Effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and international travel ban on elephant tourist camp management in northern Thailand.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the tourism industry, especially in Thailand. Starting in April 2020, the Thai government banned international travel and all elephant tourist camps closed. A wide variety of management changes were implemented because of the lack of income from tourists. This study surveyed 30 camps that cared for >400 elephants in northern Thailand to obtain information on camp, elephant, and mahout management during the COVID-19 pandemic from April 2020 to 2022 compared to the year before. The survey consisted of questionnaires that interviewed elephant camp owners, managers, veterinarians, and mahouts, and captured information on changes in camp operations, including numbers of tourists, elephants and mahouts, elephant and mahout activities, and veterinary care. Results revealed significant changes in camp structure, elephant work activities and general care. Staff layoffs led to a decrease in the ratio of mahouts to elephants from 1:1 to 1:2. Elephant activities, distance walked, and amounts of food were reduced when compared to pre-COVID-19, while chain hours were increased due to reduced activity. Overall, the COVID-19 crisis altered elephant management significantly, potentially affecting animal welfare resulting from changes in nutrition, health, exercise, and numbers of mahouts. We hope to use these data to develop better management plans and guidelines for elephant camps in Thailand so they can cope with the current and potential imminent pandemics that result in decreased tourism income. A follow-up study will measure health and welfare markers in relation to COVID-19 induced changes to determine if any camps adapted management to still meet elephant health and welfare needs, and could serve as models for responding to future pandemics.

Exploring the Nutritional Potential of Wild Grass Fodder for Mega Herbivore (Elephas maximus) in the Foothills of Western Ghats.

An elephant, being a mega herbivore, consumes large amounts of food. Due to the lack of availability of fodder inside the forest, the elephants move out of their habitat areas and also find agricultural crops attractive, which further results in man-animal conflict. To improve the elephant habitat area, the current study was conducted to assess the availability of native fodder grasses inside the Coimbatore Elephant Reserve, Western Ghats, from April 2021-April 2022. The area falls between 10°37'and 11°31' North latitudes and 76°39'and 77°5' East longitudes. It was approached in a systematic random sampling method. A total of 128 sample plots of 1 sq.m size were randomly placed, and the density of grass species was recorded in percentage (%). The collected samples were shade dried for one week, ground to pass through a 1 mm sieve, and stored in polythene bags. Furthermore, the samples were chemically analyzed to determine their nutritional values. The dry matter (DM) content of various grass fodder varied from 28.18% to 59.75%. The crude protein (CP) content differed between 5.94% and 11.94%. The highest CP was recorded in Cynodon dactylon (11.94%) and the least in Aristida setacea (5.94%). Ether extract content was found in the ranges of 1.00% to 5.00%. The acid detergent fibre (ADF) content of Aristida setacea (45.74%) was observed as the highest, whereas the lowest was observed in Oplismenus burmannii (26.78%), followed by Themeda triandra (26.85%), Heteropogon contortus (30.12%) and Enteropogon monostachyos (30.31%). The average neutral detergent fibre content of grass fodder was 52.27%, with a range of 37.89% (Oplismenus burmannii) to 67.87% (Cymbopogon martinii). The average total digestible nutrient (TDN) content of grass was 77.45%; relative forage quality (RFQ) exhibited wider variations among the grasses and ranged between 107.51 and 198.83. This study is a pioneer in evaluating the nutritional values of native grass fodder species for elephants in the Western Ghats. The study gives strategies for the selection of high nutritive fodder grass for the habitat improvement of elephants, and it also provides scientific and baseline information for the conservation of native grass fodder species in the Western Ghats.

The Improvement of Sumatran Elephant (Elephas maximussumatranus) Dung Particleboard Characteristics Using Bamboo Layering.

