Members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums will be barred from using bullhooks to train elephants—a practice decried as cruel by animal rights activists.

AZA's board of directors recently voted to end the use of bullhooks at member zoos by 2021, the Washington Post reported Wednesday. Bullhooks are poles with hooks at the end that are jammed into sensitive areas of an elephant's body to get the animal to obey commands.

In an interview with the Post, AZA CEO Dan Ashe said the new policy wasn't inspired by concerns about elephant welfare as zoos rarely use bullhooks. Instead, the change reflects modern practices as most AZA zoos said they no longer need the tools.

"The fact that most of our members are not using bullhooks at all and are managing elephants quite successfully indicates that alternative procedures are available," Ashe told the newspaper.

However, the CEO added that given bullhooks long association with abusive treatment of elephants, "the board decided this was a good step."

The use of bullhooks at zoos declined in 2011 after AZA prohibited most "free contact" between elephants and keepers in 2011, instead insisting the animals be separated from zoo staff by barriers, according to the Post. The policy was controversial, leading some zoos to close their elephant exhibits. The Pittsburgh Zoo also left the association in protest. https://wapo.st/2ZioL1e

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