In the last twenty years, a growing number of captive elephants have tested positive for tuberculosis (TB) in various institutions worldwide, causing public health concerns. This article discusses two localities where this concern has produced significant mobilizations to ask about the postcolonial resonances of this global response. The first case focuses on epidemiological studies of elephant TB in Laos launched by international organizations involved in conservation, and on the role of traditional elephant workers (mahouts) in the daily care for elephants.
This research aims to give notice of and provide preliminary information on some elephant footprints recently identified atForesta ichnological site (Tora-Piccilli, Caserta, central Italy). The elephant-footprint area was previously poorly investigated becausepartially affected by anthropic modifications during historical times. The footprints, ascribed to the
Proboscipeda panfamilia
ichospecies,were left by a young strait-tusked elephant, passing the top of the slope formed during the deposition of the Roccamonfina Brown Leu-
Monitoring refers to a process of quality control designedto optimize behavioral outcome. Monitoring for action errorsmanifests itself in an error-related negativity in event-relatedpotential (ERP) studies and in an increase in activity of theanterior cingulate in functional magnetic resonance imagingstudies.
Asianelephantsincaptivityneedimmediateattentiontobebredsoastomeettheincreasingdemandforcaptive elephants and to overcome the dependence on supplementing the captive stock with wild ani-mals. Unfortunately, captive breeding programs across the globe have met with limited success andthereforemoreeffortis neededtoimprove breedingincaptivity.
Savannas once constituted the range of many species that human encroachment has now reduced to a fraction of their former distribution. Many survive only in protected areas. Poaching reduces the savanna elephant, even where protected, likely to the detriment of savanna ecosystems. While resources go into estimating elephant populations, an ecological benchmark by which to assess counts is lacking. Knowing how many elephants there are and how many poachers kill is important, but on their own, such data lack context.