Hosted by Indianapolis Zoo
Indianapolis, IN
October 19 - 22, 2021
Course Description
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 to 13 participants.
All students and instructors will be required to provide proof of vaccination to attend this course. All attendees will need to be fully vaccinated at least 2 weeks prior to attending the course. Anyone requesting a medical or religious exemption, will be required to show documentation from either their personal physician or spiritual leader. If an exemption is approved, the individual will be required to wear a mask at all times.
Course Topics & Instructors
- 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
Bryan Amaral, Senior Curator - Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Jennifer D'Agostino, Veterinarian - Oklahoma City Zoo
Daryl Hoffman, Curator of Large Mammals - Houston Zoo
Mike McClure, General Curator & Elephant Collections Manager - Maryland Zoo in Baltimore
Nick Newby, Collection Manager - White Oak Sanctuary
Vernon Presley, Curator of Africa - Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Target Audience
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.
Schedule
First Day
- Student registration
- Opening evening reception
Mid-Week
- Class meets all-day
Last Day
- Class meets
- Closing Dinner
Course Travel & Accommodations
Indianapolis Airport (IND) is the closest airport.
Course participants stay at a hotel within a 15-minute walking distance to the Indianapolis Zoo.
General Hotel Pricing*:
$175+ King/Double Queen Beds
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.
Tuition & Expenses*
The AZA registration fee covers tuition, course materials, and meals provided during the course. Other expenses include hotel and travel arrangements.
AZA Accredited / Certified Institutions*
Early Bird Rate: Deadline is September 7, 2021
$1050 with Individual AZA Membership
$1250 without Individual AZA Membership
Regular Rate: Deadline is September 21, 2021
$1250 with Individual AZA Membership
$1450 without Individual AZA Membership
Individual Membership must be Professional Affiliate or Professional Fellow to qualify.
Non-AZA Institutions
Early Bird Rate: Deadline is September 7, 2021
$1250 with Professional Associate Membership
Regular Rate: Deadline is September 21, 2021
$1450 with Professional Associate Membership
Individual Membership Requirement
Staff from non-AZA accredited institutions must have an individual AZA membership to apply and register for an AZA course.
Accepted forms of payment for registration are by: credit card, check or purchase order. For information regarding our registration and refund policies, please visit our Professional Development Course Policies page.
To register with a credit card
You may now register and pay online with a credit card! Non-members can log in too, after creating a free account. 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. When registering online, there is no need to submit the registration form. 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.