Elephant family.

Dr Mar received a continuation grant in May 2003 to do further work in light of her recent findings. Her new study aims to investigate the differing costs and benefits of rearing male and female offspring for Asian elephant mothers. It is based on the records of over 3,000 calves born to the logging elephants of Myanmar during the last five decades.

In addition, information on birth sex ratio and mate preferences of females with respect to tusk status, age and birth origins of males will be provided. This information is crucial if effective programmes are to be designed that enable captive populations to be self-sustaining thus removing the need to supplement them with wild caught animals.