Bryan Slinker, DVM, PhD College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University. Robyn Barbiers, DVM The Anti-Cruelty Society, Chicago, IL

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1 Report of the Expert Panel charged to examine the medical health, behavioral and social health, and reproductive program of elephants at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle Bryan Slinker, DVM, PhD College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University Robyn Barbiers, DVM The Anti-Cruelty Society, Chicago, IL Janine Brown, PhD Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute and National Zoo Michele Miller, DVM, PhD Rare Species Conservatory Foundation Ed Pajor, PhD Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary Jeff Wyatt, DVM, MPH Department of Comparative Medicine, Univ. of Rochester School of Medicine and the Seneca Park Zoo, Rochester, NY September, 2013

2 Table of Contents Expert Review Panel Overview 3 Executive Summary 6 What is the health status of the three elephants at the WPZ?... 7 What is the social wellbeing of the three elephants at the WPZ? Are the medical, preventative health, animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ and the design and construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term good health of these animals? Are the medical, preventative health, animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ and the design and construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term behavioral health of these animals and adequately satisfy their basic needs and instincts?.. 10 Evaluate the elephant breeding program of the WPZ. Considering the medical and behavioral factors of these individual elephants (as in #1 and #2 above), and what the scientific literature of knowledgeable experts suggest as the best practices for successful breeding of captive elephants, what options does the WPZ have in the future? Background What is the health status of the three elephants at the WPZ? Watoto Chai.. 18 Bamboo 20 What is the social wellbeing of the three elephants at the WPZ? Are the medical, preventative health, animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ and the design and construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term good health of these animals? Are the medical, preventative health, animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ and the design and construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term behavioral health of these animals and adequately satisfy their basic needs and instincts?.. 26 Evaluate the elephant breeding program of the WPZ. Considering the medical and behavioral factors of these individual elephants (as in #1 and #2 above), and what the scientific literature of knowledgeable experts suggest as the best practices for successful breeding of captive elephants, what options does the WPZ have in the future? 34 Expert Panel Report September,

3 Expert Review Panel Overview Charge The board of directors of the Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ) in Seattle directed the formation of a community-centered Task Force (called the Elephant Task Force, or ETF) and charged it with providing the Board with an analysis of the elephant exhibit and program at the zoo, with findings and options for consideration by the Board as it worked with staff to determine the best course of action moving forward with the three elephants at the zoo - Watoto, Bamboo, and Chai. The 15 member citizen Task Force appointed an Expert Review Panel (ERP) and charged them with objectively evaluating the WPZ elephants health, welfare and social wellbeing, as well as their care and facilities (barn and yard). The ETF appointed Dr. Bryan Slinker, Dean of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine and board member of the WPZ board of directors, to serve as the chairman and facilitator of the ERP. The ETF approved the five other independent members of the ERP at their first meeting in March The ERP was charged to consider the following: 1. A. What is the health status of the three elephants at the WPZ? B. Are the medical, preventative health, and animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ, as well as the design, construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term good health of these animals? 2. A. What is the social wellbeing of the three elephants at the WPZ? B. Are the medical, preventative health, and animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ, as well as the design, construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term behavioral health of these animals and adequately satisfy their basic needs and instincts? 3. Evaluate the elephant breeding program of the WPZ. Considering the medical and behavioral factors of these individual elephants (as in #1 and #2 above), and the scientific literature or knowledgeable experts suggestions as the best practices for successful breeding of captive elephants, what options does the WPZ have in the future? Process The ERP met by conference call to review and accept the charge, and to develop a work plan including site visits at the zoo. Each visit consisted of a mix of scheduled and unscheduled meetings with appropriate zoo staff, executive panel meeting sessions without WPZ staff, tours by panel members (scheduled and unscheduled) to observe elephants in the Expert Panel Report September,

4 exhibit yard and in the barn during morning examinations/baths/ treatments, and a culminating exit debriefing with any ETF members who could attend. A brief synopsis of these exit debriefings were presented at full Task Force meetings in May and June. Subsequent conference calls and exchanges were held over the summer to discuss the development of draft report and its editing for final presentation. Throughout this time period, the panel had free access to the records and staff of the WPZ, including ad hoc meetings and exchanges to clarify points of information or seek new information as the report was prepared. Key Findings Health All three elephants the African elephant Watoto and the two Asian elephants Bamboo and Chai were in good medical health. These elephants did not have tuberculosis or EEHV (herpes). Each elephant has, or has had, with varying degrees of periodicity, properly managed medical issues (e.g., reduced joint mobility, skin irritations and thickening, colic, and occasional foot cracks). WPZ s veterinary and curator/keeper expertise was excellent and there was a wellexecuted program in place to care for the elephants. Social and Behavioral Wellbeing Although the behavioral health and social wellbeing of the three elephants should be improved, all were bright, alert, and active. There were moderate occurrences of repetitive behaviors by Chai and mild occurrences by the other two. However, none exhibit signs of distress, frustration, or pathology. Integrating all three elephants into a single herd should be considered as it may improve their social wellbeing. A healthy, integrated herd could also allow more flexible use of yard and barn, which would help support continued good foot health, exercise, weight/body condition, and it offers additional social and behavioral benefits. Integration will require a thorough health, safety, social and behavioral risk assessment. It will also require improvements to the yard and barn, as well as changes to elephant management practices. The indoor isolation of one elephant is a problem that will require more flexible use of yard, barn and consideration of a possible outside shelter to correct. Increasing the effective use of current yard and barn space to allow the elephants to choose where, how, and with whom to spend their time should be explored. Similarly, whether integration is possible or not, consideration should be given to modifying the barn by removing at least some of the concrete floor and increasing the area that has a more natural, softer substrate such as sand or soil. These changes and perhaps others will be especially needed if the zoo anticipates housing more than three elephants, particularly if they house a bull. Expert Panel Report September,

