Management and taming of a Male Asian Elephant Calf (Elephas maximus) in captivity.

Dr.Nirmaljeet Singh*, Senior vet, Shri. Dharmendra Sharma, Field Director

Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological park, Chattbir Zoo

Punjab , India

mahal_njs@yahoo.com

The paper deals with a male Asian Elephant Calf (Elephas maximus) weighing about 110 kg born on 19 July 2007 for the 2nd time in history of M.C.Zoological Park, Chhatbir, Punjab, India to a 30 years old female elephant  named Hema which was served by a 50 year old male elephant named Raj Mangal. The gestation period was 22 months and 10 days. This paper discusses the requirements of shelter, birth event, parentage, behavior, development, feeding and taming of the calf .A comprehensive account of feeding pattern, health monitoring, deworming schedule and hematological parameters has also been given.  Taming of the calf was started at about one and a half years of age. The process of taming started with weaning the calf away from mother, by keeping the calf isolated from mother in a small “separation enclosure” just next to mother’s night shelter. Initially the Calf was reluctant and used to strike against the iron gate of the separation enclosure leading to injury, which was treated with antiseptic after properly washing the wounds with warm saline.  With the passage of time the animal adapted to this isolation though reluctantly.   Hematological and blood cellular responses of the animal recorded were with in the normal range.  Body measurements recorded at 6 months and 15 months corresponded to the normal Range of the breed. 

key words:   Asian Elephant, behavior, calf, weaning, isolation, taming, hematology, feeding pattern, body measurement, development.