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The researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) studied social behaviour of male Asian elephants.
- Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) is an autonomous laboratory of the Government of India’s Department of Science and Technology, will collect and analyze data on identified non-muscular wild behavior.
About
- The study had collected and analyzed data on behaviour of identified wild Asian elephants of Nagarahole and Bandipur National Parks.
- This study is one of the few studies investigating the association of male species in which males move between social groups.
- It provides an example of how ecological differences can promote differences in related species of male societies with similar male reproductive strategies.
Key Highlights of the Study
- They found that the time spent by male Asian elephants in all-male and mixed groups depends on the age of the male.
- Adult Asian male elephants preferred to spend time alone rather than mixed-sex or groups of all males.
- Moreover, older men were found primarily with peers of the same age, and less often in younger men (ages 15-30). Also, young men did not disproportionately start relationships with older men.
- Adult male Asian elephants are less social than females. They enter estrus — a spouse search strategy for older men (aged 30 and over) each year.
- Researchers hypothesized that when adult males enter estrus, dominant relationships can affect the number of mating opportunities they obtain.
- Therefore, it may be more important for older men than younger men to test each other’s strengths and resolve dominance during their non-muscular time.
About Asian Elephants
- The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) is polygynous, with males and females exhibiting different morphologies and adult lifestyles.
- They are the largest land mammals on the Asian continent.
- Asian elephants are extremely sociable, forming groups of six to seven related females that are led by the oldest female, the matriarch.
- It lives in forested regions of India and throughout Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos.
- There are three subspecies of Asian elephant which are the Indian, Sumatran and Sri Lankan.
- IUCN Status: Endangered
- Protection: It is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
- It is included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
- Threats: Habitat loss, fragmentation, human-elephant conflict, poaching and illegal trade of elephants.
- Status in India: India is home to the largest number of Asiatic Elephants. There are around 28,000 elephants in India with around 25% of them in Karnataka.
Difference between African Elephant and Asian Elephant
|
African Elephant |
Asian Elephant |
|
They have much larger ears that look sort of like the continent of Africa. |
Asian elephants have smaller, round ears. |
|
They have rounded heads |
They have a twin-domed head, which means there’s a divot line running up the head. |
|
Both male and female African elephants can have tusks. |
Only male Asian elephants can grow tusks. |
Steps taken by India in Elephant Preservation
- Project Elephant: A Centrally-sponsored Scheme of the Ministry of Environment and Forests to provide financial assistance to the states.
- Elephant corridors and reserve: Elephant corridors are secured through voluntary relocation of settlements and/or acquisition of land.
- Training: Training and awareness camps are organized regularly for local people for the conservation of elephants and other wildlife.
- Construction of barriers like boundary walls and solar-powered electric fences around the sensitive areas to prevent wild animal attacks.
- Elephant and Train collisions: A number of measures have been taken by Railways in coordination with Ministry of Environment and Forest which include the following:
- The imposition of speed restrictions in identified locations. Provision of signage board.
- Sensitization of Train Crew and Station Masters on a regular basis.
- Need-based clearance of vegetation on the sides of the track within railway land
- Construction of underpasses and ramps for the movement of elephants at identified locations.
- Elephant in captivity: Proper guidelines and SOPs are issued for those areas where elephants are kept in captivity.
- Operation Thunderbird: To fight against wildlife crime, Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB), Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, coordinated “OPERATION THUNDERBIRD” in India.
Source: TH
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