BIODIVERSITAS ISSN: 1412-033X Volume 22, Number 7, July 2021 E-ISSN: 2085-4722 Pages: 2619-2624 DOI: 10.13057/biodiv/d220709 The differences of body measurements in captive Sumatran elephant on different captivity management and sex DENY SETYO WIBOWO1, ALEK IBRAHIM1, RINI WIDAYANTI2, WISNU NURCAHYO3, MUHAMMAD WAHYU4, JOHAN R. MICHAUX5, HERY WIJAYANTO6,♥ 1Veterinary Science Doctoral Program, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Jl. Fauna No. 2, Karangmalang, Sleman 55281, Yogyakarta, Indonesia 2Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Jl. Fauna No. 2, Karangmalang, Sleman 55281, Yogyakarta, Indonesia 3Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Jl. Fauna No. 2, Karangmalang, Sleman 55281, Yogyakarta, Indonesia 4Veterinary Society for Sumatran Wildlife Conservation. Tanjung Sari, Medan Selayang, Medan 20154, North Sumatra, Indonesia 5Conservation Genetics Research Unit of University of Liege. B-4000 Liege, Belgium 6Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Gadjah Mada. Jl. Fauna No. 2, Karangmalang, Sleman 55281, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Tel.: +62-274-6492088, Fax.: +62-274-560861, email: [email protected]. Manuscript received: 13 April 2021. Revision accepted: 9 June 2021. Abstract. Wibowo DS, Ibrahim A, Widayanti R, Nurcahyo W, Wahyu M, Michaux RJ, Wijayanto H. 2021. The differences of body measurements in captive Sumatran elephant on different captivity management and sex. Biodiversitas 22: 2619-2624. Sumatran elephants are one of wild animals in Indonesia that currently received critically endangered status. This study aimed to measure the body size of both sexes of Sumatran elephants in the semi-captive (ECCs) and full captive (Zoo) management for conservation purposes. This study was conducted in ECCs in Sumatran island and Zoo on Java island. Body measurements (Chest Girth, Length, Height, Tarsal and Carpal Circumference) were collected from a total of 49 samples of captive Sumatran elephants (25 from EECs and 24 from Zoo). Data were analyzed using a completely randomized factorial design with different management and sex as the factors. The results showed that BL (304.92 vs 311.13) and TC (76.44 vs 77.50) were significantly different (P<0.05) across captivity managements. Sex categories (male and female) showed significant results (P<0.01) on CG (321.71 vs 302.46), BL (303.50 vs 272.49), BH (230.14 vs 208.23) and TC (82.29 vs 74.83). No interaction was identified between captive management and sex on body measurements. In conclusion, there were significant differences in body size of male and female elephants. This result contributed well-researched information to evaluate the conservation management based on body size and for further research on Sumatran elephant conservation. Keywords: Body measurement, Captivity, Conservation, Sumatran elephant INTRODUCTION inhabiting production forests (Tilson et al. 1993). This program successfully captured 715 wild elephants and Asian elephant is widely distributed in South Asia, relocated them into captivity to be trained, and especially in Peninsular Malaysia, Sumatra, and approximately 30% of all captured elephants were brought Kalimantan (Borneo) (Wibowo et al. 2021). Sumatran to Way Kambas captivity facility (Tilson et al. 1993; elephant is one of Asian elephant subspecies labelled Sulandri and Zein 2012). To prevent overcrowding in the Critically Endangered (CE) by International Union for existing facility, the elephants were transferred to the new Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Asian elephant spread in facility in Sumatra island (government-owned) and zoos 13 states with current population estimated 45.000 (privately owned) (Reilly and Sukatmoko 2002). Over elephants, and 15.000 elephants live in captivity (Sakamoto time, many transmigrants come to Sumatra that eventually 2017). In Indonesia, the estimation of Sumatran elephant escalates the conflict between humans and wild elephants. population ranged from 2400 to 2800 that spreading across This issue has encouraged the government to establish seven province in Sumatra (Azmi and Gunaryadi 2011). elephant training centers near the conflict areas and prevent The population of Sumatran elephants continue declining human-elephant conflict using the trained captive elephant because of illegal hunting, human-elephant conflict and (Reilly and Sukatmoko 2002). Moreover, the captured wild industrial plantation (Sulandri and Zein 2012). In Asia, problematic elephants used to be trained for some reason, elephant has been used for working animals in the logging such as logging activity, agriculture, and tourism (Reilly industry, transportation, machines for war and as an object and Sukatmoko 2002). for cultural and religious