Elephant Behavior Consultant

Alan Roocroft is an elephant behavior consultant. He wrote an important book called "Managing Elephants: An Introduction to Their Training and Management ".

According to elephant trainers Alan Roocroft and Donald Atwell Zoll in their book Managing Elephants, an Introduction to their Training and Management, approximately 100 deaths have occurred in circuses and zoos since 1980 due to elephant attacks, while another 50 or so injury causing incidents occur annually in North America. As well, each year a number of elephants are destroyed because they are deemed too dangerous to work with.

He is also specialised in foot care as described here:

Alan Roocroft/ James Oosterhuis, Foot Care for Captive Elephants
in: The Elephant´s Foot by Csuti/Sargent/Bechert (editors), 2001

p. 21:

"We believe that no matter how good a foot care program is,
eventually foot problems will be seen because
they are the result of keeping elephants in captivity.”

“Adequate exercise is one of the most important aspects of proper elephant husbandry. Healthy feet require
exercise of all joints, tendons, and ligaments. Anything less predisposes an elephant to foot problems, especially later in an elephant´s life. Too often, however, the need for adequate exercise is overlooked or ignored. As a consequence, captive elephants become overweight and are less likely to exercise at all. One or two hours of walking each day should be considered the minimum amount of time an elephant needs for cardiovascular activity. “

“Although the wild elephants´feet are not typically considered pretty or well pedicured, they are healthy and functional.”