Scott has been working with elephants since he was 15 and Kat for over 15 years, unfortunately, foot disease is a leading killer of captive elephants, so it is something you are exposed to and have to learn all about. Due to the negative impact of captivity- lack of movement, unnatural surfaces, unclean enclosures (it’s impossible to get all of the urine and feces out of the dirt of a small enclosure) all captive elephants will require foot care. Elephants like Maia, who has pretty healthy feet, needs trimming and care less than most of the girls. And of course, Lady needs more than everyone. But due to decades of an improper life, they will all need some level of attention.- kat

Once you’ve worked with elephants for even a small amount of time, you learn how important foot care is. In the wild, elephants wear down their pads and nails naturally.