Activity Time Budget of the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus Linn.) in the Wild

Abstract

The activity budget of Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) in Lahugala Kitulana National Park, Sri Lanka was studied. A total number of 60 elephants including 20 adult males, adult females and calves in each were observed during the present study. Recordings were made between 10:00 and 16:00 hr. The study identified 16 different behavioral patterns. Behaviours were observed in all types (male, female and calf) was significant difference between types for exploring, fly catching, feeding, flapping ear (One-way ANOVA). Behaviours were observed in male and female was significant difference between genders for bobbing, flicking leg, mudding, tail swiveling and walking (Two sample T-Test). But there was no significant difference between gender for bathing, drinking, dusting, and standing (Two sample T-Test). Behaviours such as kicking, running and playing were observed only in male, female and calf respectively. Amongst these behaviors, feeding was dominant followed by walking in male, female and calf elephants. The elephant spent much of the time for feeding (male 44.36%, female 46.68% and calf 47.51%) followed by walking and other behaviors. Male spent 38.47% of the time for (walking 16.74%, tail swiveling 8.04%, standing 7.44%, and exploring 6.25%). Female spent 36.14 % (walking 13.82%, drinking 10.45%, flapping ear 6.85%, and tail swiveling 5.02%). But other behaviours (including bobbing, bathing, dusting, flicking leg and mudding) were 8.43%. and 4.6% in male and female elephants respectively. Calves exhibited playing 45.13%, flapping ear 3.29%, fly catching 2.37% and exploring 1.67%.

Full text

3024 Trends in Biosciences 8 (12), 2015
Activity Time Budget of the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus Linn.) in
the Wild
A.M. RIYAS AHAMED
Department of Zoology, Eastern University Sri Lanka, Vantharumoolai, Chenkalady,
Sri Lanka.
email : riyasahame@yahoo.co.uk
Trends in Biosciences 8(12), Print : ISSN 0974-8, 3024-3028, 2015
ABSTRACT
The activity budget of Asian Elephant (Elephas
maximus) in Lahugala Kitulana National Park, Sri
Lanka was studied. A total number of 60 elephants
including 20 adult males, adult females and calves in
each were observed during the present study.
Recordings were made between 10:00 and 16:00 hr.
The study identified 16 different behavioral patterns.
Behaviours were observed in all types (male, female
and calf) was significant difference between types for
exploring, fly catching, feeding, flapping ear (One-
way ANOVA). Behaviours were observed in male and
female was significant difference between genders
for bobbing, flicking leg, mudding, tail swiveling and
walking (Two sample T-Test). But there was no
significant difference between gender for bathing,
drinking, dusting, and standing (Two sample T-Test).
Behaviours such as kicking, running and playing
were observed only in male, female and calf
respectively. Amongst these behaviors, feeding was
dominant followed by walking in male, female and calf
elephants. The elephant spent much of the time for
feeding (male 44.36%, female 46.68% and calf
47.51%) followed by walking and other behaviors.
Male spent 38.47% of the time for (walking 16.74%,
tail swiveling 8.04%, standing 7.44%, and exploring
6.25%). Female spent 36.14 % (walking 13.82%,
drinking 10.45%, flapping ear 6.85%, and tail
swiveling 5.02%). But other behaviours (including
bobbing, bathing, dusting, flicking leg and mudding)
were 8.43%. and 4.6% in male and female elephants
respectively. Calves exhibited playing 45.13%,
flapping ear 3.29%, fly catching 2.37% and
exploring 1.67%.
Key words Asian elephant, Activity budgeting,
captivity, conservation, behavior
patterns.
Elephant activity budget can be defined as
“different activities an elephant is involved in or
exposed to in a given unit of time” (McKay, 1973;
Guy, 1976; Easa, 1988; Baskaran, 1998. The
budgeting of different activities within a specified
period of time provides an opportunity to compare
the behaviours exhibited by wild and captive
elephants, to highlight the differences observed, to
determine the cause of such differences, and to
analyses their strategies of behavioural patterns and
survival (Vinod, and Cheeran, 1997).
The activity patterns of animals combines
with energy costs of various activities can provide
energy expenditure estimates for the species. It
varies according to the habitat and environmental
factors such as temperature and rainfall. Several
studies on activity pattern of mammals have
suggested that the activity pattern and time budget
of different species should be studied in detail (Irby,
1982; Deag, 1985; Chattopadhyay, and
Battacharya, 1986). The activity time budgeting
studied for African elephant (Dougall, 1964; Wyatt,
and Eltringham, 1974; Guy, 1976; Hanks, 1979;
Kalemera, 1987) and Asian elephant ((McKay 1973;
Vancuylenberg 1977; Easa, 1988; Sivaganesan, and
Johnsingh, 1995; Vinod and Cheeran 1997;
Baskaran, 1998; Baskaran, et al., 2010). But it had
been investigated well and comparatively in very
few studies on the activity pattern of Asian Elephants
(Vinod, and Cheeran, 1997).
Study Area: Lahugala Kitulana National Park
(6º 53¹- 6º 55¹N, 81º 40¹- 81º 42¹ E) covers an area
of 1554 ha. The national park contains the
reservoirs of Lahugala, Kitulana and Sengamuwa
and they are ultimately empties to Heda Oya river.
Mean annual rainfall of the area is about 1,650 mm
North east monsoon persist during the months
November to December (McKay, 1973). Being in
the dry zone, the land is generally flat with
occasional boulder formations. Two dry periods
last from May to October and January to March
(Banks and Banks, 1985). The terrain of the park
is flat with occasional rocky outcrops (Michael,
1990). The national park’s vegetation is classified
into Sri Lanka dry-zone dry evergreen forests.
Dominant grass species Sacciolepis interrupta is
a main food source for elephants.

