The use of odors is a popular form of sensory enrichment, yet few studies have investigated the longer lasting effects of biologically relevant chemical signals like pheromones. Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) are unique because they are commonly held in zoos and utilize two single-compounds to synchronize reproduction: frontalin (a pheromone produced by male elephants in musth) and (Z)-7-dodecenyl acetate (Z7-12:Ac, a pheromone produced by female elephants around ovulation). While Asian elephant chemical signaling dynamics have been well-studied, no reports exist on the broader behavioral effects (i.e., primer effects) of either of these pheromones. The purpose of this study was to describe the primer effects of both frontalin and Z7-12:Ac for potential enrichment applications. We bioassayed 50 elephants at 10 zoos using synthetic versions of these two pheromones that replicated the concentrations at which they are produced naturally. We found that behavioral diversity in response to these pheromones was influenced both by the degree of exposure to the chemicals and by properties of the receiver, such as sex, sexual experience, age, and social access, with models that included all or most of these factors explaining much of the variation in the bioassay data for frontalin (R²_(c) = 0.42) and Z7-12:Ac (R²_(c) = 0.59). Furthermore, both males and females exhibited distinct changes in activity levels in the presence of frontalin or Z7-12:Ac, with specific behavioral differences noted. For instance, frontalin stimulated increased activity (and decreased inactivity) among female elephants (P < 0.001). Foraging (P = 0.029) and walking (P = 0.001) increased when males were exposed to frontalin, but it also stimulated increased time spent engaged in stationary stereotypy (P < 0.001). On the other hand, Z7-12:Ac encouraged greater activity levels in female (P < 0.001) and male (P = 0.010) elephants. These results support the use of pheromones as enrichment opportunities for elephants, and suggest appropriate chemical signals should be considered for other species. Because these compounds hold biological, ecological, and/or evolutionary salience, they can have long-lasting effects and are particularly relevant to long-term management strategies. In conjunction with other forms of sensory enrichment—including biologically novel odors—pheromones have the potential to enhance the wellness of zoo-housed species.

气味的使用是感觉富集的一种流行形式，但是很少有研究研究生物相关化学信号（如信息素）的持久作用。亚洲象（Elephas maximus）之所以与众不同，是因为它们通常被饲养在动物园中，并利用两种单一化合物来同步繁殖：额叶素（一种由雄象在野马中产生的信息素）和（Z）-7-十二碳烯乙酸酯（Z 7-12 ：Ac，是雌象在排卵期产生的信息素。尽管对亚洲象的化学信号动力学进行了深入研究，但尚无关于这些信息素中任何一种的更广泛的行为效应（即引物效应）的报道。这项研究的目的是描述额叶蛋白和Z的引物作用7-12：Ac用于潜在的浓缩应用。我们使用这两种信息素的合成形式，在10个动物园中对50头大象进行了生物分析，它们复制了自然生成的浓度。我们发现，响应这些信息素的行为多样性既受化学物质暴露程度的影响，也受接收者属性（例如性别，性经历，年龄和社交渠道）的影响，其模型包含所有或大多数这些信息素因子解释了额叶蛋白（R ² _（c）  = 0.42）和Z 7-12：Ac（R ² _（c） = 0.59）。此外，在存在额叶前叶素或Z 7-12：Ac的情况下，雄性和雌性均表现出明显的活动水平变化，并注意到特定的行为差异。例如，额叶前叶素刺激了雌性大象的活动增加（和活动减少）（P <0.001）。 当男性暴露于额叶蛋白中时，觅食（P  = 0.029）和步行（P = 0.001）增加，但是这也刺激了静止刻板印象花费的时间增加（P  <0.001）。另一方面，Z 7-12：Ac鼓励女性（P <0.001）和男性（P = 0.010）大象。这些结果支持使用信息素作为大象的致富机会，并建议应为其他物种考虑适当的化学信号。由于这些化合物具有生物学，生态和/或进化显着性，因此它们可以产生长期影响，并且与长期管理策略特别相关。与其他形式的感觉增强（包括生物学上新奇的气味）结合，信息素具有增强动物园饲养物种健康的潜力。