The use of an ankus or bullhook

Many people over the years have been misguided as to the use of the bull hook. Through my work with Ringling Bros. Circus I have been able to educate the media, parents, teachers and students as to the purpose of the ankus.



The ankus is used as an extention of the animal handler's arm and is used to guide an elephant as a female elephant would guide her baby elephant in the wild. There are many sizes of ankuses and when it is used properly, it inflicts no pain or creates no harm on the elephant. There are pressure points on an elephant as there are on human beings. These pressure points can be just as sensitive using an index finger upon our skin. The ankus should never be sharpened as to inflict pain upon the animal and there should never be blood drawn. An elephant if given an ankus sometimes would use it's trunk to pick up an ankus to scratch it's back. I saw this many times when Carole, an elephant with the Hanneford Family Circus in Florida would do this on her own. When she was done she would hand the ankus back her caretakers, Catherine Hanneford or her brother George Hanneford. If the elephant was abused in any way, she would not have reacted in this manner.

I have been asked many times over the years by the media and animal activists if I ever saw an elephant being abused or ankus being misused would I say something to the individual or say something to the USDA. Unfortunately, I have had to speak with individuals in the past and the problems were taken care immediately.

It is important to know that any one that uses the ankus or bull hook understands it's purpose and uses it in the proper way. Furthermore it is important to explain to the public and others simply how it is used.