The Sumatran Rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis is on the edge of extinction.  The decline of this species was initially attributed to poaching and habitat loss, but evidence presented here indicates that reproductive failure has also been a significant cause of loss, and continues to affect wild populations.  Indonesiaâ€™s remaining populations of Sumatran Rhino are small and scattered, with limited access to breeding opportunities with unrelated mates.  This leaves them subject to inbreeding and isolation-induced infertility, linked to fertility problems analyzed here.  Sumatran Rhino females in captivity showed high rates (>70%) of reproductive pathology and/or problems with conception, which has significantly hindered the breeding program.  Technological advances enabling examination immediately after capture revealed similarly high rates and types of reproductive problems in individuals from wild populations.  The last seven Sumatran Rhino females captured were from areas with small declining populations, and six had reproductive problems.  Going forward, capturing similarly compromised animals will take up valuable space and resources needed for fertile animals.  The high risk of infertility and difficulty of treating underlying conditions, coupled with the decreasing number of remaining animals, means that the success of efforts to build a viable captive population will depend upon utilizing fertile animals and applying assisted reproductive techniques.  Decades of exhaustive in situ surveys have not provided information relevant to population management or to ascertaining the fertility status of individual animals.  Thus the first priority should be the capture of individuals as new founders from areas with the highest likelihood of containing fertile rhinos, indicated by recent camera trap photos of mothers with offspring.  In Sumatra these areas include Way Kambas and parts of the Leuser ecosystem.

Ramifications of reproductive diseases on the recovery of the Sumatran Rhinoceros Dicerorhinus sumatrensis (Mammalia: Perissodactyla: Rhinocerotidae)

ABSTRACT Title : HEALTH ASSESSMENT IN CAPTIVE ASIATIC ELEPHANTS (Elephas maximus) Name of the student : A. SENTHILKUMAR Degree for which thesis is submitted : Ph.D., (WILDLIFE SCIENCE)Title : HEALTH ASSESSMENT IN CAPTIVE ASIATIC ELEPHANTS (Elephas maximus) Name of the student : A. SENTHILKUMAR Degree for which thesis is submitted : Ph.D., (WILDLIFE SCIENCE) Name of the Chairman : Dr. M.G. Jayathangaraj, Ph.D., Professor and Head, Department of Wildlife Science, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai – 600 007 Year and University : 2014, Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai – 600 0051 The study was carried out to estimate the chemical composition of feed materials (concentrate and fodder crops) which comprised proximate analysis related factors like dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, crude fibre, nitrogen free extract, total ash and Acid Insoluble Ash, minerals like calcium, phosphorus and sodium chloride, fibre fractions comprising of neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin. Further, digestibility was estimated in all the temple elephants (n=25) and subsequent to supplementation of Probiotic bacteria comprising of Genus Lactobacillus and Bifiodobacterium in elephants (n=10) with low digestibility. In elephants with diarrhea (n=8), dung and water samples were examined to rule out evidences of micro organisms like E.coli and Genus Salmonella. Endoparasitic prevalence was also revealed in summer and winter seasons. Druing the study of proximate composition in different concentrate ingredients, Eleusine corocana (Ragi) was found to have significantly lowest amount of crude protein (6.07±0.02) and Cicer aritinum (Black gram) was found to have significantly highest crude protein (23.13±0.06), when compared to the other feed ingredients. Crude fibre content was significantly lowest in Oryza sativa (White flaked rice) (0.11± 0.00) and was significantly highest in Cicer aritinum (Bengal gram) (7.73±0.04). Significantly lowest values for ether extract, nitrogen free extract, total ash and acid soluble ash were encountered in the feed ingredients – Oryza sativa (Rice), Cicer aritinum (Bengal gram), Oryza sativa (Rice) and Macrotyloma uniflorum (White Horse Gram), respectively, and significantly highest values for ether extract, nitrogen free extract, total ash and acid soluble ash were encountered in the feed ingredients-Cicer aritinum (Bengal Gram), Oryza sativa (White flaked rice), Macrotyloma uniflorum (White Horse gram) and Oryza sativa (Rice), respectively. The calcium and phosphorus in per cent were significantly lowest in the Oryza sativa (white flaked rice) (0.23±0.01) and Oryza sativa (Rice) (0.14±0.00) respectively.The calcium and phosphorus in per cent were significantly highest in the Cicer aritinum (Bengal gram) (0.50±0.01) and Eleusine corocana (Ragi) (0.33±0.00). Among the fibre fractions examined, the lignin content was significantly lowest in Eleusine corocanai (Ragi) (0.33±0.00) and was significantly highest in Macrotyloma uniflorum (Black horse gram) (0.15±0.00). The crude protein content was significantly lowest in Onchlandra species (Nanal grass) (3.73±0.14) and was significantly highest in Fig tree leaves Ficus carica (Fig tree leaves) (14.30±1.92). Crude fibre content was significantly lowest in Sccharum officinarum (Sugarcane tops) (23.23±0.73) and was significantly highest in Hybrid grass (CO3) (33.77±0.43). Significantly lowest and highest values for ether extract, nitrogen free extract, total ash and acid soluble ash were revealed in various fodder crops under study. Calcium and phosphorus in per cent were significantly lowest in the Sccharum officinarum (Sugarcane tops) (0.02±0.01) and Banyan tree leaves Ficus bengalensis (Banyan tree leaves) (0.02±0.00), respectively and both of these minerals were significantly highest in the Ficus carica (Fig tree leaves) (0.26±0.04 and 0.12±0.01), respectively. Sodium chloride values in per cent significantly highest in Sccharum officinarum (Sugarcane tops). The lignin content was significantly lowest in Ficus bengalensis (Banyan tree leaves) (0.94±0.05) and was significantly highest in Sccharum officinarum (Sugarcane tops) (6.02±0.15). Dry matter digestibility in per cent was revealed for 25 elephants. Identification of Probiotic bacteria-Genus Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium was carried out using suitable culture methods from the elephant dung samples. The amplicon sizes were 233 bp and 1550 bp for Genus Lactobacillus and the amplicon sizes were 777 bp and 1350 bp for Genus Bifidobacteria. Subsequent to bulk culture and supplementation at the rate of 1 gram of Probiotic preparation with 1x109 CFU of Genus Lactobacillus and 1x109 CFU of Bifidobacterium orally per 50 kg body weight in 10 elephants, through concentrate feeds, on a daily basis for ten days, the digestibility improved in 9 elephants. Overall examination of dung and water samples related to the diarrheic elephants revealed that 75.00% (n=6) of the samples were positive, for Genus Salmonella and E.coli organisms. Culture and PCR were carried out for identification of these organisms. In summer season, mean + Standard Error of EPG of Strongyles, Strongyloides spp. and mixed parasitic infections comprising of these parasites were 153.17 ± 3.95, 177.00 ± 4.75 and 243.33 ± 11.21, respectively and in winter season, the Strongyles, Strongyloides spp. and mixed parasitic infections comprising of these parasites were 150.25 ± 5.57, 165.67 ± 2.72 and 224.00 ± 0.00, respectively. Management measures were recommended for the captive elephants reared in temples with regard to feeds and supplementation of Probiotics-Genus Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium to the feeds of elephants was also recommended and use of disinfectant like glutaraldehyde was also suggested in the elephant enclosures in addition to usage of effective anthelmintics.

