Health Status Examination of Sumatran Elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) Using Ultrasonography, Cortisol Analysis and Parasite Identification in Aek Nauli Elephant Conservation Camp (ANECC) and Tangkahan Conservation Response Unit (CRU), North Sumatra

Juli Melia,Muhammad Wahyu,Aulia Fakhrurrozi,Teuku A Maulana,Anhar Lubis,Muhammad Hanafiah,Amalia Sutriana,Masyitah N Sari

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202015101053

Juli Melia, Muhammad Wahyu + Show 6 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202015101053

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Abstract

In North Sumatera, captive Sumatran elephants are maintained in several conservation units, 2 of them were Aek Nauli Elephant Conservation Camp (ANECC) and Tangkahan Conservation Response Unit (CRU). Although elephant conservation sites have implemented a management plan to address elephant health and welfare issues, Sumatran elephants in captivity are still susceptible to some of the health issues such as breeding problems, stress, and poor health. Therefore, the health examination is necessary to be conducted regularly as an effort to save the Sumatran elephant which has been categorized as one of the critically endangered animals. This study was carried out in Aek Nauli and Tangkahan which covered the assessment of elephant reproduction status using ultrasonography, cortisol analysis using ELISA, and parasite identification using sedimentation, floatation and Parfit and Banks methods. The ultrasonography examination was carried out on each conservation site, while the collected blood and feces were transferred to Veterinary Medicine Faculty Universitas Syiah Kuala for cortisol and parasite analysis, respectively. The data on reproductive status, cortisol level, and gastrointestinal parasite were analyzed descriptively. The sonography result showed that 3 Sumatran elephants in ANECC had uterine cysts, while one pregnant elephant and two elephants with involution uteri were recorded in CRU Tangkahan. Worm eggs from genus trematode and nematode were found during feces examination in ANECC, but the only nematode was observed in Tangkahan. Elephant maintained in Tangkahan had a higher cortisol level (82.11±61.49 ng/ml) compared to those maintained in ANECC (16.87±3.88 ng/ml). As a conclusion, the reproduction status, cortisol level, and parasite gastrointestinal observed in Sumatran elephant maintained in 2 conservation sites (ANECC and CRU Tangkahan) were different, probably due to different stress factor and management implemented on.

Highlights

Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) are included in the sub-species of Asian elephants that only exist on the island of Sumatra [1,2,3]
Issues of elephant welfare in conservation areas are related to reproduction, health, obesity, stereotypic behavior, and lack of opportunities for normal creativity [4]
A poor conservation management system will result in stress on the elephant which will harm the elephant's reproductive system and overall health status in the conservation area

Summary

Introduction

Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) are included in the sub-species of Asian elephants that only exist on the island of Sumatra [1,2,3]. One effort in protecting elephants is conservation. Conservation is an effort to conserve animals that are carried out outside their habitat (ex-situ). This conservation effort is carried out in conservation institutions in the form of governmental and non-governmental institutions, which is designated with main and secondary functions for the public interest. The maintenance of elephants in conservation areas raises controversy, especially about elephant welfare. Issues of elephant welfare in conservation areas are related to reproduction, health, obesity, stereotypic behavior, and lack of opportunities for normal creativity [4]. A poor conservation management system will result in stress on the elephant which will harm the elephant's reproductive system and overall health status in the conservation area

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