Elephants Under Human Care: The Behaviour, Ecology, and Welfare of Elephants in Captivity

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 elephantsFeatures original images of elephant behaviour as they live and behave under human careIncludes results of the author’s original research including many original photographsConsiders future implications of research for the welfare and conservation of elephants, both for elephants in captivity and those living in the wild

1. Elephants and Their Relationship with Humans 2. Ethological Data Collection and Elephant Activity Budgets 3. Elephant Social Structure, Behaviour, and Complexity 4. Elephant Reproductive Biology 5. Elephant Cognition, Communication and Tool Use 6. Elephant Ecology and Genetics 7. Elephant Welfare 8. Housing and Handling Elephants 9. Ethics, Pressure Groups and the Law 10. The Conservation Value of Captive Elephants 11. The Future of Elephants in Captivity