Some affecting factors and solutions for improving reproductivity of elephants (Elephas maximus) raised in Dak Lak province
The results were observed on 8 male and 8 female elephants less than 40 years old showed that in female elephants results of the progesterone analysis indicated 8 elephants had normal estrous cycle , in which Buon Don district had 3 elephants and Lak district had 5 elephants; in male elephant,s based on physical characteristics, aggressiveness and testosterone concentration, it showed that 6 from 8 the elephants (75%) could normally reproduce, of which there were 04 elephants in Buon Don district and 02 in Lak district. The results on mating and pregnancy behavior showed that female elephants had a choice of male elephants to mate, 3/8 female elephants got pregnant, but the fetuses died before giving birth. The analysis of social impacts on the fertility of elephants showed that most of owners did not want their elephants to reproduce and managing elephants by the individual chain could be the reason affecting the low reproductivity of domestic elephants due to limitation of mating between males and females.
