Fig 1.
Map of the indoor and outdoor exhibits.
The indoor area where flooring was replaced is noted in grey. Circles represent position of indoor video cameras for recording nocturnal behavior. Observations of diurnal outdoor behavior were taken in locations noted by X along the perimeter of the exhibit.
Fig 2.
Diurnal outdoor activity budgets (mean ± SE) of three female African elephants (A: Asali; B: Gina; C: Tyranza) before, during, and after installation of rubberized flooring in their indoor facilities.
Outdoor behavioral data collection occurred from approximately 09:00 to 16:00 h. An asterisk (*) indicates that the mean value is outside the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the data before renovations.
Table 1.
Percent of diurnal, outdoor behavioral scans (mean ± standard error) the elephants spent engaged in each behavioral category throughout the entire duration of the study.
Table 2.
Percent of nocturnal, indoor behavioral scans (mean ± standard error) the elephants spent engaged in each behavioral category throughout the entire duration of the study.
Fig 3.
Nocturnal indoor activity budgets (mean ± SE) of three female African elephants (A: Asali; B: Gina; C: Tyranza) before and after installation of rubberized flooring in their indoor facilities.
Indoor behavioral data collection occurred from approximately 17:30 to 8:00 h, with data collection ending when husbandry by an animal keeper began. During renovations the elephants were not allowed indoors. An asterisk (*) indicates that the mean for after renovations is outside the 95% CI for the data before renovations.
Fig 4.
Frequency, duration, and time of day of lying rest (recumbent) behavior 13 days before (shaded) and after (not shaded) installation of the new flooring.
Horizontal lines represent when across the 26 days the behavior was exhibited by (A) Asali, (B) Gina, and (C) Tyranza.
Fig 5.
Mean ± SE of (A) frequency of sleeping (‘lying rest’) events per night; (B) duration of events; and (C) duration between the first and last events each night before and after renovations.
An asterisk (*) indicates that the mean for after renovations is outside the 95% CI for the data before renovations.
Table 3.
Mean ± standard error (SE) of serum cortisol (ng/ml) across periods of renovation in the elephant house.
Fig 6.
Cortisol (ng/ml) profile for three female African elephants.
Profiles represent before (8/7/2011 to 11/7/2011), during (11/8/2011 to 11/15/2011), and after (11/16/2011 to 1/29/2012) renovation to the elephant house.