5 Additional expansion of activities and enrichment should be considered to improve behavioral health and could also help maintain good medical health. Reproductive Program Should the decision be made to continue breeding Chai to provide a multi-generational, healthy, herd experience, we agree with the WPZ determination that the highest probability of a successful live birth of a calf is to rely on natural breeding. Expert Review Panel Members Chair: Bryan Slinker, DVM, PhD, Professor and Dean, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA Robyn Barbiers, DVM, President, Anti-Cruelty Society, Chicago, IL (14 years as Director of Veterinary Services at Chicago s Lincoln Park Zoo) Janine L. Brown, PhD, Reproductive Physiologist, Department of Reproductive Sciences, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Species Survival, National Zoological Park, Washington, DC Michele A. Miller, DVM, PhD, MPH, Conservation Veterinarian, Rare Species Conservatory Foundation, Loxahatchee, FL Ed Pajor, PhD, Professor of Animal Welfare and Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Production Animal Health, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada Jeff Wyatt, DVM, MPH Director of Animal Health and Conservation, Seneca Park Zoo; Professor and Chair, Department of Comparative Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Rochester, NY Expert Panel Report September,

6 Executive Summary The board of directors of the Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ) in Seattle directed the formation of a community-centered Task Force (called the Elephant Task Force, or ETF) and charged it with providing the Board with an analysis of the elephant exhibit and program at the zoo, with findings and options for consideration by the Board as it worked with staff to determine the best course of action with the three elephants at the zoo - Watoto, Bamboo, and Chai. The 15 member citizen Task Force appointed an Expert Review Panel (ERP) and charged them with objectively evaluating the WPZ elephants health, welfare and social wellbeing, as well as their care and facilities (barn and yard). The ETF appointed Dr. Bryan Slinker, Dean of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine and member of the WPZ Board of Directors, to serve as the chairman and facilitator of the ERP. The ETF approved the five other independent members of the ERP at their first meeting in April Because assessing animal welfare involves measures associated with functioning, feelings, and natural behavior (Fraser et al., 1997) A, this panel was charged to consider the following 1 : 1. A. What is the health status of the three elephants at the WPZ? B. Are the medical, preventative health, animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ, and the design, construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term good health of these animals? 2. A. What is the social wellbeing of the three elephants at the WPZ? B. Are the medical, preventative health, animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ, and the design, construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term behavioral health of these animals and adequately satisfy their basic needs and instincts? 3. Evaluate the elephant breeding program of the WPZ. Considering the medical and behavioral factors of these individual elephants (as in #1 and #2 above), and what the scientific literature or knowledgeable experts suggest as the best practices for successful breeding of captive elephants, what options does the WPZ have in the future? The panel met by conference call to review and accept the charge and to develop a work plan for site visits at the zoo. Each site visit consisted of a mix of planned meetings with appropriate zoo staff, unplanned meetings with appropriate zoo staff, meeting of the panel in executive session without staff, tours by panel members (scheduled and unscheduled) to observe elephants in the exhibit yard and in the barn during morning examinations/baths/ treatments, and a culminating exit debriefing with any Task Force members who could attend. Subsequently, a 1 There are very few validated indicators of welfare for elephants. Harris et al (2008) B in a UK study on elephant welfare found foot health, body condition, stereotypy and gait to be useful welfare outcomes. Mason and Veasy (2010) C, emphasizing feelings, suggest that the best validated welfare indices for elephants are corticosteroid outputs (not available to the panel) and stereotypic behavior. Expert Panel Report September,