The use of natural fibers or particles as alternative raw materials for particleboard production is essential due to the shrinking forest area. Currently, dung waste from the Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) is being used as a raw material for particleboard due to its high fiber content. Although the product still has inferior mechanical and physical characteristics, it can be improved by layering bamboo. Therefore, this study aimed to enhance the mechanical and physical qualities of elephant dung particleboard by adding layers of bamboo. The particleboard constructed had three layers; namely, the face and back in the form of a bamboo layers, as well as the core, which was in the form of elephant dung. The elephant dung was evenly mixed with isocyanate adhesive using a spray gun, and the bamboo layers were coated with adhesive on one side of the surface. The sample was subjected to a hot press at a temperature of 150 °C and 30 kg/cm2 pressure for 10 min. Generally, JIS A 5908-2003 is the specification used to test the physical and mechanical properties of particleboard. During the experiment, the characteristics examined include density, moisture content, water absorption, thickness swelling, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, and internal bonding, which were enhanced by using layers of bamboo. The results showed that the physical properties of the particleboard with bamboo layers were a density of 0.62-0.69 g/cm3, a moisture content of 7.87-10.35%, water absorption of 38.27-68.58%, and a thickness swelling of 10.87-30.00%, which met the minimum standards of JIS A 5908-2003. The mechanical characteristics had values for the modulus of elasticity of 1952-7282 MPa, the modulus of rupture of 20.44-68.27 MPa, and the internal bonding of 0.16-0.38 MPa, which met the JIS A 5908-2003 standard. Based on these results, the particleboard with Belangke bamboo layers was the best in this study.

Inner Branch Endovascular Repair in Complex Secondary Aortic Intervention in Case of Abdominal and Thoraco-Abdominal Aneurysmal Progression: An Early Single Centre experience

Introduction: Aortic aneurysmal disease is an evolving pathology: when treating an aortic aneurysm, we must consider the possibility of a thoraco-abdominal evolution aneurysm, which might lead to further treatments. In case of challenging anatomies (narrow aortic lumen at the level of visceral arteries, aortic wall thrombus, true lumen in an aortic dissected aneurysm, and focal aortic narrow diameter), unfavourable both for fenestrated endovascular aneurysm repair (FEVAR) and branched endovascular aneurysm repair (BEVAR), an inner branched custom made device could represent a potential feasible solution. Inner branched endografts have a typical configuration that combines the advantageous characteristics of both fenestrated and side branched endografts, thus showing advantages over other custom made grafts. Our study aimed to investigate the potential role of this technique in a broad variety of aortic anatomies unfavourable for FEVAR and BEVAR, in patients who received different previous aortic treatments. Methods: In our institution, between July 2018 and July 2020, 20 consecutive patients underwent a FEVAR/BEVAR procedure to treat complex abdominal aortic aneurysm or thoracic aortic aneurysm. Nine patients who were deemed untreatable with a fenestrated/branched graft due to aortic anatomy and/or previous treatments were treated with a custom made, four inner branch E-xtra design endograft (I BEVAR). All patients were treated for a complex aortic abdominal and thoraco-abdominal aneurysm: two patients were previously treated with frozen elephant trunk and TEVAR;three patients were previously treated with TEVAR;and one with TEVAR + abdominal aortic surgical treatment. Two patients received abdominal aortic surgical treatment only. The last patient was previously treated with EVAR, which was then complicated with a type 1A endoleak (EL). Five of six TEVARs were placed before BEVAR as staged procedures, to decrease spinal cord ischaemia risk. All patients had a lumbar cerebrospinal fluid drainage during the BEVAR procedure. In total, the bridging stents placed included 43 balloon expandable and four self-expandable stents. Results: In our experience, all cases were treated with a four inner branch endograft with a total revascularisation of 36 target vessels. Technical success was achieved in all nine cases (100%), with precise deployment of the inner branched endograft and effective engagement and bridging of all branches. Major clinical complications occurred in three (33%) patients: one case of continuous veno-venous haemofiltration treatment for a transient acute renal failure in a chronic renal disease;one case of hepatic decompensation in patient with a chronic cirrhosis, which led to liver failure (Child Pugh C10, MELD 19, still under medical treatment);and one patient with a pulmonary infection disease (COVID-19 related), which then resolved. No patient suffered spinal cord ischaemia. The mean follow up was 12.8 months ± 6.79 months, with an estimated one year survival rate of 89%. One patient with a thrombophilic disorder died on postoperative day 48 as a result of multiple organ failure after acute four inner branches simultaneous occlusion. During follow up, the target vessel primary patency rate was 89%, associated with four (11%) bridging stent ELs. At 30 days, computed tomography angiography detected five BS ELs in four patients: one type III BS EL (2.7%), and four type I BS ELs (11%). Re-intervention was needed in one patient (11%) with a type III and I BS EL associated with an aneurysm sac enlargement treated with bridging stent relining in the left renal artery and superior mesenteric artery. Conclusion: Our experience shows the feasibility of treating complex aortic anatomies with an inner branched graft in patients which were anatomically unfit for FEVAR/BEVAR treatment, allowing complex visceral vessels recanalisation and an adequate sealing. When a re-intervention is needed, we have to consider that previous surgical and endovascular treatments modify the aortic anatomy, and the graft deploy ent may be tougher, with a higher risk of malrotation. Inner branched endograft could be a valid option in case of complex anatomies, but long term follow up is needed.

