Profile of elephant keepers and owners of Thrissur and Palakkad districts

Abstract

Summary, etc. The present study was on the profile of elephant keepers and owners of Thrissur and Palakkad districts of Kerala. In all 50 elephant owners and 50 each of first and second mahouts were studied. The socio-economic profile of the elephant owners as well as the mahouts indicated that these categories were representing distinct socio-economic strata of society. While the owners were socio-economically better of the mahouts were not so and were illiterates. Majority of elephant owners as well as the mahouts had only either medium or low knowledge of elephant management. When owners' had more knowledge of disease management in comparison to other management domains, the mahouts had more knowledge of ha mess practices. For both owners as well as mahouts the knowledge of general management which included scientific feeding practices, among other practices, was one low. Further majority of the first mahouts were either medium or low adopters of scientific management practices. Age and experience, in general, were found to be important in the acquisition of knowledge as well as adoption of scientific practices. Further, knowledge of scientific management and its adoption were correlated. Information on some of the least known practices to the owners and mahouts revealed the chances of meting out hardship to the elephants unknowingly. Among the owners, first and

second mahouts, training need of second mahouts was relatively more than that of first mahouts and their training need was more than that of owners. Only through a proper knowledge of the scientific practices and practicing of the same that the welfare of the captive elephants can be assured. Therefore, intensive efforts are required to formally train the elephant owners and mahouts. Appropriate training programmes can motivate the owners and mahouts to look after their elephants better thereby assuring their welfare.