7 brief synopsis of these exit debriefings was presented at ETF meetings in May and June. Subsequent conference calls and exchanges over the summer facilitated the writing of a draft report and its editing for final presentation. Throughout this time period, the panel had free access to the records and staff of the WPZ, including ad hoc meetings and exchanges to clarify points of information or seek new information as the report was prepared. This report is organized to first address 1.A. and 2.A. Then, because they are so closely linked, 2.A. and 2.B are addressed in concert. Finally, we address point 3. 1.A. What is the health status of the three elephants at the WPZ? All three elephants the African elephant Watoto and the two Asian elephants Bamboo and Chai are in good medical health. Each individual elephant has, or has had, with varying degrees of periodicity, properly managed health issues. Many of these have not been medically significant, but proper care and husbandry are needed to limit occurrence of issues as these elephants age, keep issues from becoming medically significant, or to reduce the medical significance when issues do arise. The care and husbandry afforded these three elephants is doing exactly that, managing both acute and chronic medical issues to limit their medical significance. Note that in addition to their routine preventive health visits, the veterinary staff report that they are called to see the elephants 1-2 times/month, which they consider an indication of general good health, good management of known issues, and prevention of new issues. Annual testing per the preventive health protocol, and as required by the USDA, continues to show that these three elephants do not have tuberculosis. Routine testing for Endotheliotropic Elephant Herpes Virus (EEHV) in the past has always returned a negative result. Routine testing is no longer done. Given the current state of the art in testing, a positive test would only result if there was acute, active disease in which the virus would be in the blood. Thus routine screening, predictably, would not show virus because in the absence of acute, active disease the virus is latent in some unknown tissue or tissues, and is not present in the blood (i.e., the elephant would not be viremic). The principal medical issues for each individual are: Watoto (female African elephant, 44 years old): Spontaneous avulsion (physical loss) of left tusk (did not fracture; simply fell out, root and all, in September 2010); the record and discussion with personnel report no confirmed cause it was preceded a short time before the tusk was bumped in the Elephant Restraint Device (ERD), but the nature of the injury suggests that chronic loosening of the periodontal ligaments ultimately predisposed to loss that appeared to be related to a single proximate event. The socket has since filled in with healthy granulation tissue and has been observed Expert Panel Report September,

8 to be epithelializing well (later stage of normal wound healing). The socket is inspected daily and cared for very well by staff. Intermittent decreased joint mobility was first noted regularly in the medical record for the left front limb (carpus, or wrist ) in 2004 and for the right hind limb (stifle, or knee ) in Since November 2012 she been monitored by regular charting of range of motion (ROM) using a 5-point scale adapted from other species by veterinary staff. Furthermore, the veterinary and keeper team have implemented a physical rehabilitation protocol adapted to this context by one of the certified Licensed Veterinary Technologists (LVT) in consultation with other staff. After an initial period of acceptance, recently Watoto has not been willing to consistently participate in the stretching and core building therapy activity, but staff continues to try to engage her. Watoto receives no routine medications, but since 2001 has received daily glucosamine and chondroitin nutritional supplement to promote joint health. Watoto has been virtually free of foot issues, with only one nail crack of no long-term consequence noted in the record 30 years ago. In addition, Watoto intermittently shows signs of abdominal discomfort or pain known as colic. The cause is usually unknown (in general, not just with respect to Watoto), but often linked to diet and gastro-intestinal discomfort. This has occurred over the past 25 years at a frequency of, on the average, 1.2 bouts a year. About 1/3 of these required no treatment, about 15% received standard treatment of only oral mineral oil and/or bran, and the remainder received standard treatment plus short-term (from 1 to a few days) pain medication. Chai (female Asian elephant, 34 years old): Mild hyperkeratosis on medial aspects of rear lower legs; treated via daily bath and physical removal as needed. Chai receives no routine medications or nutriceuticals (i.e., no joint supplements). Overall, she has good foot health, with 9 nail or pad cracks since 1980, all of which had no acute medical consequence (and thus she received no pain medication) and were managed to resolution with no medical consequence. Chai is not prone to colic. Chai has been pregnant twice: once from a natural breeding, resulting in the live birth of a female calf Hansa, and once using artificial insemination, resulting in spontaneous abortion at about the end of the first trimester. More details are to be found in the discussion of Section 3. Expert Panel Report September,

9 Bamboo (female Asian elephant, 46 years old): Chronic intermittent, hyperkeratosis/folliculitis of distal tail is treated regularly with a mild antiseptic soak, removal of dead skin, and moisturizing; topical antibiotics are periodically used if indicated by culture results during a flare-up. There was no apparent guarding, flinching, or other signs of discomfort noted during treatment. Thinning of the rear aspects of both rear footpads; the left rear has mild thinning and the right rear slightly more with mild bruising. This causes no apparent discomfort or gait abnormality, and no underlying bony changes have been observed on radiographs. Staff attempts to limit this through provision of additional bedding when indoors. Other than the topical treatment of her tail inflammation, she receives no routine medication. Similar to Watoto, since 2007 Bamboo has received daily glucosamine and chondroitin nutritional supplement to promote joint health. Overall, she has good foot health with 8 nail/toe or pad/sole cracks or soft spots dating back to 1973, all of which had no acute medical consequence (and thus she received no pain medication) and were managed to resolution with no medical consequence. In addition, like Watoto, Bamboo intermittently shows signs of the abdominal discomfort or pain known as colic. This has occurred over the past 25 years at a frequency of, on average, 1.4 bouts a year. 30% of these required no treatment, 60% received standard treatment of only oral mineral oil and/or bran, and 10% received standard treatment plus short-term (1 to a few days) pain medication. 2.A. What is the social wellbeing of the three elephants at the WPZ? Although the behavioral health and social wellbeing of the three elephants should be improved, all were bright, alert, and active. None exhibit signs of distress, frustration, or pathology. That said, there are behavioral concerns that are well-known to the veterinary and keeper/curator staffs, and that receive their attention. All three elephants exhibited repetitive behavior during our visit. Such behavior was moderate in Chai and infrequent in Bamboo and Watoto. Recent research at the zoo indicates that Chai exhibits some form of repetitive behavior about 19% of the time during daylight hours, whereas Bamboo and Watoto spend less than 5% of their time exhibiting such behaviors. Most of the repetitive behavior observed by the panel during the site visit was deemed to be in anticipation of desired events or actions rather than indicating boredom or pathology. Much less is known of the occurrence of repetitive behaviors, or general behavior patterns, at night and future research could be directed to shed more light on this time period. There is a hierarchical/dominance structure, as is to be expected in these social animals, in which Watoto is dominant. The social dynamics are such that Bamboo and Watoto were observed many years ago to not pair well and that Watoto would occasionally exhibit physically aggressive behavior toward Bamboo. The decision was made to keep them separate because Expert Panel Report September,

