A YEAR AS AN ELEPHANT: MONITORING T'WO ZOO-HOUSED ASIAN ELEPHANTS ACROSS SEASONS

Animal welfare can vary over an individuars lifespan and can differ between individuals of the same group. Long-term data collection carried out integrating various welfare parameters play a key role in assessing the quality of life ofzoo-housed species. This project aimed to monitor the welfare status of the Asian elephants hosted at Pistoia Zoo across seasons through the analysis of ethological and physiological animal-based measures. The study involved two adult females of 47 and 46 years of age that were observed over a 6-month period from August 2015 to June 2016 using a within-subject randomised exrxrimental design. Behaviours were video-recorded, and data were collected via continuous focal animal sampling method. Six 5-min focal observation sessions per subject per day were conducted and on an average 102 hours of observation per individual were ohtained. Moreover 223 fresh faecal samples were collected to measure the concentration of faecal cortisol using the Radio Immuno Assay techniquc based on binding of3H-stcroid by competitive adsorption. Data were analysed using nonparametric and randomization tests and the Behavioural Competence Index. Results showed that the elephants dedicated more time to active behaviours and less time to locomotion and stereotypic swaying and pacing compared to previous studies performed on individuals hosted in Other European zoos. Differences in the expression Of locomotor, self-directed, feeding, stereotypic and rcsting behaviour betwcen subjects and across seasons were also found. The subjects showed a high level of behavioural competence even if they displayed stereotyped behaviours. The analysis of faecal samples pointed out that the cortisol concentration was stable across seasons and no significant difference was found between subjects.