Chase A. LaDue, Maura Davis, Rachel Emory, Rebecca J. Snyder
{"title":"AZA 机构的公象管理:现状和未来的优先事项","authors":"Chase A. LaDue, Maura Davis, Rachel Emory, Rebecca J. Snyder","doi":"10.1002/zoo.21835","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Asian elephant (<jats:italic>Elephas maximus</jats:italic>) and African savanna elephant (<jats:italic>Loxodonta africana</jats:italic>) 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.","PeriodicalId":24035,"journal":{"name":"Zoo Biology","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.2000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":"{\"title\":\"Male elephant management in AZA institutions: Current status and priorities for the future\",\"authors\":\"Chase A. LaDue, Maura Davis, Rachel Emory, Rebecca J. Snyder\",\"doi\":\"10.1002/zoo.21835\",\"DOIUrl\":null,\"url\":null,\"abstract\":\"Asian elephant (<jats:italic>Elephas maximus</jats:italic>) and African savanna elephant (<jats:italic>Loxodonta africana</jats:italic>) 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.\",\"PeriodicalId\":24035,\"journal\":{\"name\":\"Zoo Biology\",\"volume\":\"1 1\",\"pages\":\"\"},\"PeriodicalIF\":1.2000,\"publicationDate\":\"2024-05-03\",\"publicationTypes\":\"Journal Article\",\"fieldsOfStudy\":null,\"isOpenAccess\":false,\"openAccessPdf\":\"\",\"citationCount\":\"0\",\"resultStr\":null,\"platform\":\"Semanticscholar\",\"paperid\":null,\"PeriodicalName\":\"Zoo Biology\",\"FirstCategoryId\":\"99\",\"ListUrlMain\":\"https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21835\",\"RegionNum\":4,\"RegionCategory\":\"生物学\",\"ArticlePicture\":[],\"TitleCN\":null,\"AbstractTextCN\":null,\"PMCID\":null,\"EPubDate\":\"\",\"PubModel\":\"\",\"JCR\":\"Q3\",\"JCRName\":\"VETERINARY SCIENCES\",\"Score\":null,\"Total\":0}","platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Zoo Biology","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1002/zoo.21835","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"VETERINARY SCIENCES","Score":null,"Total":0}
Male elephant management in AZA institutions: Current status and priorities for the future
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.
期刊介绍:
Zoo Biology is concerned with reproduction, demographics, genetics, behavior, medicine, husbandry, nutrition, conservation and all empirical aspects of the exhibition and maintenance of wild animals in wildlife parks, zoos, and aquariums. This diverse journal offers a forum for effectively communicating scientific findings, original ideas, and critical thinking related to the role of wildlife collections and their unique contribution to conservation.