10 there was (and is) a concern that Watoto s tusks (now tusk) might injure Bamboo. Chai is also subordinate to Watoto, but this is not expressed as physical aggression. Thus, when the elephants are in, or have access to, the yard the various gates are used in a system of pairings and space assignments to keep Watoto and Bamboo physically separated. This leads to Chai being paired, either in the yard or in the barn, with Watoto 60-65% of the time and Chai and Bamboo being paired together the remainder of the time. While they are in the yard, the physical separation does not mean isolation. In all pairings and all uses of the yard, the elephants can see, hear, and smell each other, all important elements of their social bonding. They can also touch across the barriers, and have been reported to do so frequently. This includes touching for Watoto and Bamboo, who have been reported to touch trunks across barriers, even though separated, including the very intimate trunk to mouth touching. Thus, theirs is a very complex social relationship that exhibits positive relational behaviors in addition to the aggressive dominance of Watoto. Current social management of the three elephants has resulted in the physical separation of one of the three elephants. This has been done with the best of intentions for the well-being of the animals. However, the isolation of one elephant is a concern, especially indoors. Addressing this issue will require more flexible use of the yard and barn. Building outside heated shelters should be considered. Additional considerations are discussed in the section on facilities and protocols below. 1.B. and 2.B. Are the medical, preventative health, animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ and the design and construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term good health of these animals? There is excellent veterinary and curator/keeper staffing and expertise, and there is a succession plan in place so that these elephants who are very human directed to individuals they know well can get to know new staff very well before the long-time staff begin to retire. Veterinary and keeper staffs communicate well, and this is aided by an effective electronic record that contains both medical notes from veterinary staff and keeper notes. There is a thorough preventive health program that is followed. This program is supplemented by a physical therapy plan designed specifically for Watoto. The ~ 1.1 acre yard can be divided into 4 subsections. Diverse enrichment is provided. The yard has some changes in grade or elevation, and consists mostly of packed dirt. Browse is available from landscape shrubbery and is supplemented by clippings (mostly of bamboo) from local landscapers. However, improvements in facilities and further enhancement to enrichment programs may help to decrease the likelihood of future problems especially as relates to feet and joints as these elephants age. Furthermore, suggested changes in the social grouping of Expert Panel Report September,

11 these three elephants could allow more flexibility in use of both the yard and the barn to promote the maintenance of welfare and good medical health as these animals age. Are the medical, preventative health, animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ and the design and construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term behavioral health of these animals and adequately satisfy their basic needs and instincts? Watoto and Bamboo exhibited low levels of repetitive behaviors. Chai exhibited a moderate level of repetitive behaviors. Much of the repetitive behaviors observed by the panel was deemed to be the anticipation of desired activities or events and did not reflect boredom or pathology. Nonetheless, improvements in facilities and further evolution of the enrichment program may be able to reduce repetitive behavior and/or improve behavioral health. Notably, the WPZ has been conducting research to more carefully document and understand the nature of the occurrence of repetitive behaviors in relation to a detailed understanding of the entire time budget of each elephant. They have been using the results of this research to modify enrichment. Further planned research may help guide additional refinements. Because less is known about these behaviors at night, consideration could be given to extending the observation period to nighttime hours, which may require installation of cameras in the barn that have better performance in low light conditions. In addition, carefully implemented and monitored changes to their social structure could allow better use of the entire yard and barn space for improvement in both overall medical and behavioral health. Thus consideration should be given to developing a management protocol that integrates Watoto and Bamboo. This would allow all three to be managed in a single, healthy, herd environment. Some factors in the yard design would need to be addressed, but these are not insurmountable. This undertaking may or may not be possible. However, we think that it should be considered strongly because if successful, the whole of the yard and barn would then be available and thus increase the flexibility and utility of these facilities to improve the management of these three individuals, increase their freedom of choice to move between the yards and barn, and maximize space utilization in the barn when they must be held inside. The latter would reduce the isolation of one of the elephants when they are held inside. Such undertaking should only be done after a normal time budget for each elephant has been established for the evening and nighttime hours. Also, a clear plan and risk analysis related to safety of elephants must be developed to monitor elephant interactions, and ongoing observations would be needed to assess the success of reintroducing the three elephants into a single herd. 3. Evaluate the elephant breeding program of the WPZ. Considering the medical and behavioral factors of these individual elephants (as in #1 and #2 above), and what the scientific literature of knowledgeable experts suggest as Expert Panel Report September,

