Training to Train

January 29, 2012

I was able to start my absolute favorite activity this week with the keepers; animal training! I know that I am going to have to take it slow and in small steps but I have no doubt that the keepers are going to get and eventually become great at it.

Working here with the keepers is a constant learning process for both sides. For me I am having to find the ways to successfully integrate my ideas, suggestions, and knowledge in ways that for Munda Wanga work. It does no good for me to introduce things that are not sustainable because once I am gone it will fall apart. One of the barriers that I am working against is language. While some of the keepers speak good English others are not as well versed and the local language that everyone speaks is Nyanja not Bemba so I have no background in that at all. Luckily the keepers are all willing to help communicate what I am saying between each other when one of them isn’t getting what I am saying. The language in its self is becoming a team building activity. The keepers are also learning American things like high fives, and new terms like “guinea pig” when talking about trying something new.

This week I introduced the basics of training, Cues and Bridges. The bridge as I told the keepers is the term that is used to tell the animal “good job”. I went on to explain how it can be anything, but once you decide what the bridge is going to be you need to keep it clear and concise to be able to have clear communication with the animal. I then described what a cue is, it’s the way you tell the animal what you want them to do. The most basic steps of animal training, but also the most important ones a trainer is ever going to use. I then had them all stand up and I introduced the “Training Game” to them. The “Training Game” is when you have two people partner up and one becomes the trainer and the other becomes the trainee. The object of the game is for the trainer to get the trainee to do a behavior (something clear and simple like clapping hands, tapping a foot, spinning in a circle, etc), but all the trainer can say is the bridge, which in the case of the keepers is the word yes.

As we started our first round it was taking the keepers over 5 minutes each session just to begin figuring out how best to play the game. The great thing about the training game is it places the keepers in a position to feel like the animals do when a new behavior is being trained and it helps them become better trainers because they understand how clear and specific they have to be. I was impressed with the progress we made in just one day; it was very exciting to see the light bulbs go on in the keeper’s heads as they began to understand the concept better and better. The next day, Friday, I went back up to play again, only this time I added more on. I began to explain how the trainers excitement, tone of voice, and body language can contribute to communication. For instance instead of just saying a dull yes every time the trainee does a behavior add more excitement and intensity when the behavior gets closer and closer to the end goal. With this tad bit of knowledge the keepers went from taking over 5 minutes to reach the end goal to under a minute.  Once they did so well with that I added on the next piece the “no”. Now in training using a no, or in training lingo a Redirective Stimulus (RS), is very controversial. Some trainers refuse to use it I personally think that it is very helpful. If you could imagine looking for a hidden object in a room and you only ever were told “hot”, as in getting closer,  it would be much more difficult to find the object than if you were given both “hot” and “cold” so you knew when you were going in the wrong direction. When I train I use “no” as a way to tell the animal when they move in the wrong direction, I do not use it as a punishment, which I think is where a lot of the confusion comes from on the topic of “no”. I now gave “no” to the keepers to add to their communication toolbox, and we played the game again. This time all the keepers hit their end behaviors in 10 – 15 seconds instead of 5 minutes as it was taking just 24 hours ago.

If you could imagine my jubilation at their success and progress I was through the roof. Not only had they improved on their skills successfully but they also did it in a way that was fun. We were all laughing and joking by the time we had finished the game and, I think that the keepers felt great about their progress. Again it turned into a team building activity.

I have come to realize that if there is anything one thing I can do for Munda Wanga it is to inspire the staff to greatness. We have a great staff here, but they have never been treated well or thanked for the jobs in which they do. They have had no reason to go above and beyond or to risk greatness. Already I have been seeing a slight shift in their attitudes; as small things like apple crisps and coke-a-cola treats reward hard work, the keeper lounge now has electricity and is slowly being remolded into a nice place to be, and tools and supplies make their way to the keepers, a sense of hope that things are going to get better and that positive change is happening is beginning to emanate from the keepers.

I am going to keep moving forward and making whatever difference I can. Maybe this is why I was meant to come here. Not only do I know zookeeping but I am also a positive person who wants to spread that energy to others. As I am about to begin another week I am filled with anticipation at the things it will bring. I love and miss you all back home! Tammy