AHAMED, Activity Time Budget of the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus Linn.) in the Wild 3025
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Data collection: Behavioral observations were
carried out during day time from 0600 to 1800 hrs.
Data were collected via direct observation by using
focal sampling for 30 minutes per animal, including
20 males, females and calves in each. Total
observations were conducted for 3000 minutes.
The behavioral activities of elephants were
categorized. The following behavioural patterns
were recorded in the study. A comprehensive
ethogram was developed (Table. 1)
Data analysis: The observations were
classified into different behavioural patterns. For
each behavior, total duration and percentage of
mean duration, standard deviation and standard
error associated of respective mean were
calculated, and placed in tabular form and were
represented graphically wherever possible. A one
way ANOVA and Two-sample T-Test were done
(SAS, System for Windows 9.0). Significant overall
ANOVA (GLM) was followed with a DMRT using
Microsoft Excel for Windows 2010 package.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The study identified 16 different behaviors for
the animals observed (Table 1) during the
observation, in which adult male exhibited all the
behaviours except running and playing. Female
showed all behaviours except kicking and playing.
Calf showed five behaviors including playing, which
was found only in it.
a. Behaviours observed in male, female
and calf.
There was significant difference between
types for Exploring (One-way ANOVA F2,57=3.4,
p=0.04); Fly catching (F2,57=6.3, p= 0.03); Feeding
(F2,57=10.5, p= 0.0001); Flapping ear (F2,57=14.3,
p=0.0001);
b. Behaviours observed in male and
female.
There was significant difference between
genders for Bobbing (two sample t-test, t(19)
=3.32, p=0.01); Flicking leg t(19)=2.85, p=0.02);
Mudding t(19)=6.14 , p=0.0002); Tail Swiveling
t(19)=4.85, p=0.001); and Walking t(19)=17.66,
p<0.001). But Bathing t(19) =2.01, p=0.14);
Drinking t(19) =2.1, p=0.11); Dusting t(19)=1.22,
p=0.66); and Standing t(19)=1.23, p=0.01) were
not significant difference between gender
Table 1. Ethogram of Asian Elephant and definition (After Verma, et al., 2008; Rees, 2009;
Both, et al., 2013)
S.No Behaviour Definition
1. Bath Spraying water on the body of the elephant with it trunk.
2. Bobbing Up or down or sideways movement of head (stereotypy).
3. Drinking Elephant takes water through trunk, passes water into its mouth.
4. Dusting Elephant takes mud/ loose earth in its trunk, sprays it on its body.
5. Feeding Elephant uses trunk to pick up food, puts food in mouth and moves
in relation to feeding.
6. Ear-flapping To and fro movement of ears;
7. Exploring Elephant investigates any objects using its trunk in its environment.
8. Fly catching Just like a dog, when an elephant’s tail is swishing from side to side swatting away flies, it
is happy
9. Kicking Elephant attack other elephant with legs.
10. Flicking leg Elephants flicks their feet up and bending.
11. Mudding Elephant lies down on sides, rubs itself with wet mud (wallow).
12. Play Behaviors performed, by growing individuals, without any visible
purpose involved, either with other individuals/ other objects/ on its own
13. Running Elephant move fast.
14. Standing Elephant standing on its feet, not moving
15. Tail swiveling The tail goes stiff and normally held out to one side.
16. Walk Elephants moves slowly.
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3026 Trends in Biosciences 8 (12), 2015
c) Behaviour such as kicking, running
and playing have been observed only in
male, female and calf respectively.
Amongst these behaviors, feeding was
dominant followed by walking in male, female and
calf elephants. The elephant spent much of the time
for feeding (male 44.36%, female 46.68% and calf
47.51%) followed by walking and other behaviors.
Male spent 38.47% of the time for (walking
16.74%, tail swiveling 8.04%, standing 7.44%, and
exploring 6.25%). Female spent 36.14 % (walking
13.82%, drinking 10.45%, flapping ear 6.85%, and
tail swiveling 5.02%). But other behaviours
(including bobbing, bathing, dusting, flicking leg
