The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in a human world : factors that shape captive elephant-handler relationships

Abstract

Animals have evolved as a consequence of changes in their environment. Their responses to the environment are shaped by external factors (abiotic and biotic) and internal factors – including cognition, affective response, individual traits, and physiology. Natural environments are being altered at an unprecedented rate due to the impact of humans and human activities. Animals now have to navigate and survive in habitats that are human-influenced, and there is a need to understand how they adapt and respond to these constantly shifting environments.

Captive Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are an ideal model to understand the impacts of human environments on the behaviour of animals, given their long-term association with humans within anthropogenic settings and without having been subjected to selective breeding. Elephants also have extensive cognitive abilities, individual personalities and affective states can inform us about how these factors influence their responses to human environments. The unique structure of the captive elephant management system allows us to experimentally explore the factors that shape elephant behavior and human-elephant interactions. In my thesis I will specifically focus on how human-based activities influence elephant behavior, the role of human and elephant personality on working relationships, how human observers perceive affective states and behavioral expressions in elephants, and the influence of learning and experience.

To answer these questions, I have employed a mixed-method design using experimental methods, observations, and questionnaires to understand how interactions with humans may influence elephant behavior and vice-versa. For my first chapter I used an experimental method to understand specific human influenced factors on the responses of captive elephants towards their handlers. In my second chapter using questionnaire surveys, I explore the role of elephant and handler personalities on the quality of their working relationship. For the third chapter I focus on behavioral observations of elephants to understand their affective and behavioral states in anthropogenic environments. In my last chapter I experimentally test the decision-making strategies of elephants when exposed to ambiguous sensory cues. Overall, my results provide a deeper understanding of the factors that influence elephant behavior in a human environment. I show that both human and elephant characteristics influence interactions within the environment they share. My results show that affective states of animals exhibited a behavioural and cognitive component, which informs how animals choose to interact with their environment. In addition to adding to the existing literature on animal behavior and interactions with their environment, the results from this thesis can contribute insights into the factors that shape how animals have the potential to adjust to changing environments.