Mechanical and Physical Properties of Particleboard Made from the Sumatran Elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) Dung and Wood Shaving.

Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) are the world's largest living land mammals. The elephant's digestive system can only absorb 40% of the nutrients in digested feed, and the remainder is excreted as dung. Elephant dung waste can be used as a particleboard material due to its high fiber content. The objectives of this study are: (i) to prepare elephant dung waste as raw material for particleboard, (ii) to improve elephant dung particleboard's physical and mechanical properties using wood shavings, and (iii) to study the influence of several parameters on the physical and mechanical properties of particleboard. The particleboard dimensions and density were set at 20 cm × 20 cm × 1 cm and 0.8 g/cm3, respectively. The mixture ratio of elephant dung and wood shavings was 100/0, 90/10, 80/20, 70/30, 60/40, and 50/50 (% w/w). This mixture ratio of particles was sprayed with 7% isocyanate adhesive. The pressing at a pressure of 30 kg/cm2 for 5 min and 160 °C was used in this study. The physical and mechanical properties of particleboard were tested according to JIS A 5908 (2003) standard. The result shows that the addition of wood shaving improved the elephant dung particleboard's physical and mechanical properties. Except for moisture content and water absorption, the addition of wood shavings has a significant effect on elephant dung particleboard's physical and mechanical properties. The best ratio of elephant dung and wood-shaving for this research is 50/50 and has fulfilled the JIS A 5908-2003 standard, except for thickness swelling.

Elephants in Nepal: Correlating disease, tourism, and welfare.

Asian elephants and humans have long shared their lives, but recent changes in human perspectives on animal use have created ripples through the small country of Nepal. Captive elephants are caught in the crossfire between local communities, elephant owners, mahouts, and NGOs in debates over their treatment, health, welfare and use in tourism. In addition, zoonotic disease, natural disasters and political strife affect the lives of captive elephants and mahouts. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, elephants, caregivers and owners found themselves facing income loss, decreased welfare from housing and husbandry issues, and food shortages. Many owners sold elephants, fired mahouts, and "quit" the tourism industry. Others sought help from outside organizations, community members, and governmental agencies to retain ownership of what they viewed as valuable commodities. NGOs and grassroots organizations assisted in the hopes of keeping elephants in Nepal, thus preventing them from long, treacherous walks across the border and into situations where they might face further welfare decreases. This article combines elephant stable visits and interviews with mahouts, owners, NGO, and government staff between January 2019 and December 2021. It highlights the ongoing health and welfare challenges faced by elephants and mahouts in Nepal.

Swarm Intelligent Approaches for Ambulance Dispatching and Emergency Calls Covering: Application to COVID-19 Spread in Saudi Arabia

Emergencies must be taken into account very quickly (in real-time). With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, responding to COVID-19 emergency calls has become a challenge for rescuers, especially for countries that must frequently receive tourists or pilgrims, as in the case of Saudi Arabia. For this purpose, the present paper proposes artificial intelligence approaches to organize the response to emergency calls while keeping the studied area sufficiently covered to possible future calls. In order to tackle this problem, two Swarm Intelligence Algorithms called Artificial Orca Algorithm (AOA) and Elephant Herding Optimization (EHO) were applied to this problem on real Saudi Arabia data and compared with a basic dispatching method. The obtained results show that swarm intelligence approaches and precisely EHO well manage the dispatching of emergency vehicles while respecting the cover of calls during a crisis. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.