Foot disease is the leading cause of premature death in captive elephants, while musth in bull elephants creates significant management and welfare challenges.
Captive elephant foot health requires deep, soft substrates (sand, soil or wood chips), regular foot care by trained keepers, and sufficient walking on varied terrain. Concrete flooring is the primary driver of foot disease. Musth management must balance the welfare of the bull (which benefits from normal musth cycles) with safety for keepers and other elephants.