Health Assessment In Captive Asiatic Elephants (Elephas maximus)

Larvae of Cobboldia elephantis have been reported from the stomach of a free ranging wild elephant (Elephas maximus) while conducting post mortem examination at Palamner forest range, Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh state, India. This is the first report of C. elephantis in free ranging wild elephant in Andhra Pradesh state, India.

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First report of Cobboldia elephantis (Cobbold, 1866) larvae in a free ranging wild elephant from Andhra Pradesh, India.

In the present study, post-mortem was conducted on a female elephant aged about 37 years died at Rajeev Gandhi National Park, Hunsur, Mathigoodu Elephant Camp, Karnataka state. The animal suffered with diarrhoea, anorexia, dehydration and was unable to walk for about one week before death and was treated with antibiotics and fluid therapy for three days. The post-mortem examination revealed that, the gastric mucosa was severely congested, hyperaemic and numerous stomach bots attached to the mucosa. The bots were recovered from the gastric mucosa and processed for species identification. The posterior spiracles of the bots showed three longitudinal parallel slits in each spiracle, the abdominal segments had a row of belt like triangular shaped spines and the anterior end had two powerful oral hooks with cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton. Based on the above said morphological characters, the bots were identified as Cobboldia elephantis. This seems to be the first report of C. elephantis in free range wild elephant from Karnataka state.

Cobboldia elephantis (Cobbold, 1866) larval infestation in an Indian elephant (Elephas maximus)

Background and aim Paramphistomiasis is common in tropical countries such as Indonesia and affects livestock and various endemic wild animals such as Sumatran elephants. However, the specific species of paramphistomoid worm that causes paramphistomiasis are rarely reported. The study aims at identifying paramphistomoid worm that infects Sumatran elephants. Materials and methods Flukes were collected from the feces of five semi-captive Sumatran elephants that lived at Tegal Yoso Elephant Response Unit in Way Kambas National Park, in 2018, after treatment of oxyclozanide 1 g at the dose of approximately 5-8 mg/kg of body weight. Eight paramphistomoid worms were flattened and stained in Semichon's carmine for morphological identification, and five other worms were used for molecular identification at second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid sequence. Results Forty-five flukes were collected from five Sumatran elephants in Lampung, Indonesia. Eight paramphistomoid worms were morphologically identified as Pfenderius heterocaeca and five isolates did not show any variation in ITS-2. Phylogenetic analysis showed that there was a close genetic relationship between our sample and Chiorchis fabaceus that had a family similar to the samples. Conclusion Based on the morphological and molecular characteristics, the paramphistomoids found in Sumatran elephant on Way Kambas National Park are P. heterocaeca.

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Morphological and molecular identification of Pfenderius heterocaeca (Trematode: Paramphistomoidea) from Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus).

H. Suprahman

Papers

Some parasites from sumatran elephants in Indonesia