Capturing elephants from the wild shortens their lives

(University of Turku) Humans have been capturing wild Asian elephants for more than 3,000 years, and this still continues today despite the fact that the populations are declining. An international team of researchers has now analysed records of timber elephants in Myanmar to understand the effects of capture. The study shows that even years after their capture, wild-caught elephants' mortality rate remains increased, and their average life expectancy is several years shorter compared to captive-born animals.
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news