Asian elephants have less fat than average human

Daniella Chusyd thought her graduate career was on a predictable course when she accepted place the PhD programme at University of Alabama Birmingham (UAB), USA. ‘I intended to study exercise and nutrition/body composition in people’, recalls. But 5 week internship Tanzania threw Chusyd's plans into confusion. ‘I've always been animals’, admits, but experiences Africa working human/elephant conflict triggered rethink. realised my passion elephants’, says. Contacting elephant reproduction expert Janine Brown Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, USA, Tim Nagy discussed possibility combining their interests nutrition elephants. started see parallels between human health’, recalls, learning that many captive elephants are be overweight. In addition, animals’ low birth rates suggested they may facing fertility crisis similar humans. interested discovering whether methods predominantly used health research could help us learn more about says Chusyd, who decided relationship amount fat carried by animals health.‘Obesity is not clearly defined humans, let alone says, adding no one had directly measured how much Asian (Elephas maximus) zoos carry. However, suspected get reasonably accurate estimate paradoxically measuring water elephants’ bodies, which then subtract from body mass calculate levels. The best way measure give an animal dose so-called heavy water, although easier said than done; there can spillages. ‘We came up with idea using bread soaked deliver it chuckles, explaining particularly partial treat; quickly became friend’, smiles. keepers also collected blood samples before 20 days after consumed track quantity bodies.Returning UAB across USA Canada, analysed them support Catherine Hambly John Speakman Aberdeen, UK. Calculating content, found average males slightly less (∼8.5%) females (∼10%) – healthy humans 6–31% fat. Overall, females’ ranged 2% 25%, were larger total did levels correlate overall fitness fertility?Fitting each elephant-sized tracker, team pleased walking distances (between 0.03 2.8 km hour) free-ranging animals, youngest farthest. David Allison, Lilian Gozarri-Arroyo Stephanie Dickinson (from UAB) compared fertility, surprised infertile least fat, disrupted cycles underweight female humans.However, insulin levels, fattest tended have highest ‘It possible develop diabetic-like state’, jury still out experience obesity. comes care provided for majestic mammals, ‘They doing great job … know individual best’, activity seems key keeping shape.