Introduction of foreign female Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) into an existing group: Behavioural reactions and changes in cortisol levels

The present study examined the extent to which the introduction of three fe male Asian elephants (aged 3, 11, and 27 years) into a group of 1.4 (1 male , 4 female) elephants at Munster zoo, Germany, affects the behaviour and ur inary cortisol levels of the animals involved. At Munster, only the females were monitored - the bull was mainly kept separate. Behavioural observatio ns were carried out before transfer and during the six-month period followi ng transfer, and urine samples were collected regularly from each elephant during the whole observation period. All elephants showed behavioural chang es to the process of introduction. The transferred animals increased their social behaviour after arrival in the foreign zoo. Two of them showed an in crease in stereotypes and one a reduction in stereotypes. The elephants at Munster reacted with decreased frequencies of stereotypes and increased fre quencies of social behaviour and manipulation/exploration behaviour. Six mo nths after transfer, three of the four elephants at Munster and one of the three transferred elephants showed nearly the same behavioural activity pat tern as before transfer. One female still showed elevated stereotypic behav iour. From the four elephants in which cortisol measurements could be relia bly performed (two of the transferred elephants and two elephants at Minste r), only one individual at Munster responded to the process of introduction with a short-term elevation in urinary cortisol levels. One elephant showe d a negative correlation between locomotion and cortisol levels and one a p ositive correlation between stereotypies and cortisol levels. Taken togethe r, the results suggest that transfer and introduction caused sonic stress r esponses in the elephants, but that stress was neither prolonged nor severe . Serious welfare problems may have been prevented through individual behav ioural coping mechanisms and former experience with stressful situations.