Captive elephants - an overview

Riddle, Heidi S.; Stremme, Christopher

doi:10.11609/jott.o2620.1826-36

Cited by 15 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…This difficulty is predominantly due to challenges in providing an environmentally enriched space, which meets their physical, psychological, and social needs [Hutchins et al, ; Poole and Moss, ]. Welfare concerns must be recognized, and standards of management, husbandry, and handling must be continually improved to allow elephants to interact socially and express species‐typical behaviors [Riddle and Stremme, ]. Identifying appropriate welfare measures is essential for assessing and improving conditions for zoo elephants.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation into resting behavior in Asian elephants in UK zoos

et al. 2015

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Maintaining adequate welfare in captive elephants is challenging. Few studies have investigated overnight rest behavior in zoo elephants, yet time spent resting has been identified as a welfare indicator in some species. We investigated resting behavior in Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in UK zoos, with the aim of identifying patterns or preferences in lying rest. Details of standing (SR) and lying (LR) rest behavior were identified by observing video footage of inside enclosures collected for 14 elephants (2 male, 12 female) housed at three UK zoos (Zoo A: 18 nights; Zoo B: 27 nights; Zoo C: 46 nights) from 16:00 to 08:30 (approximately). Elephants engaged in a mean of 58-337 min rest per night. Time of night affected mean duration of LR bouts (P < 0.001); longest bouts were observed between 22:01 and 06:00. Elephants showed a substrate preference when lying to rest; LR was not observed on concrete or tiled flooring. Where sand was available (to 11/14 elephants), all elephants engaged in LR on sand flooring. Only two elephants engaged in LR on rubber flooring (available to 7/14 elephants). Mean duration of rest bouts was greater when a conspecific was within two body lengths than when conspecifics were not (P < 0.01). Our study indicated that elephants show substrate preferences when choosing an area for rest and engage in more rest when conspecifics are in close proximity. The results of this study could be used as a basis for future studies investigating the link between rest and welfare in captive elephants.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

An investigation into resting behavior in Asian elephants in UK zoos

et al. 2015

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“…Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are endangered, and ex-situ populations (such as those housed by zoos, wildlife parks, camps, and similar facilities) are important for the long-term sustainability of the species (Riddle and Stremme, 2011). At the same time, zoos and other facilities have an obligation to deliver a high standard of care to elephants in these populations, including providing opportunities to thrive that ensure proper management and welfare (Association of Zoos and Aquariums, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Overnight monitoring reveals the behavioral rhythms of a geriatric male elephant: an animal-centered case study of rest and stereotypy

McGuire,

Kienlen,

Emory

et al. 2024

Front. Conserv. Sci.

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IntroductionMonitoring overnight behavior is important in assessing the overall wellbeing of ex-situ elephant populations, with recumbent rest and stereotypy as key indicators of welfare. However, there have been few studies that address the overnight behavior of singly housed male elephants with a history of stereotypy. We conducted an opportunistic case study of the overnight behavior (i.e., rest and stereotypy) of a singly housed geriatric male Asian elephant at the Oklahoma City Zoo to identify his overnight behavioral rhythms in response to physiological (musth) and environmental changes (habitat access, automatic timed feeders) and guide management strategies.MethodsInfrared cameras were utilized to conduct continuous focal-animal sampling of the elephant’s behavior between 20:00 and 08:00 in indoor and outdoor habitats. Sampling occurred from January 2023 to October 2023, with a total of 179 overnight observations.ResultsThe elephant exhibited recumbent rest for 175.66 ± 6.80 (mean ± SE) minutes per night and was engaged in stereotypy for 175.88 ± 9.68 minutes per night. While there was no significant relationship between stereotypy and the sexual state of musth, musth was associated with reduced durations of recumbent rest. Access to both indoor and outdoor habitats was significantly related to decreased stereotypy compared to indoor-only treatments. Recumbent rest occurred most frequently between 02:00 and 05:00, and stereotypic behavior was most common between 06:00 and 08:00. Contrary to our expectations, automatic feeders did not significantly reduce stereotypy.DiscussionThe results of this study provide insight into the behavioral patterns of a geriatric male Asian elephant, demonstrating the importance of implementing an animal-centered approach to enhance animal wellbeing. As the zoo-housed Asian elephant population grows and continues to age, this case study emphasizes the importance of developing comprehensive welfare strategies for the elephants in our care.

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“…Ancient kings maintained thousands of elephants as work animals and warriors; they also traded and gifted them between countries [ 1 , 6 , 8 , 9 , 10 ]. In contemporary societies, captive elephants are commonly kept in temples and are used in ceremonial and religious rituals; they are also used in the logging and tourism industries [ 11 , 12 , 13 ]. Thus, elephants have played an important role in Asian cultural heritage since ancient times.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Current and Future Approaches to Mitigate Conflict between Humans and Asian Elephants: The Potential Use of Aversive Geofencing Devices

Mel

Seneweera²,

Mel³

et al. 2022

Animals

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Asian elephants are a principal cause of human-wildlife conflict. This results in the death/injury of elephants and humans and large-scale crop and property damage. Most current human-elephant conflict (HEC) mitigation tools lack the flexibility to accommodate the ecological needs of elephants and are ineffective at reducing HEC in the long-term. Here we review common HEC mitigation tools used in Asia and the potential of Aversive Geofencing Devices (AGDs) to manage problem elephants. AGDs can be configured to monitor animal movements in real-time and deliver auditory warnings followed by electric stimuli whenever animals attempt to move across user-specified virtual boundaries. Thus, AGDs are expected to condition elephants to avoid receiving shocks and keep them away from virtually fenced areas, while providing alternative routes that can be modified if required. Studies conducted using AGDs with other species provide an overview of their potential in conditioning wild animals. We recommend that the efficacy and welfare impact of AGDs be evaluated using captive elephants along with public perception of using AGDs on elephants as a means of addressing the inherent deficiencies of common HEC mitigation tools. If elephants could be successfully conditioned to avoid virtual fences, then AGDs could resolve many HEC incidents throughout Asia.

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Captive elephants - an overview

Cited by 15 publications

References 24 publications

An investigation into resting behavior in Asian elephants in UK zoos

An investigation into resting behavior in Asian elephants in UK zoos

Overnight monitoring reveals the behavioral rhythms of a geriatric male elephant: an animal-centered case study of rest and stereotypy

Current and Future Approaches to Mitigate Conflict between Humans and Asian Elephants: The Potential Use of Aversive Geofencing Devices

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