Tragic "Accident"

2012 report on zoo highlighted elephant handling as 'major concern'

Spokeswoman says correct procedures were in place before keeper's death

Oct. 14, 2013  - News Leader - Springtfield, Missouri

Written by Thomas Gounley

Just over a year before a zookeeper was killed by an elephant Friday at Dickerson Park Zoo, a team of inspectors listed the handling of aggressive elephants at the Springfield facility as a “major concern” in a reaccreditation report.

Today, however, a zoo spokeswoman said the issue was dealt with long before John Bradford’s death.

“We did specifically address the concerns that the accreditation inspectors listed,” Melinda Arnold said.

The zoo’s statement that the 62-year-old Bradford was following policy at the time of the incident has put a spotlight on the changing nature of regulations governing how elephants are treated in the nation’s zoos — and prompted at least one activist group to ask whether Bradford’s death means they're not working.

"Either he’s violating policy, or the policy’s not strong enough to begin with,” said Nicole Meyer with In Defense of Animals, a California-based animal rights organization.

A Friday news release from the city of Springfield states that zookeepers were in the process of moving Patience from the stalls in the elephant barn into a chute when the incident occurred about 8:45 a.m.

The 12-foot-long chute functions as a corridor, connecting the barn to a yard outside, according to the release. Adjustable walls can make the chute wide or narrow — the latter helpful when zookeepers perform inspections of the animals at least twice a day.

“The chute’s walls are made of 6-inch round metal bars, about 10 feet tall, spaced about 15 inches apart — wide enough for a human to walk through, but narrow enough to restrain an elephant,” the release states.

Patience would have moved through the chute several times a day since the Oct 4 death of the zoo elephant herd’s matriarch. During that weeklong period, according to the release, Patience had been hesitant and submissive, and zookeepers were watching her carefully.
Three zookeepers were present that morning, according to the release — one more than is required. Patience hesitated, and Bradford leaned into the chute, reaching for her with a guide in an attempt to coax her forward.
Patience lunged forward, knocking Bradford down into the chute, according to the release. Then she crushed him.
“The entire incident took place in a matter of seconds,” the release reads.
While the United States Department of Agriculture issues animal exhibit licenses, the primary accreditor of zoos in the country is the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which was founded in 1924. Its accreditation serves as a seal of approval for hundreds of facilities around the country, including Dickerson Park.

In March 2011, the association revised its “Standards for Elephant Management and Care” with a focus on the safety of those working with the elephants — but zoos aren't required to be following the new guidelines until Sept. 1, 2014.

The primary change in the guidelines is that “elephant care providers at AZA facilities with elephants shall not share the same unrestricted space with elephants,” except in a few circumstances.

In a document detailing the policy change’s approval by a board in August 2011, AZA facilities are directed to use barriers and restraints with elephants that display aggression toward an elephant care provider any time that provider is present. Facilities were recommended to make the change “as soon as possible.”

Nearly a year later, however, staff at the Dickerson Park Zoo had not done that — at least not all the time — according to an inspection that occurred as part of the zoo’s reaccreditation process, which occurs every five years.

Four inspectors from the AZA visited Dickerson Park Zoo on July 19-20, 2012. One of them — Martha Fischer, curator of mammals, ungulates and elephants at the St. Louis Zoo — was the “Elephant Inspector,” tasked with focusing on the zoo’s herd of, at the time, five elephants.
During their visit, the accreditation report states, the inspectors met directly with 29 staff members and support personnel, including Bradford.
The final report listed two “major concerns.” One was the fact that “fire and smoke alarms appear lacking in many animal areas.”
Arnold said today that the inspectors were unfamiliar with local regulations regarding alarms. No additional ones were put in place, she said, but the fire department inspects the zoo regularly and considers it in compliance.
The second major concern cited by the inspectors involved the elephants.
“Any elephant that displays aggression towards an elephant care provider must be immediately documented and evaluated by the elephant management team, and as soon as possible should be managed with barriers or restraints in place between the elephant and that care provider,” the report reads.
“It appears that known aggressive elephants are, at times, managed without barriers or restraints that may enhance safety.”
The report goes on to note that two elephants — Patience and Moola — had a history of aggression toward handlers. The zoo’s elephant care team, the report read, had a “strong history” of caring for elephants and of being “extremely proficient” at safely accomplishing procedures with barriers and/or restraints in place — but sometimes went without them.
“While the day-to-day care of these two elephants is generally provided with barriers, from time to time the keepers will share space with these two elephants while the elephants are in a stretch or lie down position to accomplish some procedures, such as blood draws and foot radiographs,” the report read.
The facility received accreditation on Sept. 9, 2012, after a final review and hearing. Despite the major concern, Dickerson Park Zoo was recorded as “meeting or exceeding all of the AZA Standards for Elephant Management and Care.”
Still, the report included a recommendation.
“Given that the expertise and infrastructure to manage elephants with barriers and/or restraints already exist, the zoo is strongly encouraged to consider a management system that accomplishes all procedures with these two known-aggressive elephants with barriers and/or restraints in place at all times to maximize occupation safety of its elephant care professionals,” it reads
Today, Arnold said Fischer made one recommendation to alleviate the concern, which was put in place shortly following the inspectors’ visit. Now, all elephants are tethered when zookeepers go past protected areas.
The report also highlighted one issue under “Concerns Remaining from Previous Inspection.”
“It appears that some programs/processes are lacking (training and enrichment evaluation) that may be attribute to a lack of staffing,” it reads. “It also appears that new hires are pending.”
The report later notes, however, that “there is a written training program for specific species, including elephant.”
Bradford’s death was quickly reported in news outlets around the country in the hours after it occurred on Friday. Several advocacy groups were also quick to weigh in.
Virginia-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, commonly known as PETA, called for the Dickerson Park Zoo “to shutter its deadly and cruel elephant exhibit,” citing the treatment elephants receive in captivity.
California-based In Defense of Animals, meanwhile, called for the zoo and AZA to adopt stricter policies.
"IDA sees this as a failure by the Dickerson Park Zoo and the AZA to enact stricter polices that should be enforced at all times — not just sometimes — to eliminate instances of shared space between zoo keepers and elephants," Meyer, director of the IDA’s Elephant Protection Campaign, said.
Meyer called the situation “convoluted” and suggested that Bradford’s actions seemed to go against the concept of not sharing the same space with the animal — a key part of the policy update that will be enacted next year.
“Why was Mr. Bradford even leaning into the chute?” she said.
Arnold said today that sharing the same space would refer to Bradford having his feet and more of his body in the chute, and that the zoo considered him to be following that policy. She said the zoo believes it is in compliance with the policy update that goes into place next year.
“That doesn't guarantee that there won't be accidents of some sorts,” she said.
Arnold also said the zoo is conducting a full review of safety procedures involving all animals in the wake of the incident. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigates workplace deaths; Arnold said she wasn't sure when their report would be released.
“That process is something that we'll be going through to make sure that the safety of the staff is at the highest possible level.”

Courtesy of John Goodall 

'Why in the world has it become dishonorable to be a "zoo keeper" and honorable to be a "care giver?"  Just insane!!!!!!   Change the name of the tool used to work with an elephant as well as the title of the person working with them.   When does it stop?'