12 the best practices for successful breeding of captive elephants, what options does the WPZ have in the future? Only Chai is of breeding age and potential and is the only one of the three WPZ elephants that has been bred and been pregnant. Watoto and Bamboo have never been bred because they are not cycling (no estrus cycle) and/or have small benign uterine tumors that preclude a pregnancy. All are aging and even the youngest, Chai, only has a few more years left in which breeding would be an option. Chai has been confirmed to have been pregnant twice the first the result of a natural breeding at the Dickerson Park Zoo that led to the live birth of her calf Hansa in 2000, and the second the result of artificial insemination (AI) that ended in spontaneous abortion of a fetus at the end of her first trimester in Over her adult lifetime spanning ~11.5 years divided into two distinct time periods Chai has had 92 AI procedures during 20 estrus cycles: Over 10 cycles spanning 5 years from , 70 AIs were performed. This was pioneering, exploratory work at a time that AI had not been attempted in elephants and, in retrospect, it is not surprising that no pregnancy resulted. Over 10 cycles spanning 6.5 years from , after the birth of Hansa, 22 additional AIs were performed; these procedures were done with consultants who have developed the current state of the art in elephant AI; one of these procedures in early 2008 resulted in a pregnancy that ended with spontaneous abortion. At present there is no plan to continue to breed Chai using AI. We have reviewed the 2009 decision tree developed by the zoo and agree that it captures all possible options, spanning from no further breeding (and the attendant issues of how to manage the existing herd if the goal of producing a multigenerational herd through Chai s offspring is abandoned) to attempted natural breeding to a bull likely a bull transported to the WPZ rather than Chai being transported to a zoo with a bull. We agree, given the lack of success with AI since 2005, and because Chai only has a few years left during which she has reasonable potential to become pregnant, that natural breeding has the highest probability of success in leading to the live birth of a calf, should the decision be made to breed her. Expert Panel Report September,

13 Background The board of directors of the Woodland Park Zoo (WPZ) in Seattle directed the formation of a community-centered Task Force (called the Elephant Task Force, or ETF) and charged it with providing the Board with an analysis of the elephant exhibit and program at the zoo, with findings and options for consideration by the Board as it worked with staff to determine the best course of action moving forward with the three elephants at the zoo - Watoto, Bamboo, and Chai. The 15 member citizen Task Force appointed an Expert Review Panel (ERP) and charged them with objectively evaluating the WPZ elephants health, welfare and social wellbeing, as well as their care and facilities (barn and yard). The ETF appointed Dr. Bryan Slinker, Dean of the Washington State University School of Veterinary Medicine and board member of the WPZ board of directors, to serve as the chairman and facilitator of the ERP. The ETF approved the five other independent members of the ERP at their first meeting in March The ERP was charged to consider the following: 1. A. What is the health status of the three elephants at the WPZ? B. Are the medical, preventative health, and animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ, as well as the design, construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term good health of these animals? 3. A. What is the social wellbeing of the three elephants at the WPZ? B. Are the medical, preventative health, and animal husbandry programs and staff of the WPZ, as well as the design, construction, and upkeep of grounds and facilities, appropriate to maintain the long-term behavioral health of these animals and adequately satisfy their basic needs and instincts? 4. Evaluate the elephant breeding program of the WPZ. Considering the medical and behavioral factors of these individual elephants (as in #1 and #2 above), and the scientific literature or knowledgeable experts suggestions as the best practices for successful breeding of captive elephants, what options does the WPZ have in the future? After consulting with several colleagues for suggestions of appropriate individuals, Dr. Slinker secured the participation of the authors of this report to serve as unpaid consultants to execute the charge. These experts credentials span elephants, zoo medicine, conservation and conservation medicine, laboratory animal welfare and medicine, companion animal welfare, and comparative animal ethology and behavior (brief biographical sketches can be found in Appendix A). All except Dr. Pajor and Dr. Slinker are now, or have in the past been, employed by one or more zoos or animal parks. Dr. Slinker is a volunteer member of the Board of the Woodland Park Zoo. Expert Panel Report September,

14 The panel met by conference call to review and accept the charge and to develop a work plan for site visits at the zoo. This work plan included a list of documents that staff of the WPZ agreed to provide in advance of the site visit. Due to a scheduling conflict, but made possible by the division of expertise, Dr. Brown conducted an independent 2-day site visit in early June after the rest of the panel were together for a 2-day site visit in late May Each site visit consisted of a mix of both planned and unplanned meetings with appropriate zoo staff, meeting of the panel in executive session without zoo staff, both planned and unplanned tours by panel members to observe elephants in the exhibit yard and in the barn during morning examinations/baths/treatments, and a culminating exit debriefing with any Task Force members who could attend. The purpose of the latter was two-fold: 1) because the report was not to be delivered in full until late August and the site visits were in late May and early June, we felt it prudent to advise the Task Force of preliminary findings while they were fresh and, most important, 2) to hear questions the Task Force members had so that we could fill in desired missing information as the final report was prepared. For the late May exit debrief, Dr. Brown called in on the phone. For her site visit in early June, she met with Dr. Slinker by phone the afternoon of the second day to discuss her findings, and Dr. Slinker joined in the exit debriefing by phone. Subsequently brief synopses of these exit debriefings were presented at full TF meetings in May and June. Subsequent conference calls and exchanges were held over the summer to discuss the development of draft report and its editing for final presentation. Throughout this time period, the panel had free access to the records and staff of the WPZ, including ad hoc meetings and exchanges to clarify points of information or seek new information as the report was prepared. This included additional review by Dr. Slinker of medical records from earlier years in the lives of these elephants. Expert Panel Report September,

