HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT OF CAPTIVE ASIAN ELEPHANTS KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT OF CAPTIVE ASIAN ELEPHANTS Editors G. AJITKUMAR MVSc, PhD K. S. ANIL MVSc, PhD P. C. ALEX MVSc, PhD Associate editor T. S. RAJEEV MVSc KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY ELEPHANT STUDY CENTRE Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences MANNUTHY, THRISSUR – 680 651 KERALA, INDIA (For Private Circulation Only) Healthcare management of CAPTIVE ASIAN ELEPHANTS February 2009 Copies : 500 Editors : G. Ajitkumar K. S. Anil P. C. Alex Cover design : K. R. Kumaran Published by : Dr. M. K. Sheela Director of Extension Kerala Agricultural University Mannuthy - 680 651, Thrissur Printed at : Kerala Agricultural University Press Mannuthy - 680 651, Thrissur © Kerala Agricultural University KAUP 11/06/500/2/09 KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY Main Campus, Kerala Agricultural University P.O., Thrissur-680 656, Kerala K. R. VISWAMBHARAN VICE - CHANCELLOR FOREWORD The elephant has been part of the Indian culture and mythology from time immemorial. Elephants are worshipped and respected all over India. Indian mythology contains many stories about them. The earliest writings on elephants is considered to be in Arthasastra. Historically, King Akbar maintained thousands of elephants in his stables. Elephants are possibly the most important animal in the animal kingdom. Their size, strength, anatomical peculiarities, intelligence, irresistible appeal and usefulness have made them lovable and at the same time terrific. They evoke strong emotions and opinions. The first treatise on elephant healthcare was written 2000 years ago (Hastyayurveda). Scientific studies on elephants started in 19th century. In the 20th century, G. H. Evans did some pioneering work on elephants. Despite the fact that India has got largest number of wild and captive Asian elephants, systematic works on elephant healthcare are still lacking. This book seems to be a humble beginning to fill the void. Kerala Agricultural University has been associated with elephants for more than 50 years. Considering the contributions of the Faculty, a Centre for Studies on Elephants was established in the year 2000. This centre is proposed to be elevated to the status of a Centre of Excellence by Government of India. The Centre is actively involved in elephant research and related activities. The experiences of the Faculty and other professionals are narrated in this book. Elephant management is a dynamic process and is liable to change. As the time advances, it will be necessary to incorporate advancements and new information. I congratulate Elephant Study Centre of Kerala Agricultural University for the efforts it has taken for publishing this book and hope that the book would be a useful guide for all elephant practitioners. Phone : (O) 0487-2370034 / 0487-2371928 (R) 0487-2370439 Fax No.: 91 48 2370019 Gram : "AGRIVARSITY" E-mail : [email protected]; [email protected] (Office); Web site : www.kau.edu Phone : (0487) 2370451, 2370344 (O) (0487) 2370468 (R) Fax : 91-0487-2370388 E-Mail : [email protected] [email protected] KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF VETERINARY AND ANIMAL SCIENCES MANNUTHY - 680 651, THRISSUR, KERALA, INDIA Prof. (Dr.) E. NANU, Ph.D, FNAVS, MIAVPHS DEAN Date : 15-1-2009 PREFACE Elephants have never failed to captivate human beings, be it as a mythical figure, in the battle front, in the wild or as a domesticated animal. Beliefs and notions about this pachyderm are as old as the fascinating stories that we have heard about this animal. India is home to 50 per cent of the Asian elephant population. Kerala is abode to more than 800 captive tuskers who are admired and revered. The Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences was in the forefront since its inception in mitigating sufferings of captive elephants and took a lead role in conducting research on captive elephant welfare and treatment. Chemical immobilization protocols for controlling elephants in musth were developed and standardized by eminent scientists of our Faculty. Elephant Study Centre under the faculty has been recognized by the Project Elephant as one of the two training centres at National Level for imparting scientific know-how to Veterinarians, Mahouts, Elephant Owners and Officers of Forest Department. The book “Healthcare Management of Captive Asian Elephants” is an endeavour of the Elephant Study Centre of Kerala Agricultural University. The authors are adepts in their respective fields of elephant care management. The book gives stress on the importance of adopting modern treatment principles without neglecting the proven traditional methods. Exhaustive details on every realm of elephant care and management including housing, handling, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and musth management have been incorporated in this book. I whole heartedly congratulate the authors, editorial team and the Elephant Study Centre of Kerala Agricultural University for their meticulous effort. The book will unequivocally be an authoritative quote in any scientific literature on Asian elephants. (E. NANU) Acknowledgements We wish to thank Dr. K.C. Panicker, Dr. Jacob V. Cheeran, Dr. K. Radhakrishna Kaimal and Dr. K.N. Muraleedharan Nair, Former Professors of Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Kerala Agricultural University for their unstinted support, encouragement and expert advice. Thanks are due to Sri. K.R. Viswambharan, Vice Chancellor, Kerala Agricultural University and Dr. E. Nanu, Dean, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy for words of inspiration and guidance. We would like to place on reccord our sincere gratitude to all the scientists who have contributed to make this publication as much authentic as possible. Special thanks to Sri. K.R. Kumaran, Artist, Veterinary College, Mannuthy. The help rendered by all the Faculty members in this endeavour are gratefully acknowledged. Last but not least thanks are due to Sri. S.S. Bist, IFS, Former Director, Project Elephant, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India for the words of inspiration, encouragement and funding. G. AJITKUMAR K. S. ANIL P. C. ALEX LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS Ajitkumar, G., Assistant Professor. (S.S), Department of Animal Reproduction Gynaecology and Obstetrics, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Alex, P.C., Professor and Project Co-ordinator, Elephant Study Centre, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Anil, K.S., Associate Professor, Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Anilkumar Nair, Veterinary Surgeon, Kerala State Animal Husbandry Department Aravinda Ghosh, K.N., Professor and Head, Veterinary College Hospital, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Bist, S.S., Former Inspector General of Forests and Director (Project Elephant), Government of India, New Delhi Chandrasekharan, K., Professor (Retired), College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Easwaran, E.K., Forest Veterinary Officer, Office of the Forest Veterinary Officer, Konni, Pathanamthitta, Kerala George, P.O., Professor (Retired), College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Jacob V. Cheeran, Professor (Retired), College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Jose John Chungath, Professor, Department of Anatomy and Histology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Krishnamurthy, V., Joint Director (Retired), Tamilnadu Forest & Wildlife Department, Muthumalai, Tamilnadu Mercy, A.D., Professor and Head, Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Muraleedharan Nair, K.N., Professor (Retired), College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Nair, N.D., Professor, Department of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Prabhakaran, T., Professor (Retired), College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Prasad, A., Assistant Professor, Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Radhakrishnan, K., Professor (Retired), College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Rajankutty, K., Professor, Department of Veterinary Surgery and Radiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Rajeev, T.S., Assistant Professor, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandary Extension, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala. Rajkamal, P.J., Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary and Animal Husbandary Extension, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Ravindran Nayar, S., Professor (Retired), College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Sarma, K.K., Associate Professor, College of Veterinary Science, Assam Agricultural University, Khanappara, Guwahati. Saseendran, P.C., Professor and Head, Department of Livestock Production Management, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Sethumadhavan, T.P., Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Kerala State Animal Husbandry Department. Sreekumar, K.P., Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary Physiology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala Sreekumaran, T., Associate Professor and Head (Retired), Department of Animal Reproduction Gynaecology and Obstetrics, College