Principles of Elephant Management II



Hosted by Disney's Animal Kingdom 
Orlando, FL
October 16-19, 2023

Principles of Elephant Management II focuses on the skills necessary to safely accomplish all of the AZA-required elephant behavioral components. Live training demonstrations and hands-on experiences will be utilized to combine the teaching of advanced elephant principles with best occupational safety practices. To provide students with the most valuable hands-on and personalized experience, enrollment in this course is limited.

Course Objectives
  • Occupational Safety

  • Standards and Protocols

  • Behavioral Components

  • Enrichment

  • Tools/Equipment/Facility Design

  • Medical Management

  • Elephant Foot Care

  • Elephant Reproduction/Birth Management/Calf Introductions

  • Successful Elephant Program Components

Schedule

First Day
 - Arrival 
 - Course activities, including student check-in, begin after 4 PM
 - Opening evening reception

Mid-Week
- Class meets all-day

Last Day
- Class meets all-day

Instructors

Bryan Amaral, Senior Curator - Smithsonian National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Jennifer D'Agostino, DVM, DACZM, Senior Director of Veterinary Services - Oklahoma City Zoo
Daryl Hoffman
, Vice President of Living Collections - Pittsburgh Zoo
Sharon Joseph, Professional Consultant - Birmingham Zoo
Mike McClure
, Zoo Support Coach - McClure International Consulting (MIC)
Nick Newby, Elephant Program Manager - White Oak Conservation Center
Vernon Presley, Curator of Tembo and Twiga - Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Is This Course Right For You?

AZA accreditation standards require that the designated elephant manager at each AZA-accredited institution keeping elephants complete this course. This course is applicable for elephant managers and curators who oversee elephant programs. Animal care professionals who have completed Principles of Elephant Management I and possess relevant elephant care experience may also apply by submitting a letter of your intended benefit to azatraining@aza.org for consideration. 

Prerequisites
Principles of Elephant Management I (PEM I) must be completed prior to this course. Those who took PEM I prior to 2003 (in 2002 or before) are required to retake the course prior to completing PEM II. Elephant care professionals who have completed Principles of Elephant Management I and possess several years of relevant experience may also apply by submitting a letter of your intended benefit to azatraining@aza.org for consideration. 

Travel & Accommodations

Air Travel
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the closest airport, and it is 22.6 miles (approximately 36 minutes and includes tolls) from Disney's Animal Kingdom. Transportation is provided to Disney's Animal Kingdom each day.  

Lodging
Lodging information coming soon.

Please wait until you are admitted into the course before making your reservations. You will receive a confirmation letter containing detailed information regarding your accommodations and transportation once you are admitted.

Registration

Registration is open!

The registration fees below cover tuition and lunches each day. Other expenses include hotel, travel, and other meals. Registration prices are subject to change each year. 

AZA Accredited / Certified Institutions*
Early Bird Rate:
 Deadline 12 weeks prior to course start date
$1250 with Individual AZA Membership 
$1450 without Individual AZA Membership

Regular RateDeadline 4 weeks prior to course start date
$1450 with Individual AZA Membership 
$1650 without Individual AZA Membership

*This pricing is for anyone currently employed at an AZA accredited/certified institution.
Individual Membership must be Professional Affiliate or Professional Fellow to qualify.


Non-AZA Institutions
Early Bird Rate:
 Deadline 12 weeks prior to course start date
$1450 with Individual AZA Membership

Regular RateDeadline 4 weeks prior to course start date
$1650 with Individual AZA Membership

*This pricing is for anyone who is not currently employed at an AZA accredited/certified institution.
Individual Membership must be Professional Associate to qualify.

Registration prices are subject to change.


For information regarding our registration and refund policies, please visit our Professional Development Course Policies page. Accepted forms of payment for registration are by credit card, check, or purchase order. 

To register with a credit card
You may now register and pay online with a credit card. After logging in, choose "Professional Development" from the menu on the left. Next, click on the title of the event for which you would like to register. Finally, choose "Event Registration" from the options at the top and complete the registration process. You will receive an acceptance email or waitlist email once acceptance decisions are made. 

To register with a check or purchase order
Please email your request to register, specifying the course and the name of whom you would like to register, to the Professional Development Coordinator.
Checks sent for course payment will be cashed immediately upon receipt as per standard business practices. Cashing your check does not indicate that you have been accepted into a course. You will receive an acceptance email or a waitlist email once acceptance decisions are made. If you are not admitted into the course from the waitlist, a full refund will be promptly issued.

*Prices are subject to change

For information regarding our code of conduct, registration, and refund policies, please visit our Professional Development Course Policies page.

Questions? For additional details please contact the AZA Professional Development Department.

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