Elephant (Elephas maximus) Health and Management in Asia: Variations in Veterinary Perspectives

Abstract

There is a need to identify strategic investments in Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) health that will yield maximal benefits for overall elephant health and conservation. As an exploratory first step, a survey was administered to veterinarians from Asian elephant range countries at a workshop and via email to help prioritize health-related concerns that will mostly benefit elephants. Responses were received from 45 veterinarians from eight countries that had a range of experience with captive and wild elephants. The occurrence of medical conditions and responses to treatment varied among responses. However, injuries, parasitism, and gastrointestinal disease were reported as the most common syndromes responsible for elephant morbidity, whereas injury and infectious disease not due to parasitism were the most commonly reported sources of elephant mortality. Substandard nutrition, water quality and quantity deficiencies, and inadequate or absent shelter were among the factors listed as barriers to optimal elephant health. While this survey's results do not support definitive conclusions, they can be used to identify where and how subsequent investigations should be directed. Rigorous assessment of the relative costs and benefits of available options is required to ensure that investments in individual and population health yield the maximal benefits for elephants.

Zoo elephant research: contributions to conservation of captive and free‐ranging species

“…Additional research is still needed. A recent survey in Asian elephant range countries indicated the need for improved husbandry for elephants with respect to nutrition (c. 74% of respondents) and drugs (64%) as well as improved access to diagnostic services, treatment facilities and clean water (Miller et al, 2015). Additional therapeutic trials for treatment of zoonotic diseases, such as TB, pharmacokinetic studies with drugs used to treat prevalent gastrointestinal maladies, and vaccinations for deadly infections such as EEHV, are still needed.…”

“…Miller et al . () also suggested potential regional differences in the prevalence of some diseases (e.g. eye disease occurred more frequently in Indian elephants).…”

“…Based on results from a broad survey and literature review, the most common causes of morbidity in free-ranging and captive Asian elephants included injuries, followed by endo-and ecto-parasitism, and then gastrointestinal disease; while the highest rates of mortality were caused by injuries and non-parasitic infectious diseases (Miller et al, 2015). Injuries were primarily tied to human-elephant conflict (e.g.…”

“…gunshot, electrocution, poisoning, poaching, train collisions, pit traps and snares). Miller et al (2015) also suggested potential regional differences in the prevalence of some diseases (e.g. eye disease occurred more frequently in Indian elephants).…”

Isolation and culture of primary adult skin fibroblasts from the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)

“…Damaged skin consequently causes painful lesions on the elephant’s body. A high prevalence (∼64.4%) of active lesions, most located on the back region, was found to be associated with working conditions ( Magda et al, 2015 ), and causing trauma and death in elephants at a rate of around 2.2% of major postmortem pathologic findings reported by survey respondents ( Miller et al, 2015 ).…”