reasons (Reilly and Sukatmoko Captive breeding is a place such as zoos or wildlife 2002; Bansiddhi et al. 2018). Additionally, the elephants parks for the process of breeding, especially to preserve the are privately used for circus troupes and zoos for tourism. endangered species that are threatened in the wild From 1994 to 1998, the Indonesian Government decided to (Wakchaure and Ganguly 2016). In Indonesia, there are capture all non-viable wild populations and elephants two types of facilities for elephants in captivity, Elephant 2620 BIODIVERSITAS 22 (7): 2619-2624, July 2021 Conservation Centers (ECCs) in Sumatra and Zoo that have not fully reliable for accuracy assessment. On the other different management. The government-owned ECCs apply hand, body growth among elephants is important to semi-captive management while the Zoo implements full- optimize captive management (Wijeyamohan et al. 2012). captive management. Both managements offer human- This study aimed to assess different body measurements of elephant interactions, such as attending the training shows, captive Sumatran elephants of different sexes (male and hand feeding, walking with, and riding on the elephant female) under different managements in captivity (semi- (Rossman et al. 2017). However, the semi-captive captive and captive). The result provides information on management is slightly different – the elephants are less body measurements to obtain the accurate prediction of space-restrained than zoo-housed elephants, at least for a body weight and for conservation purposes. moment in a day (de Mori et al. 2019). The elephants are let free (usually foraging) without any imposed activity but remain under the supervision of mahout (de Mori et al. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2019). In Sumatra, elephants usually have free time to forage in the middle of the forest close to ECCs. This Sample activity is referred to as free choice activity (FCA). FCA The research measured body size of 49 adult captive improves elepant’s ability to explore and interact with their Sumatran elephants (14 males and 35 females) aged >15 natural environment in a non-restricted way (Graham et al. years. The Sumatran elephants were distinguished by two 2018). It is crucial considering the welfare of and cognitive captive managements, the semi-captive Elephant stimulation for the elephants. Semi-captive condition has a Conservation Centers (ECCs) and the full-captive zoo. We positive influence due to the probability of elephants to used 25 elephants from ECCs (Aceh and Riau Province) in choose their own food and exhibit natural behavior without Sumatran island and 24 elephants from the zoo (Gembira human intervention (Graham et al. 2018). Indeed, the Loka Zoo, Borobudur Park and Safari Park). captivity programs principle should aim at the creation and This study had received an ethical clearance number conservation of healthy, self-sustaining populations which 002.0/EC-FKH/Int./2019 issued by the Veterinary resemble their wild environment both in behavior and Medicine Ethical Clearance Committee, Universitas genetics (Wakchaure and Ganguly 2016). Gadjah Mada (UGM), Yogyakarta, Indonesia (accepted on Body measurement of the animal is an important factor March 18, 2019). to optimize management in captivity (Wijeyamohan et al. 2012). Body growth of species is the important aspect to Body measurements understand the life-history theory, which influences key Body measurements of five parameters included chest life-history traits such as survival, development, and girth (CG), tarsal circumference (TC), carpal circumference reproduction (Mumby et al. 2015b). Body parameters, such (CC), body length (BL), and body height (BH) obtained as height, girth and length are commonly used to measure using tape (cm). The body length was measured from the immobilized animals (Chapman et al. 2016). Body size base of the neck to the fold of the tail. Chest girth was plays a significant role and demonstrates influential aspects measured from behind the forelegs to ensure that it was not of physiology, metabolic rate, reproduction, diet, affected by inhalation. To measure body height (BH) we morphology and dominance (Larramendi 2016). used a modified, expandable aluminum pole to ensure Additionally, information on individual body perpendicular measurements. Body height was measured measurements is useful for medical treatment or from the scapula to the ground, but we ensured that intervention, to aid conservation efforts, to evaluate elephants were in the normal standing position. Tarsal conservation management in captivity, and to study the circumference and Carpal circumference were measured in behavior, ecology and evolution of animals (Chapman et al. the middle of os