MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AND UTILISATION PATTERN OF CAPTIVE MALE ELEPHANTS {Elephas maximus) KERALA
Loading...
Files
Date
2004
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES-MANNUTHY,THRISSUR
Abstract
The utilization pattern, management and nutrition of the elephants of Kerala under
different ownership conditions were studied between June-2003 and July-2004 using
survey method. The credibility of the information so collected was checked using
triangulation method where, the information about an animal was collected from the
owner, mahout, and also by physical verification of the claims in all possible cases.
It was seen that the elephants of private owners with one elephant (25.2years) were
significantly younger than the elephants of private owners with more than one elephant
and elephants of temple trusts with one elephant (32.7 and 35.4 years respectively). The
comparison of the height of the elephants revealed that the average height of elephants of
forest department (245cm) was significantly lesser than the average height of elephants of
private owners with more than one elephant and elephants of temple trusts with one
elephant (278.7cm and 283.9cm respectively).
The group wise variations in the frequencies of bath given to the elephants were
insignificant but the duration of bath in elephants of forest department was significantly
lesser than the average duration of bath in all other groups.
It was also seen that most of the elephants in Kerala did not have proper housing
facilities, and that majority of them were tied under tree on sandy floor.
Studies on the utilization pattern of the elephants revealed that the elephants irrespective
of their type of ownership were idle for most of the time in the year and that the elephants
idled for the maximum number of days in a year (322.3 days). Further, the elephants of
group-2 attended the maximum number of festivals in a year (82.9 ±6.92 days).
Proximate analysis of the feed fed to the elephants revealed that the nutritional status of
elephants of temples with one elephant was the highest. The study also revealed that all
the elephants of group-4 were given restorative therapy and the elephants of group-5
were not given restorative therapy.
Description
Keywords
null