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

Abstract

African elephants Loxodonta africana and Asian elephants Elephas maximus are not thriving in many captive settings and are threatened throughout their native ranges. Many zoos support in situ conservation projects and provide opportunities to conduct ex situ research in controlled settings with comparably approachable animals. Zoo elephant projects may facilitate fieldwork with free-ranging elephants (e.g. development of non-invasive sampling and analytical tools), which may then also improve the husbandry of elephants in human care. Free-ranging elephants also benefit from drug therapies and veterinary care when they are orphaned, kept as working elephants or brought in as rehabilitation cases – especially as human–elephant conflicts become more common as a result of ever-expanding human populations. Much has been learned about the basic biology and husbandry needs of elephants but, often, the more we learn, the more questions arise. There are physiological differences between African and Asian elephants, and this should affect the management of these animals. This paper will provide brief overviews of the current state of knowledge regarding the pharmacology, nutrition, reproduction, sensory biology and diseases (primarily elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus infections) relevant to elephants with recommendations for future research.