and mudding) were 8.43%. and 4.6% in male and
female elephant respectively. Calves exhibited
playing 45.13%, flapping ear 3.29%, fly catching
2.37% and exploring 1.67%.
Many studies evidenced that the wild
elephants spent much of the time for feeding (68%
in Nilgiri (Baskaran, etal, 2010), 65% in
Parambikulam (Easa 1989, 1988), 74% in
Mudumalai (Sivaganesan and Johnsingh 1995), and
in 65.45 – 80.77% in Idukki (Vinod and Cheeran
1997), 60% (Baskaran, 1998) wildlife sanctuaries
in India and 75% in Sri Lanka (McKay 1973;
Vancuylenberg 1977). Feeding was similar to the
pattern observed on African elephants (Wyatt and
Eltringham 1974; Guy 1976; Kalemera 1987;
Dougall 1964; Hanks 1979;) Because Both the Asian
and African elephant thus live in tropical regions of
the world. Therefore, a considerable portion of their
time (60 - 80% of waking hours) must be spent
feeding in order to fulfil their nutritional
requirements. Elephants in the wild feed variety of
natural foods, and they spend a lot time preparing
their food.
Results of other behavioural patterns of the
present study were compared with other studies
carried out in the wild. Several authors reported
that in the wild elephants spent about, 10 % for
walking, 20% resting, mud bathing 2%, drinking
1.4% and other behaviours (communication, signal,
rubbing the body against trees or rock, defecation,
nursing calves and playing) 2% in Parambikulam
National Park in southern India (Easa, 1988).
Baskaran, 1998 found elephant spending 20% for
resting, and moving (without feeding) was 14%
and other behaviours (including drinking, salt
licking, playing, dust bating, rubbing, vocalization,
vigilance, defecating and urinating) was 6%.
Table 2. Type of behaviors, total duration , mean durations (%) (with standard error and
standard deviation) for observed for time activity budget for male (M), female (F)
and calf (C) elephants.
S.No Behavior Duration/ animal (min) Mean (%) Standard Error Standard Deviation
M F C M F C M F C M F C
01 BB 7 25 0 0.19 0.69 0 0.13 0.24 0 0.59 1.09 0
02 BT 25 28.8 0 0.69 0.8 0 0.25 0.36 0 1.16 1.64 0
03 DR 98 376.4 0 2.72 10.45 0 1.15 1.68 0 5.18 7.51 0
04 DT 131.6 48 0 3.65 1.33 0 0.82 0.91 0 3.70 4.10 0
05 EX 225.2 119.2 30.19 6.25 3.31 1.67 2.09 1.42 0.38 9.37 6.37 1.21
06 FC 185.4 147.2 42.79 5.15 4.08 2.37 0.87 1.05 0.26 3.93 4.74 0.83
07 FD 1597.2 1680.8 855.19 44.36 46.68 47.51 2.89 2.64 1.12 12.93 11.83 3.54
08 FE 100 246.8 59.39 2.77 6.85 3.29 0.81 0.81 0.67 3.62 3.63 2.14
09 FL 24 43.6 0 0.66 1.21 0 0.25 0.42 0 1.12 1.89 0
10 KC 13.6 0 0 0.37 0 0 0.26 0 0 1.16 0 0
11 MD 5.60 20.8 0 0.15 0.57 0 0.10 0.26 0 0.47 1.18 0
12 RN 0 24 0 0 0.66 0 0 0.45 0 0 2.05 0
13 ST 268 145.4 0 7.44 4.03 0 1.47 1.33 0 6.61 5.95 0
14 TS 289.6 181 0 8.04 5.02 0 1.69 0.76 0 7.56 3.43 0
15 WL 602.8 497.6 0 16.74 13.82 0 2.25 0.53 0 10.10 2.40 0
16 PL 0 0 812.39 0 0 45.13 0 0 0.62 1.98
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AHAMED, Activity Time Budget of the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus Linn.) in the Wild 3027
Playing was only observed in calf in present
study. Kurt and Garai, 2007 observed in a wild
population of Asian elephants, neonates and infants
spent 17% of time in social behaviour and play and
juveniles 10%. Mannings, and Dawkins, 1997
argued that playing is important in the development
of adult behaviour. Playing is helpful in young
animals to develop physical skills and numerous
other skills such as gaining knowledge of social
group and exploration environment.
In conclusion, the budgeting of different
activities within a specified period of time provides
an opportunity to analyses their strategies of
behavioural patterns and to compare the behaviours
exhibited by wild and captive elephants, thus
welfare of captive elephants will be improved.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This study would not have been possible
without the cooperation of Dr. Meena
Dharmaretnam, Mr. S. Ramesh, Mr. T. Sripathy,
Mr.Kirupakaran, Mr. K. Jeyakanthan, and Mr. K.
Suthagar, and the staffs, Department of Wild life
and Conservation, Sri Lanka.
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Received on 17-05-2015 Accepted on 24-05-2015