Elephant keeper off critical list but WorkCover demands safety review

The family of Taronga Zoo keeper, Lucy Melo, have told Zoo staff that she is no longer on the critical list at Royal North Shore Hospital, although she remains in a stable condition Intensive Care.
Following the news, Taronga Zoo Director and Chief Executive Cameron Kerr, stated "we're very encouraged to hear of the improvement in Lucy's condition since last Friday. Her family also told us that she has been sitting up under nursing supervision."
"We're very grateful for the on-going support for Lucy and her fellow keepers, who are continuing their daily work at our elephant barn, caring for the herd."
Melo was pinned against a bollard by two-year-old Asian elephant calf Pathi Harn last Friday morning (19th October).
While Melo recovers, Pathi Harn remains calm and well with keepers continuing to manage Taronga Zoo's elephants using all appropriate safety precautions
However, WorkCover NSW has ordered the Zoo to take added safety measures.
While investigating the incident the NSW Government safety agency has issued a notice to the Zoo requiring it to "review procedures when working with elephants and implement safety measures to prevent similar incidents".
A WorkCover spokesman told AAP the Zoo had been given time to adopt the safety measures, and WorkCover inspectors would check on compliance.
In a statement on Monday the Zoo said that its elephant handling procedures were being determined in concert with WorkCover representatives until the investigations were concluded.
Animal rights activists have called on the Zoo to change its elephant handling practices following the incident.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has written to Cameron Kerr asking the Zoo to switch to a "protected contact system" of elephant handling.
PETA Australia Campaigns Director Jason Baker wrote in the letter the system did not use physical punishment and employed barriers such as metal screens or bars "to always separate elephants and handlers".
Baker added that cCo-operative behaviour was rewarded with treats, while aggression and other non-compliant behaviour was never punished but simply ignored.
In response, the Zoo said its conservation programs for elephants had always been based on keepers rewarding co-operative behaviour through "operant conditioning".
The Zoo continued "Taronga already manages its elephants in both free and protected contact depending on individual animal requirements."
Lucy Melo was engaged in a routine training session teaching the elephants how to wash when she was "challenged" by Pathi Harn.

http://taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo