ESTIMATION OF DEFECATION RATE AND AGE DETERMINATION BASED ON DUNG SIZE IN THE CAPTIVE ASIAN ELEPHANT (Elephas maximus)
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Date
2023-03-14
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KVASU CENTRE FOR WILDLIFE STUDIES KERALA VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITY POOKODE, WAYANAD
Abstract
Defecation rate was estimated to determine the age based on dung size in captive Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) at Elephant Rehabilitation Centre, Kottoor, Thiruvananthapuram. The activity pattern and daily defecation rate of the 15 elephants were estimated using Focal Animal Sampling (Altmann, 1974). Each elephant in the camp was observed from 6:30 hours to 18:30 hours for three consecutive days. All the behaviors were recorded with ten-minute observation and five-minute intervals. The morphometric measurements such as height, body length, chest girth, fore foot circumference and tusk thickness was recorded once. Growth models based on parameters such as height and dung circumference was estimated using the Von Bertalanffy Growth Equation for the Asian Elephants of Southern India. The results showed that the height of elephants increased rapidly from 0 to 20 years and reached asymptote at the age of 25 years. Similarly, forefoot circumference increased rapidly from 0 to 20 years. Age and elephant dung diameter had a positive relationship and increased rapidly from 0 to 15 years and became asymptote at the age of 20 years. The younger age groups showed a higher defecation rate compared to older ones. Elephants spend the majority of their time feeding (foraging). Among the main diet, fodder grass (Pennisetum purpureum) was preferred over green grass (Brachiaria decumbens) and tree fodder (Artocarpus heterophyllus).