15 1.A. What is the health status of the three elephants at the WPZ? All three elephants the African elephant Watoto and the two Asian elephants Bamboo and Chai are in good medical health. Each individual elephant has, or has had, with varying degrees of periodicity, properly managed health issues. Many of these have not been medically significant, but proper care and husbandry are needed to limit occurrence of issues as these elephants age, keep issues from becoming medically significant, or to reduce the medical significance when issues do arise. The care and husbandry afforded these three elephants is doing exactly that, managing both acute and chronic medical issues to limit their medical significance. Note that in addition to their routine preventive health visits, the veterinary staff report that they are called to see the elephants 1-2 times/month, which they consider an indication of general good health, good management of known issues, and prevention of new issues. In what follows, the current health status of each elephant is described, particularly in relation to ongoing issues or other notable recent past issues (~last 5 years). For context, summary information from the full history of the medical record is provided. [Note: because the information in what follows is a blend of that obtained from records and discussion with staff and that obtained from direct observation by the panel members, any information that came from direct observation by the panel is marked by an asterisk (*).] Watoto: African elephant Born 1969, has been at the WPZ since years old Never bred; considered post-reproductive (diagnosed with uterine leiomyoma - a benign growth of the smooth muscle in the wall of the uterus); last reproductive ultrasound exam in 2004 Target body weight (established in 2008) is 8,100-8,300 lbs.: Weight in May 2008, prior to diet transition (consulting with nutritionist, and using feeding as enrichment to elicit more positive behaviors) was 8,150 lbs. Weight on April 15, 2013 was 8,450 lbs; noted by panel to have good body condition(*) in spite of some weight gain since the start of the diet management plan with common feeding for all three individuals Known ongoing health issues (*=observed by the panel): Spontaneous avulsion (physical loss) of left tusk (did not fracture; simply fell out root and all in September 2010); the record and discussion with personnel do not Expert Panel Report September,

16 confirm a cause. The loss was preceded a short time before by the tusk being bumped in the ERD, but the nature of the injury suggests that some chronic process had loosened the tooth over time and if the ERD encounter was the proximate cause, it was not the ultimate cause 2 ; this receives daily inspection and flush with antiseptic solution (*). Keeper/vet reports indicated a few days of obvious inflammation (swelling, minor pain) at the time of avulsion, but since that time seems to cause little or no discomfort and she tolerates the inspection and flush very well (*) 3. The socket has filled in with healthy granulation tissue and has been observed to be epithelializing well (later stage of normal wound healing). These findings have been largely based on: o September 2011, was evaluated endoscopically along with a consultant equine veterinary specialist o February 2012, was evaluated endoscopically along with a consultant equine veterinary specialist o April 2012, was evaluated endoscopically along with a consultant equine veterinary specialist o August 2012, was evaluated endoscopically along with a consultant equine veterinary specialist Intermittent decreased joint mobility (quantified as Range of Motion, ROM) noted in left forelimb and right hind limb: o First noted regularly in the medical record for the left front limb (carpus, or wrist ) in 2004 and for the right hind limb (stifle, or knee ) in o The carpus has not been radiographed because she has so far resisted attempts to train her to accept this procedure. 5 It is not possible to radiograph the elephant stifle due to the size of the limb and the inability to locate radiographic plates properly in this location. o Since November 2012, she has been monitored by regular charting of range of motion (ROM) using a 1-5 scale adapted from other species by veterinary staff (see Appendix B), including the senior LVT who has received special certification in veterinary Physical Therapy from the University of Tennessee specifically for this purpose to advance the care of Watoto. She routinely charts a 2 or 3, indicating she always bears weight on the limb, with a 2 2 Dr. Miller has consulted with a veterinary dental specialist who works with elephants in South Africa and who has collected many tusks that are similar in appearance to the tusk Watoto lost. The condition of these tusks, including Watoto s, suggest chronic loosening of the periodontal ligaments that ultimately predisposes to loss that may later appear to be related to a single proximate event. 3 The medical record shows a period of a few weeks in late 2012 where she did not tolerate the daily care. This was followed by a fungal infection that was successfully treated and the subsequent record indicates continued progress. 4 There are occasional notes prior to 2004 and 2001 of intermittent joint swelling and/or stiffness (with and without pain) in various locations. The dates noted in the body of the report roughly identify the beginning of the current period of chronic, intermittent waxing and waning of observations related specifically to these two limb locations. Generally, this lameness is not considered sufficiently painful to warrant ongoing treatment. However, the medical records note the use of either butazolidine or Banamine for pain on six occasions between 2001 and 2010, with courses ranging from 1 day to 2 months). Also note that aside from these joint issues, Watoto has been remarkably free from foot problems, with one nail crack noted in She accepts the procedure to radiograph her feet, but that does not automatically translate to the procedures needed to successfully radiograph the carpus. Expert Panel Report September,

