Abstract:
Serum glucose level of the Sri Lankan elephant (Elephas maximus
maximus), a subspecies of the Asian elephant. has not been reported. The
aim of this study was to determine the random serum glucose level of captive
adult Sri Lankan elephants to be used as reference base line data. The blood
was collected from 16 individuals and serum glucose levels were determined
using an enzymatic procedure (glucose hexokinase UV method) which is
reliable, accurate and specific for glucose. The results show that the mean
random glucose level of the Sri Lankan adult elephant was (mean±SEM)
llS.02±7.3mg/dL (range: 64.2-186.1Smg/dL). The mean random serum
glucose level of the males (l32.49±6.7mg/dL, range 88-186.2mg/dL) was
significantly (Mann- Whitney U-test, P<O.OS)higher than the females
(97.SS±6.7mg/dL,range: 64.2-128.7mg/dL). There was no significant difference
amongst the random serum glucose leves of the three male phenotypes
(Atha: 129.9Smg/dL, Aliya: 121.0±12.3mg/dL and Pussa:
148.S±18.9mg/dL) and two female phenotypes (Athinna: 9S.3±18.Smg/dL
and Alidena: 98.8±4.8mg/dL). Further more, the random serum glucose
level was not age related (using Spearman correlation r2= 0.033, P>O.OS).
