A1 Vertaisarvioitu alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä lehdessä
Asian elephant calf physiology and mahout perspectives during taming in Myanmar
Tekijät: Crawley Jennie A. H., Nandar Hnin, Zaw Htet T., Lahdenperä Mirkka, Franco dos Santos Diogo J., Seltmann Martin W., Brown Janine L., Goodsell Robert M., Oo Zaw M., Htut Win, Nyein U. K., Aung Htoo H., Lummaa Virpi
Kustantaja: Royal Society Publishing
Julkaisuvuosi: 2024
Journal: Royal Society Open Science
Tietokannassa oleva lehden nimi: Royal Society open science
Lehden akronyymi: R Soc Open Sci
Artikkelin numero: 231172
Vuosikerta: 11
Numero: 4
ISSN: 2054-5703
eISSN: 2054-5703
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.231172
Verkko-osoite: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231172
Rinnakkaistallenteen osoite: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/387640680
A quarter of Asian elephants are captive, with greater than 90% of these tamed and cared for by handlers (mahouts) in Asia. Although taming is a much-discussed welfare issue, no studies to our knowledge have empirically assessed its impact on calves, and dialogue surrounding taming often lacks perspectives of those involved. Here, we interviewed mahouts involved in taming and monitored five physiological measures (faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs), serum cortisol, glucose, creatine kinase (CK) and heterophil:lymphocyte (H:L)) over the first 10 days of taming and following six months in 41 calves undergoing taming and 16 control individuals. These measures assess the duration and intensity of stress during taming. Interviews suggested mahouts had major concerns for their safety when discussing changing taming practices, an important consideration for future management. Calf physiological measures were elevated by 50-70% (FGMs/cortisol/glucose), 135% (H:L) and greater than 500% (CK) over the first few days of taming, indicative of elevated stress, not seen to the same extent in control adults. Some measures stabilized sooner (glucose/cortisol/CK/FGM: 7-10 days) than others (H:L: one-two months), indicating mostly acute stress. Our findings inform the welfare of approximately 15 000 captive elephants around the world. Future studies should compare taming in different populations and consider calf and mahout welfare.
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