17 signifying observation of limited ROM observed at least daily and a 3 signifying limited ROM more-or-less continuously. o The veterinary and keeper team has implemented a physical rehabilitation protocol adapted to this context by the certified LVT in consultation with other staff. ROM is charted daily and PT is attempted with stretching exercises focused on the front limbs, and core muscle building exercises and hot (90º F) hydrotherapy with a pressurized stream from a hose (the full protocol is in Appendix B). This is done at a separate time and not at the time of her bath, because adding it to the bath/exam/treatment was too much for her attention span/tolerance. After an initial period of acceptance, she has recently not been willing to consistently participate in the stretching and core building therapy activity but staff persists in trying to engage her. Shows some local patches of hyperkeratosis, or thickening of the skin, particularly over her dorsal head, back, and flanks; no apparent guarding, flinching, or other signs of discomfort noted during treatment (*); staff report that in spite of provision of many surfaces that provide lots of opportunity for self-maintenance (scratching/ rubbing), she does not engage strongly in these behaviors. Monitored, and managed with periodic physical reduction with a rasp (analogous to the heel/callous rasp/files used by people) (*). Routine medication: o None Routine nutritional supplements: o Cosequin (glucosamine and chondroitin; ~25,000 mg equine concentrate 1 time/day in feed) to promote joint health; supplementation was begun in Other notable health issues over the past 5 years ( notable does not imply major ) Intermittent colic 6 (tp = treatment including short-term pain control (Banamine, typically, with the rare alternate use of butazolidine)); t = treatment without pain control; nt = not treated, just observed) 7 o March 2008 (tp), April 2008 (tp), May 2008 (tp) 8, December 2011(tp), March 2012 (nt), December 2012(tp) 6 Colic is non-specific pain/discomfort referenced to the abdomen, typically ranging in course from one to a few days. Often is related to diet, but many times no specific cause is identified. Accordingly, its treatment is generally non-specific and ranges from no treatment, if mild, to treatment with oral mineral oil and/or bran, to treatment with short-term pain relief. 7 Watoto has averaged ~1.2 colic episodes per year (28 total over 24 years since they began to be noted in the records); ~35% of these were untreated and in ~55% treatment included brief pain medication. 8 The May 2008 episode is notable only because this occurred less than a year after Hansa's death from a previously un-described strain of EEHV - for which colic is a non-specific sign, it was the third episode in an unusual run of colic episodes for Watoto, and it was relatively severe. Watoto was treated as though she had EEHV, receiving more intensive non-specific management and a three-day course of famciclovir, the antiviral drug that has been found to be effective in treating EEHV. An initial lab report of appositive test for EEHV was due to a Expert Panel Report September,

18 Bilateral cataracts were noted in November 2012 (~20% in left lens; smaller in right lens) during a routine health exam that included consultation with a veterinary ophthalmologist; this will be monitored with no planned treatment at this time. Chai: Asian elephant Born 1979, has been at the WPZ since years old For a period of 1 year (Sept Sept 1999) she was transferred to the Dickerson Park Zoo for breeding (which led to the birth of female calf, Hansa, in early 2000 Hansa died at ~6.5 years of age in June 2007) Bred once naturally leading to birth of Hansa in 2000); in addition, artificial insemination (AI) was attempted over two distinct periods ( and ) these are discussed in detail in Section 3 of this report; considered to have a few years of reproductive potential left; the last AI procedure (and reproductive exam) was December 2011; one AI led to confirmed pregnancy in 2008, which ended in spontaneous abortion due to fetal death in the late 1 st trimester (~215 days post breeding) no cause determined. Target body weight (established in 2008) is 8,100-8,300 lbs.: Weight in May 2008, prior to diet transition (consulting with nutritionist, and using feeding as enrichment to elicit more positive behaviors) was 8,700 lbs. Weight on April 15, 2013 was 8,100 lbs.; noted by panel to have good body condition(*) Known ongoing health issues (*=observed by panel): Mild hyperkeratosis on medial aspects of rear lower legs; treated via daily bath and physical removal as needed (*) 9. testing lab error and this was subsequently noted in the record. Because the EEHV test was negative the famciclovir was discontinued after three days, with the colic resolving. This action is consistent with current veterinary medical recommendations for captive elephants. Other than Hansa, no WPZ elephant has tested positive for EEHV. In fact, routine EEHV testing has been discontinued for all three elephants because 1) the current PCR test can only detect the virus in blood (which only would occur during an active, acute bout of disease) and 2) they always have tested negative. Note that on August 28, 2013 at the beginning of that evening's Task Force meeting a document authored by Nancy Farnam and entitled "WPZ Elephant Breeding: A Herpes Infected Environment" was distributed to Task Force Members. This document contained the fragment of the medical record for Watoto from 2008 that noted the initial false positive test (of course at the time of this medical record entry the test was not known to be in error). This document failed to include the subsequent medical record entries in 2010 noting the lab error and correcting the test result to negative. 9 Her posture while urinating may intermittently lead to urine contact with the inside (medial aspects) of her lower rear legs; managed with extra cleaning during foot care; problem was noted to be reduced by adding extra shavings Expert Panel Report September,

