Williams Ellen, Clark Natasha, Rendle-Worthington Jake, Yon Lisa
Department of Animal Health, Behaviour and Welfare, Harper Adams University, Newport TF10 8NB, UK.
School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, The University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington LE12 5RD, UK.
Animals (Basel). 2022 Jul 29;12(15):1933. doi: 10.3390/ani12151933.
Within the southern African elephant tourism industry, chaining or tethering elephants is still a relatively routine practice, despite the known negative impacts. Cited reasons for chaining include fear of aggressive interactions between elephants when handlers are absent, or a general increase in expression of aggressive behaviours (both to other elephants and to their human handlers). In Zimbabwe, concerns expressed include the danger of elephants escaping and entering human-inhabited areas. Four male semi-captive elephants at a Zimbabwe tourist facility were taken off overnight (~12 h) tethers and were placed in small pens (‘bomas’), approximate sizes from 110 m2 to 310 m2), as part of a strategy to improve elephant welfare. Behavioural data were collected from overnight videos from December 2019 to March 2020, between 18:00 to 06:00, using focal, instantaneous sampling (5-min interval). Data were collected for three nights at three time periods: (i) Tethered; (ii) approximately four weeks post-release; (iii) approximately eight weeks post-release. Behavioural change over these time points was analysed using general linear models with quasibinomial error structures. Behavioural changes indicative of improved welfare were observed following these management changes, and no significant increases in aggression were observed either between elephants, or towards their human handlers. Proportion of time engaging in lying rest was higher in the first month after release from tethering (mean ± SD, 50 ± 14%) than when elephants were tethered (20 ± 18%) (p < 0.05). Additionally, although not statistically significant, stereotypies were reduced when elephants were no longer tethered (4 ± 6% observations tethered compared to 2 ± 2% off tethers), and positive social behaviour also increased (1 ± 1% on tethers, 2 ± 2% off tethers), with the greatest improvements seen in the pair-housed elephants. To improve elephant welfare in southern African tourism facilities we strongly advocate that less restrictive management practices which enable greater choice and freedom of movement overnight are implemented.
在南部非洲大象旅游业中，尽管已知拴系大象有负面影响，但拴系大象仍是一种相对常见的做法。拴系大象的理由包括担心在驯象员不在时大象之间发生攻击性互动，或者大象攻击性行为（对其他大象和驯象员）的普遍增加。在津巴布韦，人们担心大象逃脱并进入人类居住区。作为改善大象福利策略的一部分，津巴布韦一家旅游设施的四头雄性半圈养大象被解除了夜间（约12小时）拴系，并被安置在小围栏（“兽栏”）中，面积约为110平方米至310平方米。使用焦点瞬时抽样法（5分钟间隔），从2019年12月至2020年3月18:00至06:00的夜间视频中收集行为数据。在三个时间段的三个晚上收集数据：（i）拴系时；（ii）放归后约四周；（iii）放归后约八周。使用具有拟二项误差结构的一般线性模型分析这些时间点的行为变化。这些管理措施实施后，观察到表明福利改善的行为变化，并且在大象之间或对驯象员的攻击行为没有显著增加。放归后第一个月躺卧休息的时间比例（平均值±标准差，50±14%）高于拴系时（20±18%）（p<0.05）。此外，虽然没有统计学意义，但大象不再拴系时刻板行为减少（拴系时4±6%的观察值，放归后2±2%），积极的社交行为也增加（拴系时1±1%，放归后2±2%），成对圈养的大象改善最为明显。为了改善南部非洲旅游设施中大象的福利，我们强烈主张实施限制较少的管理措施，使大象在夜间有更多选择和行动自由。
