ibadan University, Nigeria in 1963, Bolwig successfully reared an orphaned infant African forest elephant from a few days old, by developing his own rich milk formula consisting of cow milk and butter fat.

In the International Zoo Yearbook article Observations on the early behaviour of a young african elephant from January 1965, Bolwig describes how an orphaned African forest elephant was brought to Ibadan University on the 13th of December 1963, after her mother was shot in self-defence, when charging a hunter.

The elephant calf was assumed to be about a week old, still having its umbilical cord, and was in good condition, but thin after a week without food. The successful rearing in a garage on the University, since it may be the first scientific description of its kind, it was therefore considered being the first documented succesful attempt by scientists.

From Biology, Medicine, and Surgery of Elephants, 2006 by Murray Fowler, Susan K. Mikota

The survival rate for elephant calves raised by human caretakers from birth appears to be very low, and only a small number have survived to young adulthood. Successful hand rearing of elephant calves is difficult, even for short periods, but the survival rate of calves reintroduced to the mother after a short period of hand rearing, typically 25 days or less, is much improved. The chances of survival are greater for older calves and those that have received colostrum. The primary goal of any neonatal health program for elephant calves is to keep the elephant calf with the elephant mother. In cases of forced separation, every effort should be made to reintroduce the calf to the mother.

General supplies for hand rearing an elephant calf should include bovine bottles and Nipples , human breast pump, microwave, refrigerator, cooking thermometer, containers and utensils, cell phone, cloth tape measurer, walk-on scales, video camera, still camera, record sheets, notebooks, file folder box, blankets, towels, baby wipes, shavings and straw. Arrangements should be made for 24-hour attendance, along with a list of caretakers and veterinary staff and their contact phone numbers. A nursery area in the elephant barn is necessary including facilities for supplemental heating or cooling.

Weigh the calf. Administer elephant colostrum if available, 2–10 liters orally by bottle (if there is no possibility of nursing from mother). The calf is unlikely to consume more than 0.5 l in a single feeding. Colostrum should be given within 6 hours and no later than 24 hours after birth. Bovine colostrum may be used if elephant colostrum is not available.

Give Tetanus prophylaxis, umbilical care, and vitamin E-injection.

If possible, and if safety concerns allow, the dam should be milked so the calf can receive colostrum and then milked to supplement formula feeding. Milking methods include hand milking, manual human breast pump, and electric human breast pump. Manual milking is similar to that used in goats: Squeeze the teat at the top with the thumb and forefinger and then squeeze the other three fingers in succession; 20 to 30 units of oxytocin may be given intramuscularly approximately 5 minutes before pumping to facilitate milk let down. Frequent milking and the use of oxytocin should dramatically increase the amount of milk collected. One zoo milked their elephant cow every 3 hours and used oxytocin each time, with average collections of 1080 ml per milking during the first week.

Biology, Medicine, and Surgery of Elephants, 2006 by Murray Fowler, Susan K. Mikota

Records about Handrearing from the Gone Astray: Elephant care manual for Mahouts and camp managers (Thailand)

If the mother attempts to damage a newborn calf, or if she is unwilling or unable to nurse it, then the Mahout must milk the mother so as to get colustrum that the Mahout must feed the calf. (This must be done within twelve hours of birth.) There should be an attempt to find a nearby nursing mother to serve as a wet nurse, but if this is impossible then there is the need to supply milk from another source, usually powdered milk which is easily available in the market place. But the easily available powdered milk types are usually difficult to digest and can lead to feebleness, stunted growth, Constipation, diarrhoea, and even death.

Powdered milk for infant animals such as the young of cattle, pigs or dogs. Sold in animal supply stores everywhere, it is the cheapest milk available. But cheap powdered milk can cause both diarrhoea and Constipation. Before using it, it is best to consult a veterinarian, or if you use it and the calf has digestive problems, stop immediately and consult a veterinarian.

2. Powdered milk for human infants is for sale in shops everywhere but it is expensive and likely to cause diarrhoea by being difficult to digest, as can be noticed through off-white coloured, liquid stool. If this is observed, consult a veterinarian immediately.

3. Powdered formula for human infants with difficulties digesting lactose is made mostly of soy beans. It is more expensive than ordinary infant powdered milk, but sometimes it also causes either diarrhoea or Constipation. If so, stop immediately and consult a veterinarian.

4. Formula especially made for elephant calves is best but it must be ordered from overseas.

Many calves die in Thailand every year simply because they are given inappropriate milk that they cannot digest. In selecting the best powdered milk or formula for elephant calves a veterinarian should be consulted.

In mixing or blending, you must sterilize with boiling water both the drinking vessel and the mixing vessel every time before preparing milk or giving milk. Feeding calves requires very strict attention to cleanliness and sanitation because calves can very easily contract infectious diarrhoea and die. (See Diarrhoea caused by germs, page 119.) In mixing milk, you should very carefully study and follow the instructions printed on the side of the can.

It is very important to not mix in any granulated sugar as this can cause diarrhoea. The calf should also be given multi-vitamins and calcium pills every day.

Calves should be fed small amounts of milk every time but should be fed often. The caretaker or Mahout must be with the calf day and night, never leaving it for more than an hour under any circumstances. The elephant must be fed every time it is hungry, which it will show by calling out or walking to the keeper.

Warning to camp managers: Caring for a calf is not a job that you can assign to just any Mahout as it is like being the nurse for a sick elephant. Often the best person is an elderly Mahout or even the wife of a Mahout, as the job requires similar sacrifice needed to care for a human child.

There are many methods of giving milk, such as putting a rubber Nipple in a milk bottle or using a hose coming from a milk bottle, the hose being long enough to reach past the tongue to the swelling of the throat. Very young elephants should be fed every two or three hours. When they get older, middle-of-the-night feedings can be skipped. After the calf is nine months, four feedings a day are sufficient. Feedings should always happen at the same time every day, changing only rarely, and the feeding should always be done by the same person, as calves will bond incredibly tightly with their care giver. Calves should be fed infant formula until aged 15 to 18 months, after which they can eat only grass and other plants.

If the elephant develops diarrhoea, you should immediately stop feeding milk and as a substitute start giving electrolytes (nam gleua) [cheap and available in all pharmacies], those made from a powder, by adding water. Then consult a veterinarian immediately.

Elephant care manual for Mahouts and camp managers, Preecha Phuangkum, Richard C. Lair and Taweepoke Angkawanith

Reference list Koehl, Dan, (2025). Handrearing. Elephant Encyclopedia, available online retrieved 20 September 2021 at https://www.elephant.se/index.php?id=237. (archived at the Wayback machine)

Sources used for this article is among others:

*FOWLER
International Zoo Yearbook article Observations on the early behaviour of a young african elephant https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1748-1090.1965.tb01619.x
*FAOGONE

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