19 Routine medication: o None 10 Routine nutritional supplements: o None 11 Other notable health issues over the past 5 years ( notable does not imply major ) A right front foot soft-tissue abscess was noted and successfully treated over the period April December 2008; this was in the subcutaneous tissue and skin (confirmed radiographically not to involve bone) between the bases of digits 3 ( index finger ) and 4, spreading to the tissue at the base of digits 4 and 5 ( pinky ). 12 A nail crack in the right front, digit 5 (lateral/outside, or pinky ), was noted and successfully treated over the period February April if held in at night. This was noted by panel members at time of May 2013 visit and considered very mild. There is no mention of urine scald in the medical record after 1985, and veterinary staff of the WPZ does not think this is due to urine scald. 10 There has been speculation regarding medical record notes in 2010 of using ibuprofen to behaviorally train Chai to more readily accept oral medication, speculation that imputes motives not in the record and speculates as to alternative possibilities (this is contained in an evaluation that was provided to the TF as an appendix to the report by Ms. Lisa Kane). Discussion with veterinary staff at the WPZ indicates the following: 1) none of the elephants will readily accept oral medication, which limits veterinary treatment options, when needed; 2) therefore, they asked the curator/keeper staff to attempt to train Chai in this behavior because, of the three, she is deemed the most eager to please with respect to behavioral training, and they hoped they could work out the training with her and eventually extend it to the other two; 3) the decision was made to use a real medication because the behavior ultimately must occur in the face of medication that tastes bad; and 4) having made that decision, ibuprofen was chosen because it is one of the few medications for which pharmacokinetics is known in elephants and it is widely regarded as safe in addition, its use in training was limited to low doses and intermittent dosing to allow washout between training bouts. Veterinary preference would be for behavioral training to continue, but keeper/curator staff has other priorities for behavior training at this time and, thus, the oral medication training was suspended in This is exactly as it seems from a straight up reading of the medical record, but the additional explanation comes from discussion with veterinary staff and is not in the record. (Note that the medical record indicates Chai is generally free from joint or other lameness only two notes of mild favoring of a limb or of stiffness are present, in 2005 and 2008.) 11 Discussion with WPZ veterinary staff indicate Chai is not receiving a joint health supplement because 1) her medical history doesn t indicate it and 2) her age. With current staff, regardless of indication, they would plan to place her on a supplement as she gets older because they consider it generally helpful for older large land mammals. Pregnancy is not the issue (as has been speculated), as pregnant elephants have received Cosequin. 12 The cause was not identified, but was likely a superficial wound or splinter. Similar to what can happen in horses (the closest domestic species to which veterinary care of elephants is compared), this wound developed excess granulation tissue ( proud flesh in the terminology applied to horse wounds) that took several months to resolve because the decision was made to medically manage the wound, rather than surgically manage the wound. A similar soft tissue abscess of the left front foot was treated with good outcome in Note that the panel observed good foot health for Chai when they examined her in May The medical record shows a total of 9 nail/toe or pad/sole cracks or soft spots (~50:50 nail:sole) dating back to 1980, all but 3 prior to All resolved with standard husbandry (including two occurrences in 1983 and 1984 in which acrylic or silicone fillers were used to stabilize the cracks, analogous to treatment of hoof cracks in horses at the time). None of the treatments included pain medication because no lameness was observed. Expert Panel Report September,

20 A sole crack/soft spot in the left rear, digit 3 (middle or index ), was noted and successfully treated over the period February August Left tusk sulcus inflammation (swelling), without infection, was noted and resolved over the period May June An unknown abnormality in the lower left molar is inferred from observation of an abnormal wear pattern on the opposing upper molar; the lower molar cannot be observed directly in a standing, awake elephant; no observable problems are associated with this, so it is closely monitored; someday it may need to be addressed with a trimming or other corrective action but, because this would require general anesthesia, it will only be done if clinical condition indicates it is necessary in relation to the risk of anesthesia. Bamboo: Asian elephant Born 1967, has been at the WPZ since years old For a period of ~11 months (August 2005 June 2006) she was transferred to the Point Defiance Zoo; this was intended to be a permanent transfer but she did not integrate socially and was returned to the WPZ. Never bred; considered post-reproductive (diagnosed with uterine leiomyoma - a benign growth of the smooth muscle in the wall of the uterus that is common in Asian elephants); and prior to that had been determined to be acyclic (a flatliner in that her progesterone ( a reproductive hormone used to monitor ovarian cycles) levels ceased their normal, periodic increases and decreases); last reproductive ultrasound exam in Target body weight (established in 2008) is 8,000 lbs.: Weight in May 2008, prior to diet transition (consulting with nutritionist, and using feeding as enrichment to elicit more positive behaviors) was 8,900 lbs Weight on April 15, 2013 was 8,650 lbs.; observed by panel to be over conditioned, as noted by carrying extra weight flanking the vertebral column and poor visual definition of the spine (*); has lost 250 lbs., but needs to lose significantly more to reach target. Known ongoing health issues (*=observed by panel): Chronic intermittent, hyperkeratosis/folliculitis of distal tail (*); treated weekly with a mild antiseptic soak, debridement of dead skin, and moisturizing; no apparent guarding, flinching, or other signs of discomfort noted during treatment (*); topical antibiotics are periodically used if indicated by culture results during a flare. Expert Panel Report September,