Assessment of ovarian cycles in the African elephant (<i>Loxodonta africana</i>) by measurement of salivary progesterone metabolites

Illera, J.C.; Silván, Gema; Cáceres, Sara; Carbonell, Maria-Dolores; Gerique, Cati; Martínez-Fernández, Leticia; Munro, Coralie; Casares, Miguel

doi:10.1002/zoo.21124

Cited by 13 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…One juvenile bull of 9 years was kept with the herd, but no adult bull was present during the sampling period. Saliva was collected using cotton swabs as previously described [Illera et al, ]. All the animals were completely accustomed to this sampling procedure, and thus the procedure itself was not considered a stressor.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol secretion in female zoo-kept African elephants (Loxodonta africana)

Casares¹,

Silván

Carbonell³

et al. 2016

Zoo Biology

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Salivary samples were collected over a 24-hr period from one group of six juvenile (7-12 years) and one group of three adult (24-25 years) African elephant females, Loxodonta africana, and the cortisol concentration was measured in unextracted samples by EIA. Samples were collected during May, June, and November 2012 (n = 147) using cotton swabs at 4-hr intervals from 20:00 to 20:00 of the next day (seven samples per animal in each trial). The animals are kept under standard zoo management: the herd is maintained in their indoor enclosures until 10:00 and then released into the outdoor enclosures until 21:00-21:30 (May/June) and 18:30-19:00 (November). No adult elephant bull was present at the zoo during this time. The results demonstrate a clear diurnal pattern of cortisol secretion with the lowest concentration observed at 20:00 (2.03 ± 0.08 ng/ml saliva) and the peak concentrations at 08:00 (5.26 ± 0.35 ng/ml saliva). Although the cortisol values were higher in the adult cows compared to the juvenile cows in the May-June period, the differences were not significant. However, the values obtained in November from the juvenile group were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the concentrations measured in this group in June. In conclusion, salivary cortisol in zoo elephants follows a circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) adapted to daily zoo husbandry routines.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol secretion in female zoo-kept African elephants (Loxodonta africana)

Casares¹,

Silván

Carbonell³

et al. 2016

Zoo Biology

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“…Endocrine monitoring enables the knowledge of endocrine activity as a tool to evaluate the ovarian cycle and to be used in a captive management, especially for endangered species, aiming to increase the number of individuals [58]. In wild mammals, the endocrine monitoring of the estrus cycle can either be performed by invasive methods, as using blood samples [59], or noninvasive methods, by sampling from feces [8], urine [60], saliva [61], and hair [62].…”

Section: Endocrine Monitoring and Its Metabolitesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In general, urine collection requires proper training of the animal, to avoid contamination of the samples [61]. In case of untrained animals, this material is collected on the ground, and it is necessary to isolate the animal, which causes stress besides requiring a time for the isolation and urine recovery [58].…”

Section: Urine Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In relation to the hormonal proportions of the blood in the saliva, it is possible to detect a smaller amount of steroid and peptide/proteo-hormones [63]. The saliva reflects the hormonal changes in the blood, allowing for its immediate analysis [61]. The hormonal levels in saliva have a difficult interpretation since this is easily changed in a short period [75].…”

Section: Saliva Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Estrus Cycle Monitoring in Wild Mammals: Challenges and Perspectives

Silva¹,

Moreira²,

Pereira³

et al. 2017

Theriogenology

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The knowledge of reproductive physiology is of paramount importance to guide reproductive management and to make possible future application of assisted reproduction techniques (ARTs) aiming ex situ conservation of wild mammals. Nevertheless, information on the basic reproductive aspects of wild mammals remain scarce, and appropriate management practices have not yet been developed for all the species. This chapter discusses the methods most currently used for reproductive monitoring in wild females. Additionally, the difficulties regarding their use in different species and the possibilities of these procedures in captivity or in free-living mammals are addressed.

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“…Saliva sampling, piloted in two pygmy hippos by Dathe and Kuckelkorn [7] has been successfully employed for endocrine monitoring in numerous other wildlife species [28,[64][65][66] and further research may demonstrate it to be a valuable tool in pygmy hippos as well.…”

Section: Future Research and Recommendationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characterizing the reproductive biology of the female pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) through non-invasive endocrine monitoring

Flacke

Schwarzenberger

Penfold³

et al. 2017

Theriogenology

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The pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) is endangered in the wild and very little is known about its reproductive biology. In zoological facilities, this species experiences a number of reproductive issues that complicate breeding management, including a high rate of stillbirths and failure of many pairs to reproduce. We conducted a comprehensive study to evaluate reproductive cycles and pregnancy in this species using enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) for fecal hormone metabolite analysis. Fresh fecal samples were collected twice weekly for a one to three year period from 36 female pygmy hippos housed at 24 zoological institutions. Samples were analyzed in three separate laboratories. Three progestogen metabolite EIAs (Pg-diol: 5β-pregnane-3α,20α-diol 3HS:BSA; PdG: pregnanediol-3-glucuronide R13904; mono-P4: Quidel clone 425) and three estrogen metabolite EIAs (E2a: estradiol-17β-OH 17-HS:BSA; E2b: estradiol 17β R0008; E2c: estradiol 17β R4972) accurately reflected reproductive events. Average estrous cycle length was 31.8 ± 7.4 days based on estrogen metabolite peaks and 30.9 ± 7.3 days based on nadir to nadir progestogen metabolite concentrations. Cyclical patterns in both estrogen and progestogen metabolites were detected throughout the year, indicating a lack of seasonality. Estrogen metabolite peaks were also observed during pregnancy and lactation, suggesting that follicular development occurs during both reproductive states. Pregnancy was most reliably demonstrated by elevation in progestogen metabolites (Pg-diol or PdG) in the second half of gestation. Average gestation length based on breeding to calving date was 203 ± 4 days for 15 pregnancies. This comprehensive overview of the reproductive biology of the female pygmy hippo provides valuable data for guiding long-term breeding management for this endangered species and serves as a baseline for future studies addressing the potential influence of social structure, diet, body condition, and other husbandry factors on estrous cycling and reproduction.

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Assessment of ovarian cycles in the African elephant (Loxodonta africana) by measurement of salivary progesterone metabolites

Cited by 13 publications

References 26 publications

Circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol secretion in female zoo-kept African elephants (Loxodonta africana)

Circadian rhythm of salivary cortisol secretion in female zoo-kept African elephants (Loxodonta africana)

Estrus Cycle Monitoring in Wild Mammals: Challenges and Perspectives

Characterizing the reproductive biology of the female pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) through non-invasive endocrine monitoring

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