HEMATOLOGY OF THE INDIAN ELEPHANT (ELEPHAS MAXIMUS)

Abstract

Blood samples from 11 baby elephants, 14 tuskers, and 16 females comprising 5 pregnant and 11 nonpregnant nonlactating elephants (Elephas maximus) were analyzed to assess the hematological values and the influence of age, sex, and pregnancy on these. The results obtained show that, compared with other mammals, the erythrocyte count in the blood of elephants is low and the mean corpuscular volume (m.c.v.), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (m.c.h.), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (e.s.r.) are high. The very high values for m.c.v. and m.c.h. and the low erythrocyte count seen in elephants suggest that in the evolution of blood though they are more advanced than reptiles and birds in having eliminated the nuclei from the erythrocytes, they are still in the primitive state compared with the other mammals in as much as their erythrocytes have not attained the efficiency in the transportation of blood gases that results from a reduction in size to facilitate numerical increase. A low erythrocyte count and packed cell volume, a high e.s.r., an increase in neutrophils, and a decrease in the percentage of lymphocytes and eosinophils characterize pregnancy. In baby elephants there is an increase in the total leucocyte and lymphocyte counts and a decrease in eosinophils.