Relationships between work time and walking distance and health factors and adrenal steroid activity in captive Asian elephants in Thailand.

Fecal samples were collected for glucocorticoid analyses, and visual body condition scores were determined based on a set of photographs. Blood samples were collected to assess lipid and metabolic status. Data were analyzed by GEE to determine the effect of work activities on physiological function of 33 elephants housed at five elephant camps in Northern Thailand.