Elephants Flashcards
1
Q
kingdom
A
animalia
2
Q
phylum
A
chordata
3
Q
order
A
probescidea
4
Q
family
A
elephantidae
5
Q
three species of living elephants
A
- african bush elephants
- african forest elephants
- asian (indian) elephants
6
Q
elephants are the ___ land animal
A
largest
7
Q
elephant gestation is
A
22 months (longest)
8
Q
elephant life span
A
50-70 years
9
Q
largest elephant recorded
A
24,000 pounds
10
Q
do elephants have natural predators
A
no
11
Q
african vs asian (indian) elephants
A
- African elephants have larger ears, and have a more concave back than Indian elephants
- African males and females have tusks, only Asian males have tusks
- Population estimate of African elephants: 550,000
- Population estimate of Asian elephants: 60,000
- african have 4 toenails on the front foot and 3 on the hind
- asian typically have 5 toenails on the front and 4 on the hind
- -asian are harder to keep due to more digits
- Elephants play an important role in human ecology and have for thousands of years
- Elephants commonly endure foot problems both in wild and in captivity
- In general elephant legs are straight compared to other animals, therefore the fight is truncated. Limbs avoid excess exertion by flexing minimally
- -This allows them to hold more weight and less on the joints
- Bones of the limbs are massive and lack significant marrow (16% of body weight of elephants, 10% of dogs)
- There are over 200 bones in an elephant, human has 206, dog has 321
- The most significant problems in captive elephants (as in horses) is lameness
- -Knowledge of anatomy (leg and foot) is very important
12
Q
foot anatomy
A
left hind foot is made up of:
- calcaneus, talus, tarsale, metatarsale, and pre-hallux
- pre-hallux=cartilaginous rod that helps to support the majority of the foot and is not found in any other animal
- underneath all of these bones is a very thick foot pad
- essentially they are walking on their toes
- the unusual structure (pre-hullax) attaches to the sole of the foot just medial to the midline and appears to stabilize the tarsus over the digital cushion
- -the foot is not very vascular making it difficult to get medicine there because blood is the transport
13
Q
foot digital cushion
A
- the digital cushion is a mass of fibroelastic tissue
- occupies the area under the tarsus and is plantar to the digits
- expands the foot during weight bearing which makes the elephant foot very dynamic
- cushion distributes weight over the entire sole
- -if weight isn;t distributed evenly there will be sole issues
- flexible
- 4-12cm thick, keratinized pad covering the plantar surfaces of the foot
- the toenail is keratinized corresponding (as in humans) to a particular digit. there are sweat glands just above the toenail
14
Q
physiology
A
- while standing each foot supports weight of roughly 3300 pounds of 1500kg
- normally elephants sway which allows increased circulation in a pressure filled area (some people mistakenly think this is a stereotypical behavior)
- blood flows to the limbs easily but the return is difficult to overcome gravitational forces
- compression the digital cushion of the foot acts as a pump to move the blood
15
Q
zoo recommendations
A
- daily pedicure: foot care should be a “culture” at the zoo
- elephants are complex and intelligent beings whose needs must be met: physically and psychologically
- elephants feet degenerate in the absence of a healthy mental status
- an average of 4-5 hours out of a 7.5 hour work day should be spent on husbandry and training
- if the institution can not support this model, the elephant’s needs can not be met
- basic understanding of an elephant’s natural history and biological needs
- spacious facilities, dirt, mud, browse, grass, varied terrain, social groups…
- elephants need a reason to love around
- imagination
- daily enrichment as well as weekly enrichment practices
