Elephants Under Human Care

The Behaviour, Ecology, and Welfare of Elephants in Captivity

Paul A. Rees

• Publisher: Academic Press
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN:
  9780128162088
• eBook ISBN:
  9780128167267
• Topic: Sciences biologiques
• Subtopic: Physiologie

This book draws together, for the first time, the published research on the behaviour, ecology and welfare of elephants living in zoos, circuses, logging camps and other captive environments in a single comprehensive volume. It takes a multi-disciplinary approach, considering the work of zoo biologists, animal behaviour and welfare scientists, veterinarians, philosophers, zoo educators, tourism specialists, conservation biologists, lawyers and others with a professional interest in elephants. Elephants under Human Care: The Behaviour, Ecology, and Welfare of Elephants in Captivity is a valuable resource for zoo biology and animal welfare researchers. It is also useful for students and zoo professionals and managers looking for a comprehensive guide to current research on captive elephants. Although not intended as a husbandry manual, the book discusses some of the elephant welfare standards developed by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) and their relationship to current knowledge of captive elephants. - Includes results of captive studies compared with field studies of wild elephants - Features original images of elephant behaviour as they live and behave under human care - Includes results of the author's original research including many original photographs - Considers future implications of research for the welfare and conservation of elephants, both for elephants in captivity and those living in the wild

Table of contents

• Cover image
• Title page
• Table of Contents
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Quote
• Acknowledgements
• Preface
• Who is this book for?
• ‘Zoo elephant’ or ‘elephant living in a zoo’: a note on terminology
• Chapter 1. Elephants and their relationship with humans
• Chapter 2. Ethological data collection and elephant activity budgets
• Chapter 3. Elephant social structure, behaviour and complexity
• Chapter 4. Elephant reproductive biology
• Chapter 5. Elephant cognition, communication and tool use
• Chapter 6. Elephant ecology and genetics
• Chapter 7. Elephant welfare
• Chapter 8. Housing and handling elephants
• Chapter 9. Ethics, pressure groups and the law
• Chapter 10. The conservation value of captive elephants
• Chapter 11. The future of elephants in captivity
• Appendix
• Glossary
• References
• Index