Metabolic profiles of captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in Lao PDR and Thailand.

ABSTRACT: This study compared metabolic health biomarkers, lipid profiles, body condition scores (BCS), and adrenocortical function of 78 captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) managed under contrasting systems in Laos and Thailand. In Laos, elephants are primarily managed in naturalistic forest environments with limited tourist interaction, while many Thai elephants participate in tourism activities like riding and are fed calorie-dense supplemental foods, with restricted access to natural forage. Serum and fecal samples were collected for 1 year to assess serum glucose, insulin, cholesterol, triglycerides, lipoproteins, fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM), and BCS across seasons, sexes, and management regimens. Thai elephants exhibited significantly higher glucose, insulin, lipid levels, an

SUBMITTER: Lopez Perez AB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12711091 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature