The Days and Nights of Zoo Elephants: Using Epidemiology to Better Understand Stereotypic Behavior of African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) and Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus) in North American Zoos

• Published in: PloS one 2016-07, Vol.11 (7), p.e0144276-e0144276
• Main Authors: Greco, Brian J, Meehan, Cheryl L, Hogan, Jen N, Leighty, Katherine A, Mellen, Jill, Mason, Georgia J, Mench, Joy A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Factors; Animal behavior; Animal sciences; Animal Welfare; Animals; Animals, Zoo - psychology; Behavior; Behavior, Animal - physiology; Biology and Life Sciences; Canada; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Daytime; Demographic variables; Demographics; Elephantidae; Elephants; Elephants - psychology; Elephas maximus; Epidemiology; Feeding behavior; Female; Growth; Housing; Indoor environments; Laboratories; Life history; Loxodonta africana; Male; Mathematical models; Medicine and Health Sciences; Motor Activity - physiology; Nervous system; Night; Nighttime; People and Places; Physiological aspects; Regression analysis; Regression models; Risk factors; Risk reduction; Risk taking; Seasons; Social behavior; Social Environment; Species Specificity; Stereotyped behavior; Stereotyped Behavior - physiology; United States; Variables; Zoo animals; Zoology; Zoos
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144276

Stereotypic behavior is an important indicator of compromised welfare. Zoo elephants are documented to perform stereotypic behavior, but the factors that contribute to performance have not been systematically assessed. We collected behavioral data on 89 elephants (47 African [Loxodonta africana], 42 Asian [Elephas maximus]) at 39 North American zoos during the summer and winter. Elephants were videoed for a median of 12 daytime hours per season. A subset of 32 elephants (19 African, 13 Asian) was also observed live for a median of 10.5 nighttime hours. Percentages of visible behavior scans were calculated from five minute instantaneous samples. Stereotypic behavior was the second most commonly performed behavior (after feeding), making up 15.5% of observations during the daytime and 24.8% at nighttime. Negative binomial regression models fitted with generalized estimating equations were used to determine which social, housing, management, life history, and demographic variables were associated with daytime and nighttime stereotypic behavior rates. Species was a significant risk factor in both models, with Asian elephants at greater risk (daytime: p