There are also situations in which elephants are used for work in cities and towns. They were no longer profitable for their owners who had no other choice but to make them work. This was the outcome for many elephants in Thailand who lost their forestry jobs in 1989 when a logging ban was put in place. Instead they are used as performing street elephants, there to do tricks and entertain people for money or to be fed to by tourists who buy bananas from their keepers. Unfortunately modern machinery has meant that in some cases there is less need for an elephant’s strength and intelligence than before. Captive elephants in distress have been known to weep, just like humans, though generally captive elephants are well treated by their owners because they are so highly prized.ĭespite their endangered status in the world, there are many domesticated elephants in Asia and they are particularly common in India and Thailand. Hindus value the elephant very highly and it is important for a number of religious ceremonies. In India they are used for patrolling areas to protect other species from poaching, especially during the monsoon season when areas would otherwise be inaccessible. The Asian elephant is vital for forestry work and is used to transport logs and fell trees. They have been used by humans for centuries as religious symbols, for transport, as working animals, and even as fighting platforms in warfare. Thousands of Asian elephants are domesticated, despite their endangered status in the wild. The surviving population of Asian elephants is estimated between 30,000–50,000, one-tenth of the population of African elephants and they are now regarded as endangered throughout most of their natural habitat. Younger elephants are now being killed by hunters, so their chance of survival is growing slimmer. Only 50% of Asian elephants survive beyond 15 years, and only 20% reach 30. If habitat is lost, they are able to reach puberty later, and extend the period between births. Elephants are able to regulate their population without interference from humans. The largest animal in a group of elephants is usually the oldest. Bull elephants have a further growth spurt between 20 and 30 years. They continue to grow throughout their lives, though after 15 years, the growth rate slows. An expectant mother is often given protection by a second cow elephant during birth and for a while afterwards, because elephant calves are sometimes attacked by lions, tigers and hyenas.Ī new born Asian elephant weighs about 100kg, and grows rapidly for the first few years. New calves are born 22 months after mating - in time for the beginning of a rainy season, when there is plenty of food available. During the mating season, bull (male) elephants produce large amounts of a hormone known as 'musth', which makes them more aggressive as well as sexually active. The rutting (or mating) season usually occurs during periods of high rainfall, as females come in heat in the second half of the rainy season.

Asian elephant outline