Heat transfer in elephants: thermal partitioning based on skin temperature profiles

摘要: The elephant with its low surface-to-volume ratio presents an interesting problem concerning heat dissipation. To understand how such large mammals remain in thermal balance, we determined the major avenues of loss for adult African and immature Indian elephant. Because conventional physiological measurements are difficult these animals, present study used a non-invasive technique, infrared thermography, to measure skin temperatures each Detailed surface temperature profiles area were standard equations convective, conductive radiant transfer. Results demonstrated that transfer by free convection radiation accounted 86% total elephants at Ta= 12·6 °C. Heat across ears, important window high ambient temperatures, represented less than 8% loss. Surface metabolic production calculated from elephant, scaled predictably body mass. In contrast, conductance (71·6 W/°C, African; 84·5 Indian) was three five times higher predicted allometric relationship smaller mammals. is attributed absence fur appears counteract reduced associated ratio.