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This week, we decided to take blood samples from all of the elephants, just for semi-annual testing. Each elephant responds differently to being stuck with a needle. You can have all of the training and conditioning in the world, but it’s a different sensation when you’re getting an injection or having blood drawn. We use lidocaine to numb the area before the needle stick, and we’re always transparent about what is going to happen next. We tell them what is going on and show the elephant the needle. You don’t want to surprise them or hide the syringe; that doesn’t foster a feeling of trust between you and the elephant. 

We started off working with Rana. She is almost always a rockstar when it comes to dealing with needles, so there was no problem getting blood from her. As always, she requires that you are present, and will give you almost anything you ask. Mara was next and, at times, she can be a little reluctant with having blood drawn. This time, when we started the process for prepping her ear (cleaning, numbing, etc), she started giving a little concerned side eye and pulling away ever so slightly. We like to encourage her and let her know that we believe she can do it, but she seemed to be anticipating the stick. That’s what happened when we tried the first time: she pulled away. Even with the lidocaine, when she felt the needle go in, she immediately leaned away from us. We gave her some time to get settled but she didn’t seem like it was going to be a good day for it. We were going to tell her “it’s ok, not today,” and then decided to try for a back leg vein. We kept things relaxed and were only going to try once, but she did really well and stayed perfectly still while we got the blood sample, and seemed like she would have stayed for another couple of minutes, as long as she kept getting treats. 

Bambi, Maia, and Guillermina were next in line. Bambi was very sleepy on that afternoon, which was warm and sunny; she leaned on the fence and seemed a little disconnected. After she had a moment to get ready, we stuck the needle in, and she began turning away from us very slowly. Because she can’t see well, she doesn’t notice when you put your hand out to try to get her to target where you need her. She’s not seeing all that detail. Luckily, due to her “tai chi” speed, we were able to get enough blood to run the tests we needed. After we pulled the needle out, Bambi slowly walked down the fence and went over to the water trough. She was very calm and let us do her scheduled treatments after some drinking and splashing. 

Maia was once afraid of needles. When she first arrived, she would visibly shake when we told her it was time for a blood draw. We don’t know what happened in her past to make her so wary, but she definitely let us know how she felt. She has also pulled away at certain times, but she  always came back. This time, she stayed right at the fence and didn’t lean away. Kat was there to give her some Froot Loops as a treat. (They’re not a staple here, but we use them as a reward on special occasions) She always gets those for a blood draw. It seems that Maia is just growing and healing in many ways recently, and even though we know being poked can’t feel great, she was truly ok with it.   

P.S.: We’ll talk more about Guille’s blood draw on Saturday since her experience helps to show a different level of emotional depth in elephants.

Photo of Maia relaxing in the shade