Stress levels in elephants on the rise, detailed study need of the hour
Stress levels in elephants on the rise, detailed study need of the hour
Bosky Khanna, The New Indian Express
September 27, 2024
See link for photos.
Increasing cases of man-elephant conflict and deaths are not just because
of the shrinking habitat and fodder loss. Experts point out that it is also
because of stress among the gentle giants. Just like us, animals too get
stressed because of multiple reasons, including contact with humans,
translocation for various reasons, exchange programmes, traveling in
vehicles and while they are made to participate in public functions and
processions.
“They suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder when they are separated
from their calf or herd or when their movement is blocked. They get
confused when they are translocated, which leads to stress and casualties
like it happened recently in Wayanad. Tourists should be kept far away from
elephants. Flash lights and crackers only add to the stress. They panic out
of distress and then attack,” pointed an elephant handler.
Over the last two days, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh governments have held
a series of meetings on various issues, including training of mahouts and
elephant exchange. In the context of the meetings, a senior Karnataka
forest department official said, one or two elephants will henceforth not
be given to any state. “They will have to take a group. Elephants are
social animals and they develop a strong bond with each other even when in
captivity. So states will have to take groups and not a select few.”
While this has been appreciated by experts, they also point to the urgent
need for chalking out a protocol and detailed method of handling animals
while in captivity or under an exchange programme.
On August 12, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
released a report and manual on the procedures to follow for safe
translocation of elephants. While it detailed the methods to be followed
for capture and relocation, little attention is being paid on the mental
health and the stress factor among elephants.
A senior MoEF&CC official said, mental health, stress and depression among
elephants are being reported but it is case specific. A detailed study
needs to be undertaken before including it in the manual and drawing up a
protocol. “There is a need to understand the mental health of elephants
before capturing them. But then we lack experts and most importantly time.
So in most cases it is not done. Some, however, do it by assessing the dung
and other elephant samples, but its accuracy is yet to be determined. After
capture, however, efforts are made in camps to de-stress the animals by
ensuring mahouts are well trained and the animal gets to socialise with
others,” the official said.
An expert from Project Elephant said any social deprivation leads to
stress. When they are kept in isolation the stress levels are very high and
there is a need for scientific parameters to evaluate them, which is
lacking at the moment. Over time the animal either gets used to it and
continues to move on, or becomes a rebel.
“It has also been observed that when an animal moves out of the forest,
close to human habitation, the noise level increases and that is the first
and prime stress factor. In the wild, the elephants are constantly active
mentally like foraging for food and water, interacting with others and so
on. But in captivity they are idle. They get bored and that stresses them
out. The stress amplifies when humans come close. It has been found that
some of them suffer from enochlophobia (fear of crowds), trochophobia (fear
of being on a truck or bus), amaxophobia (dear of driving) and even
anthrophobia (fear of people). Elephants of course get stressed during
capture and training. Translocation is inevitable, so solutions to reduce
stress need to be case specific,” the expert said.
Suparna Ganguly, Co-founder Trustee, Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation
Centre (WRRC) said elephants in captivity go through stress when they are
forced to face unknown people, perform for the public, taken in crowded
processions, exposed to loud noises, bright lights and used for joy rides.
Wild elephants undergo mental strain when their pathways are blocked to
reach their traditional feeding grounds; when mobs chase them from fields
and crops; or they are harassed by loud sounds and light; or while coming
in contact with humans. Anything that may frighten them can become a
trigger for an attack, which could turn fatal because of their size and
strength, she said.
Suparna added that books and papers by Dr Gay Bradshaw, an elephant
psychologist, confirmed the neural pathways of elephants are very akin to
humans and they suffer from anxiety, depression and mental stress.
To address this, all stakeholders should try and keep elephants wild and
captive as far away from human intervention and presence as possible. Human
intervention should be limited to what may be needed for veterinary
treatment or procedures. They should be allowed to exercise their autonomy
in choosing their activities and feed. They should be kept as stress-free
as possible, for human safety if nothing else.
Wild elephants should have their movement paths unrestricted by buildings,
fencing, roads and tracks so they can smoothly roam from one grazing site
to another. Once passages are blocked, human settlements around their
habitat end up facing the wrath of this otherwise gentle giants.
Proper Planning for Transportation
Unplanned and poorly executed transportation can cause enormous stress.
Botched transportation can also pose considerable risks to the frontline
staff, elephant handlers, veterinarians, and other support personnel. To
minimise risks, meticulous planning and consideration of a few critical
points are essential. Proper justification for transport is the first
crucial step.