The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee

From the moment an elephant arrives at the Sanctuary she is managed according to our passive control system, a non-dominance management system developed by the Sanctuary. Traditional elephant management focuses on a keeper's dominance over the elephant. It has been customary for the care and management of elephants to be dictated not by the elephant's nature but by the keeper's resources, which are often limited. We have found that modern facility design and progressive management philosophy can make the need for a keeper's dominance over elephants obsolete.

It is important to note that passive control does not allow a caregiver to dominate an elephant. The success of this system relies on a mutual respect between the caregiver and the elephant. Without the respect and trust of the elephant, even the most skilled caregiver cannot work safely in this system. Field observation of wild elephants suggests that this species does not operate as a pure hierarchy but rather in an intricate social structure of individuals who relate to one another independent of the herd. Although there is one who leads (matriarch), that leader does so without brute force. Leadership qualities, which include wisdom and experience, are the tools by which the matriarch commands respect and cooperation. Therefore, it is reasonable to believe that elephants in captivity do not need to be dominated to be managed. Instead, they will cooperate with an individual who has proven himself or herself by exhibiting leadership qualities.

The Elephant Sanctuary leads the way in training our caregivers to employ this new and progressive system of elephant management. The Sanctuary elephants have demonstrated that interaction with other elephants and with their human caregivers is necessary for their recovery. These are not 'temporary' interactions but rather long-term relationships based on mutual respect and trust. The elephants who find their way to the Sanctuary are not ours to keep; they have been entrusted to our care. This is why the term "caregiver" is used at The Elephant Sanctuary to describe the person who tends to our elephants' every need. The term caregiver exemplifies our respect and mission to offer every possible kind of care necessary to assist each elephant in her healing process. Caregiver is a term which suggests support and assistance, void of dominance.

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