Neha

Neha was born on 12 May 2016 and has participated in positive reinforcement training with her keepers from a young age. She is particularly responsive to preferred food rewards, and her care team knows immediately when a favourite treat is involved.

The moment a familiar keeper approaches carrying fruit, Neha becomes noticeably attentive — often lifting her head, focusing intently, and making a purposeful beeline toward the reward. For an elephant, subtlety is apparently unnecessary when fruit is involved.

Neha approaches unfamiliar objects and foods with noticeable caution, often pausing to inspect them carefully before deciding whether further investigation is worthwhile.

She regularly enjoys mud baths, pool sessions, and manipulating large enrichment items such as heavy-duty balls, which she moves around the habitat with surprising precision for an animal of her size.

As she has matured, she has also become increasingly confident exploring different parts of her environment independently. She is rarely in a hurry. Which, for an elephant, is perfectly reasonable.

The routines Neha has developed with her keepers support much more than daily interaction. Through positive reinforcement training, the team is able to monitor her temperature, appetite, behaviour, and sleep patterns closely, allowing potential health concerns to be identified early.

Guests may also encounter Neha through selected programmes such as the Safari Adventure Tour, where supervised interactions provide a closer look at elephant behaviour, intelligence, and care. Fruit, unsurprisingly, remains an effective source of motivation throughout.

Asian elephants are endangered by habitat loss and increasing human-elephant conflict.  We support conservation efforts in Way Kambas National Park, where work is being done to reduce conflict between elephants and local communities while protecting critical habitat. 

Elephant calves are particularly vulnerable to Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV), for which there is currently no definitive vaccine.The close monitoring routines established with Neha from a young age help enhance elephant care best practices which zoos and sanctuares reference.

Neha also helps guests form a closer connection with one of Asia’s most intelligent and ecologically important species — a connection that is often the beginning of conservation itself.