title: Plasma and erythrocyte fatty acids in captive Asian (Elephas maximus) and African (Loxodonta africana) elephants.
abstract: The fatty acid components of the plasma triglycerides and the phospholipid fractions of the red blood cells of a captive group of two African (Loxodonta africana) and four Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants were investigated. All the animals received the same diet of hay, fruits and vegetables, and concentrates. A comparison with data from free-ranging African elephants or Asian work-camp elephants showed that the captive elephants had lower proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and for several lipid fractions a higher n-6:n-3 ratio, than their counterparts in the wild or under the more natural, in terms of diet, work-camp conditions. The difference in PUFA content was smaller in the African than in the Asian elephants. The captive Asian elephants tended to have lower levels of n-3 and total unsaturated fatty acids in their red blood cells than the captive African elephants.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Physiology, Physiological Chemistry and Animal Nutrition, Veterinary Faculty, Ludwig-Maximilians University of Munich, Veterinarstrasse 13, D-80539 Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clauss
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghebremeskel
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Lendl
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Streich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000836:Animals, Zoo; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D004032:Diet; D004606:Elephants / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D016526:Workload
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D010743:Phospholipids; D014280:Triglycerides