Anthropometric and blood data on a hand-reared captive Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) calf: A retrospective case report

摘要

The anthropometric and blood data of an unsuccessfully hand-reared Asian elephant ( ) calf were retrospectively compared with the data for calvesraised by their real mothers or allomothers, to identify potential reasons for poor outcomes in the hand-reared case. The hand-reared calf grew normally in terms of body weight andwithers height. However, blood biochemical data suggested reduced bone metabolism, low immune status, and malnutrition during its life. Blood bone markers were measured todetermine whether a skeletal disorder was present in the Asian elephant calf, which was not clear from the anthropometric data. Monitoring these parameters in hand-reared Asianelephant calves, with the aim of keeping them within the normal range, may increase the success rate of hand-rearing of Asian elephant calves.