Group Dynamics of Young Asian Elephant Bulls (Elephas maximus Linnaeus, 1758) in Heidelberg Zoo – Integration of a Newcomer in an Established Herd

Hambrecht, Susan; Reichler, Sandra

doi:10.1016/j.zoolgart.2014.01.003

Cited by 7 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…However, there is now widespread acknowledgment of the physical and behavioral benefits of socializing adult male elephants (Hartley et al, 2019), in part because of field research that indicates wild male elephants exhibit a large degree of social complexity (Allen et al, 2020;Chiyo et al, 2011;Evans & Harris, 2008;Goldenberg et al, 2014;Keerthipriya et al, 2020;Keerthipriya et al, 2021;Srinivasaiah et al, 2019). Zoos now offer a greater range of social environments for male elephants, and efforts to integrate male elephants with each other and female elephants have shown to be successful with appropriate monitoring (Hambrecht & Reichler, 2013;Schreier et al, 2021;Williams et al, 2019). Socialization appears to have positive impacts on the wellbeing of zoo-housed elephants (Hartley et al, 2019), which in turn may also influence population sustainability as social factors have been implicated in the successful reproduction of zoo-housed elephants (Freeman et al, 2009;Hartley, 2016;LaDue et al, 2023).…”

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Male elephant management in AZA institutions: Current status and priorities for the future

LaDue,

Davis,

Emory

et al. 2024

Zoo Biology

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Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) and African savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) populations collectively managed by ex‐situ facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) face sustainability challenges. Among the priorities to strengthen animal wellbeing and population sustainability is male elephant management. We conducted a survey of AZA facilities currently housing male elephants to assess the status, challenges, and priorities in three areas of male elephant management: musth, socialization, and semen collection. Surveys were administered to elephant care teams at AZA‐accredited institutions between November 2022 and February 2023, and we received responses from 34 institutions (91.9% of AZA‐accredited facilities holding adult male elephants), housing 32 adult male Asians and 26 adult male Africans. Most facilities prioritized breeding and male socialization over musth management and semen collection (although most facilities acknowledged that all these efforts are important), citing leadership support and staffing as most important to achieve male management goals. Behaviors most commonly accompanying musth included reduced appetite, difficulty training or shifting, human‐directed aggression, and interest in females. Musth timing was variable between males and facilities. Most males were well‐socialized with females and/or other males, though elephant compatibility and facility design were limiting factors in managing socialization. Although 60.6% of facilities collected semen or were training for semen collection, very few male elephants could reliably provide viable semen samples, challenging assisted reproductive efforts that could bolster population sustainability in both species. Together, our results provide a better understanding of the state of male elephant management, offering specific areas deserving of research and development to enhance wellbeing and sustainability.

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