Our previous studies of how tourism affects elephant health and welfare found that feeding high energy foods (banana and sugar cane) was associated with obesity and alterations in lipid profiles and metabolic function (insulin, glucose, fructosamine, glucose to insulin ratio), while fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations as a proxy for stress were actually lower in riding elephants in relation to more exercise and better body condition (5–7), similar to findings in U.S. zoos (8–10). This evidence concerns the gene INS and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.