Caring for all aspects of zoo elephants' well-being is considered a major challenge. Providing an appropriate flooring substrate to facilitate lying rest presents a meaningful part of a holistic management concept. Investigating the impact of a new sand flooring on the nocturnal resting behavior of a breeding group of seven African elephants living at one zoo revealed more total lying rest, longer bouts of lying rest and a reduced side preference in the adult females. With an average total daily lying rest of about 1.5-2.0 hrs, the investigated zoo elephants expressed longer lying rest compared to recently reported data from free-ranging individuals in Botswana. In addition, the presence of nursing calves in the observed elephant group seemed to impact the resting pattern of all group members, with around 60% of all lying bouts being discontinued after interruption by the youngsters. With respect to observed nursing during leaning rest, we encourage the installation of appropriate horizontal structures in breeding facilities to support leaning rest behavior of their female elephants. In doing so, zoos may improve rest quality of nursing females, and, in general, the welfare aspect of sleep for their elephants.

中文翻译：

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柔软而持久——沙地和犊牛对动物园饲养的非洲象（非洲象属）群休息行为的影响

照顾动物园大象健康的各个方面被认为是一项重大挑战。提供合适的地板基材以促进躺卧是整体管理概念的重要组成部分。调查新的沙地对生活在一个动物园的 7 头非洲象繁殖群的夜间休息行为的影响发现，成年雌性大象的完全躺卧休息时间更长，躺卧休息时间更长，侧卧偏好减少。与最近报道的博茨瓦纳自由放养个体的数据相比，被调查的动物园大象平均每天躺卧休息时间约为 1.5-2.0 小时。此外，观察到的大象群中哺乳小牛的存在似乎影响了所有群成员的休息模式，大约 60% 的撒谎比赛在被年轻人打断后停止。关于倚靠休息期间的观察护理，我们鼓励在饲养设施中安装适当的水平结构，以支持雌象的倚靠休息行为。通过这样做，动物园可以提高哺乳期雌性的休息质量，以及一般来说，它们的大象睡眠的福利方面。