Stressed After Death Of An Alpha, Elephants At Warsaw Zoo To Be Given Medical Marijuana
The Warsaw zoo has said it will start giving its elephants medical marijuana as part of a ground-breaking pilot project to test how it reduces their stress levels.
Warsaw Zoo will start giving its three African elephants medical marijuana.
According to The Guardian, the experiment was mainly conducted because the zoo¡¯s herd has recently had to cope with the death of its alpha female.
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The zoo's four elephants became three in March, following the death of Erna - the largest female and elder of the herd. Erna's death left Fredzia in mourning, putting her under stress.
Fredzia, has displayed signs of severe stress and she has struggled to create a relationship with her female companion Buba.
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Due to her recent behaviour, Fredzia is considered to be an ideal candidate for the study.
"When Erna passed away, everything changed. I don't think Fredzia was ready for such a big change," Dr Czujkowska told the BBC.
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The zoo monitors the elephants' stress by checking their hormone levels and through behavioural observation. CBD products designed for human consumption have been on the market for years.
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The zoo's elephants will be the first animals to be given the CBD oil, as they are prone to stress and at the same time relatively easy to monitor.
Dr Agnieszka Czujkowska, the veterinarian in charge of the project, believes that it is 'probably the first initiative of its kind for elephants'.
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Medical cannabis, which is derived from a cannabis plant compound, has been used worldwide to treat dogs and horses.
The first stage of the trial has already been completed and involved collecting feces, saliva and blood samples from the elephants. This will be used to monitor their cortisol levels, which is a hormone produced in humans and animals during stressful situations.
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Dr Czujkowska joked that 'contrary to what some would imagine, the elephants won't be using cannabis pipes nor will they be getting huge barrels of it' to match their size.
Dr Czujkowska said it will take around two years before her team has any conclusive results on the new project. But if it is successful, the initiative could be tried with other animals living in captivity.
