2007-12-18 - Tokyo, Japan. Irie-Sugimoto N, Kobayashi T, Sato T, Hasegawa T., University of Tokyo
The present study explores to what extent Asian elephants show "means-end" behavior. We used captive Asian elephants (N = 2) to conduct four variations of the Piagetian "support" problem, which involves a goal object that is out of reach, but rests on a support within reach. In the first condition, elephants were simultaneously presented with two identical trays serving as the "support", with the bait on one tray and the other tray left empty. In the next two conditions, the bait was placed on o...
2007-12-04 - St Andrews, United Kingdom. Bates LA, Sayialel KN, Njiraini NW, Poole JH, Moss CJ, Byrne RW. University of St Andrews
Monitoring the location of conspecifics may be important to social mammals. Here, we use an expectancy-violation paradigm to test the ability of African elephants (Loxodonta africana) to keep track of their social companions from olfactory cues. We presented elephants with samples of earth mixed with urine from female conspecifics that were either kin or unrelated to them, and either unexpected or highly predictable at that location.
2007-11-17 - San Diego, La Jolla, United States. Moore J., University of California
Perhaps the most important 'decision' made by any animal (or plant) is whether to disperse leave kith and kin, or remain with the familiar and related. The benefits of staying at home are obvious, so dispersal requires an explanation--and the most popular is that dispersal functions to avoid inbreeding depression. Strong support comes from the observation that dispersal is so often sex biased. Simply put, all else being equal members of both sexes should prefer to remain philopatric, but this wo...
2007-11-01 - Sofia, Bulgaria. Sapundzhiev E, Pupaki D, Zahariev P, Georgiev G, Ivanov I., Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Forestry
The result of the histological diagnosis from postmortal investigation of the Indian elephant (Elephas maximus) uterus structure is presented in the current study. The rare anatomical finding showed altered nodular part from the uterus wall. Through conventional and histochemical staining neoplasmatic formations were determined and diagnosis Fibroleiomyoma was established, which should not be accepted as the prime cause for the animal's death.
2007-10-01 - Western Plains Zoo, Australia. Portas TJ, Bryant BR, Göritz F, Hermes R, Keeley T, Evans G, Maxwell WM, Hildebrandt TB.
2007-09-15 - Seattle, United States. Mailand C, Wasser SK. University of Washington
This protocol describes a method for the extraction of DNA from elephant ivory. These techniques are being used to assign geographic origin to poached ivory by comparing the ivory genotype to a geographic-based gene frequency map, developed separately. The method has three components: ivory pulverization, decalcification and DNA extraction. Pulverization occurs in a freezer mill while the sample is deep frozen in liquid nitrogen, preventing degradation of DNA during the process. Decalcification ...
2007-09-04 - Washington, United States. Archie EA, Hollister-Smith JA, Poole JH, Lee PC, Moss CJ, Maldonado JE, Fleischer RC, Alberts SC. Smithsonian Institution
Here we combine 28 years of behavioural and demographic data on wild elephants with genotypes from 545 adult females, adult males, and calves in Amboseli National Park, Kenya, to test the hypothesis that elephants engage in sexual behaviour and reproduction with relatives less often than expected by chance. We found support for this hypothesis: males engaged in proportionally fewer sexual behaviours and sired proportionally fewer offspring with females that were natal family members or close gen...
2007-09-01 - Berlin, Germany. Hermes R, Göritz F, Streich W, Hildebrandt T., Leibniz Institute for Zoo Biology and Wildlife Research
Over the last few decades, rhinoceroses and elephants became important icons in the saga of wildlife conservation. Recent surveys estimate the wild Asian (Elephas maximus) and African (Loxodonta africana) elephant populations to be, at most, 50 250 and 637 600 respectively. For the five rhinoceros species, black (Diceros bicornis), white (Ceratotherium simum), Indian (Rhinoceros unicornis), Javan (Rhinoceros sondaicus) and Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis), the population estimates ...
2007-08-20 - Stanford, United States. O'connell-Rodwell CE., Stanford University
This review explores the mechanisms that elephants may use to send and receive seismic signals from a physical, anatomical, behavioral, and physiological perspective. The implications of the use of the vibration sense as a multimodal signal will be discussed in light of the elephant's overall fitness and survival.
2007-08-15 - Stanford, United States. Bouley DM, Alarcón CN, Hildebrandt T, O'connell-Rodwell CE. Stanford University School of Medicine
Both Asian (Elephas maximus) and African (Loxodonta africana) elephants produce low-frequency, high-amplitude rumbles that travel well through the ground as seismic waves, and field studies have shown that elephants may utilize these seismic signals as one form of communication. Unique elephant postures observed in field studies suggest that the elephants use their feet to 'listen' to these seismic signals, but the exact sensory mechanisms used by the elephant have never been characterized.
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