THE PURPOSE OF THIS CENTER OF
CONSERVATION IS GUARANTEEING
SURVIVAL OF THE ENDANGERED
ELEPHANTS. AND THEN RETIREMENT
FOR OUR OLDER SHOW GIRLS.
REPORTER: RETIREMENT.
ELEPHANTS OF ALL AGES HAVE A
FULL HOUSE WHICH ALLOW FOR MORE
OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SECOND R.
RESEARCH.
THEY DIDN'T START STUDYING
ELEPHANTS INTO THE 1950S WHICH
IS QUITE RECENT. SO A LOT OF
THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN -- HAS
BEEN GATHERED FROM OUR ELEPHANTS
BECAUSE THEY'RE TRAINED AND
BECAUSE WE CAN GO RIGHT UP TO
THEM AND TOUCH THEM, IT'S AN
OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN A LOT MORE
FROM THEM. SO THE TRAINING
ELEPHANT HAS CONTRIBUTED
TREMENDOUS UMS OF -- AMOUNTS OF
INFORMATION FOR THE ENTIRE
ELEPHANT COMMUNITY.
WE DO RESEARCH AND GET
INFORMATION. WHETHER IT'S
INFORMATION FOR PHYSIOLOGY,
ANATOMY, PRODUCTION, BEHAVIORAL
STUDIES, AND ALSO (INAUDIBLE).
REPORTER: AND DR. WENDY
TELLS US THE SCOOP ABOUT THE
THIRD R, REPRODUCTION.
HERE WE HAVE THE FIRST
RESEARCH STATION. WE'RE SEEING
IF (INAUDIBLE) ENDANGERED
SPECIES AND THEIR GENETICS IF IT
WOULD BE POSSIBLE. SO IT'S
REALLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK
AT THEIR GENETICS. SO WE FREEZE
IT AND STORE IT INDEFINITELY.
REPORTER: GENETIC TESTING
ALLOWS THEM TO TRACK THE
ELEPHANTS AND MAKE SURE THERE NO
IPT GRATING AND
IT -- INTEGRATING AND IT HELPS
WITH THEIR CANCER RESEARCH
PROGRAM.
ALSO ALL THESE EQUIPMENT IS
FOR ELEPHANTS AND WE'LL SHARE IT
WITH OTHER PEOPLE SO IF THEY
HAVE A ROLE RELATED TO THIS, WE
CAN GIVE THEM ANOTHER
(INAUDIBLE). WE ALSO LOOK AT
THE CANCER RESEARCH.
REPORTER: SOME MIGHT NOT
FEEL POSITIVE ABOUT THE
ELFINGERPRINT TRAINING
CENTER -- ELEPHANT TRAINING
CENTER BUT THEY'RE TREATED LIKE
ROCK STARS.
EVERY ELEPHANT IS WALKED
FROM THEIR BARN. WALKED FROM
THE BARN OUT TO ONE OF THEIR
(INAUDIBLE). THEY HANG OUT
THERE ALL DAY AND THEY'RE
EXERCISED EVERY DAY AND LATE IN
THE AFTERNOON THEY'RE ALL WALKED
BACK TO A WASH PAD WHERE THEY'RE
SCRUBBED. EVERY INCH OF THE
ELEPHANT IS SCRUBBED EVERY DAY.
THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR
HANDLERS TO HANDLE THEM
INTIMATELY AND THEY'RE CAREFULLY
EXAMINED.
REPORTER: ANOTHER AREA WHERE
THE TRAINING CENTER BENEFITS
ELEPHANTS.
THIS INCREDIBLE IS THE
LARGEST (INAUDIBLE) RIGHT AFTER
THE AFRICAN ELEPHANT. AND WE
REALIZE THAT MAN NEEDS TO CARE
FOR THESE ANIMALS. WE HAVE TO
CONTINUE TO EDUCATE OURSELVES
ABOUT THE ANIMALS AND CONTINUE
TO CARE FOR THEM.
REPORTER: HOWEVER YOU FEEL
ABOUT ELEPHANTS PERFORMING IN
THE CIRCUS, THEY WILL BE TAKEN
CARE OF FOR YEARS TO COME.
REPORTER: LIKE THAT POSE?
(LAUGHING)YEAH. SO FOR A
LOT OF THESE ELEPHANTS YOU CAN'T
RELEASE THEM IN THE WHILE. THIS
IS AS GOOD AS IT'S GOING TO
GET..
WE'VE BEEN COACHED ON THEIR
HABITAT. SO RINGLING BROTHERS
AND ENTERTAINMENT CENTER ARE
GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND TO DO
WHAT THEY CAN. $7,000 PER
ELEPHANT PER YEAR TO TAKE CARE
OF THEM.
THE CIRCUS IS COMING TO