Home >> Science & Nature >> Animals & Science

How to Feed an Elephant

If you would like to experience feeding an elephant, you can do this by volunteering to work at an elephant rescue center, such as the Elephant Nature Park based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Feeding an elephant gives you the opportunity to get up close to the animal and even initiate contact. There are rules you must follow when feeding an elephant to ensure that you do not put yourself at risk of injury or aggravate the elephant. It is also important to prepare the elephant's food in the correct way.

Things You'll Need

Fruit
Gauze pad
Bucket

Instructions

- 1
  Prepare fruit for the elephant to eat, such as bananas and melon. Ask staff at the rescue center what each particular elephant should be given, as different animals can have different dietary needs. Clean the fruit thoroughly by rinsing it and scrubbing it with a gauze pad to remove any pesticides and chemicals.
- 2
  Stand on a raised platform where you are at eye level with the elephant. This will keep you in a safe position while you feed the elephant. If you have the elephant's food in a bucket, keep this away from the edge of the platform to prevent the elephant from taking the bucket away. Keep the bucket out of reach of its trunk. Pick up a bunch of bananas or a piece of melon and hold it up so that the elephant can see it.
- 3
  Wait for the elephant to approach the platform and show interest in the food. It may reach out to the bananas with its trunk or it may lift its trunk and stand with its mouth open.
- 4
  Place the bananas on the underside of the trunk and wrap the end of the trunk around the bananas to ensure that the elephant does not drop them. If the elephant does lift its trunk, place the bananas straight into the animal's mouth and then step back to avoid being slapped by its trunk as it lowers it.

Animals & Science