Infrared Thermography in Zoo and Wild Animals

Hilsberg-Merz, Sabine

doi:10.1016/b978-141604047-7.50006-3

Cited by 26 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Infrared thermography has been applied to study many domestic species [ 20 ] and wildlife [ 21 ], including marine mammals [ 22 – 25 ]. Eye temperatures measured by thermography have been shown to be practically the same, or at least correlate with body temperatures in several mammal species [ 5 , 26 , 27 ], including human beings [ 28 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals

et al. 2015

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Background Monitoring body temperature is essential in veterinary care as minor variations may indicate dysfunction. Rectal temperature is widely used as a proxy for body temperature, but measuring it requires special equipment, training or restraining, and it potentially stresses animals. Infrared thermography is an alternative that reduces handling stress, is safer for technicians and works well for untrained animals. This study analysed thermal reference points in five marine mammal species: bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus); beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas); Patagonian sea lion (Otaria flavescens); harbour seal (Phoca vitulina); and Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens).ResultsThe thermogram analysis revealed that the internal blowhole mucosa temperature is the most reliable indicator of body temperature in cetaceans. The temperatures taken during voluntary breathing with a camera held perpendicularly were practically identical to the rectal temperature in bottlenose dolphins and were only 1 °C lower than the rectal temperature in beluga whales. In pinnipeds, eye temperature appears the best parameter for temperature control. In these animals, the average times required for temperatures to stabilise after hauling out, and the average steady-state temperature values, differed according to species: Patagonian sea lions, 10 min, 31.13 °C; harbour seals, 10 min, 32.27 °C; Pacific walruses, 5 min, 29.93 °C.ConclusionsThe best thermographic and most stable reference points for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals are open blowhole in cetaceans and eyes in pinnipeds.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals

et al. 2015

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“…Regarding prediction (i), our results showed slightly higher temperatures of the anogenital regions when transitioning from stages 1-2 to 3-4 ( Figure 2), a pattern which may appear consistent with what as previously been found in other mammal species when approaching the periovulatory period (Hilsberg-Merz 2008;Scolari 2011;Sykes et al 2012;Stelletta et al 2013;Talukder et al 2014). However, this pattern was true for most body parts considered, not solely for the anogenital region (Figure 3).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

“…Our aim was to assess whether skin temperature may reveal the reproductive state of female chimpanzees, using IRT, a well-developed technique in veterinary medicine, with yet little application so far in the field of behavioural ecology. In this study, we compared wild female chimpanzees throughout their swelling cycle and predicted that, (i) cycling females should show higher skin temperature when oestral than when anoestral, as well as an increase in skin temperature (with maximal temperature at the end of the swelling cycle, particularly at the area of the reproductive organs), following what had been found in the literature (Hilsberg-Merz 2008;Scolari 2011;Sykes et al 2012;Talukder et al 2014). We also predicted that (ii) pregnant females should match the temperature patterns exhibited by cycling females, despite their different hormonal state, at maximum swelling (stage 4) when male efforts are concentrated.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

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Supplemental Information 1: Dataset

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Infrared thermal imaging has emerged as a valuable tool in veterinary medicine, in particular in evaluating reproductive processes. Here, we explored differences in skin temperature of cycling and pregnant wild chimpanzee females in Budongo Forest, Uganda.Based on previous literature, we predicted increased skin temperature when approaching peak fertility at the area of the reproductive organs of cycling females. For pregnant females, we made the same prediction, mainly because it has been argued that chimpanzee females have evolved mechanisms to conceal pregnancy, including exaggerated sexual swelling and sexually conspicuous vocal behaviour, and to encourage male mating behaviour in order to decrease their infanticidal tendencies by confusing paternity. Overall, we found only small changes in cycling females, with slight temperature increases towards the end of the swelling cycles but no overall increase in skin temperature between oestrous and non-oestrous phases. Interestingly, however, pregnant and cycling females had very similar skin temperatures. These results suggest that males cannot use skin temperature to discriminate between pregnant and non-pregnant/cycling females during maximal swelling, when ovulation is most likely to occur in cycling females.This pattern may be linked to the evolution of physiological means to conceal reproductive state in pregnant females. 10 Infrared thermal imaging has emerged as a valuable tool in veterinary medicine, in particular in 11 evaluating reproductive processes. Here, we explored differences in skin temperature of cycling 12 and pregnant wild chimpanzee females in Budongo Forest, Uganda. Based on previous literature, 13 we predicted increased skin temperature when approaching peak fertility at the area of the 14 reproductive organs of cycling females. For pregnant females, we made the same prediction, 15 mainly because it has been argued that chimpanzee females have evolved mechanisms to conceal 16 pregnancy, including exaggerated sexual swelling and sexually conspicuous vocal behaviour, 17 and to encourage male mating behaviour in order to decrease their infanticidal tendencies by 18 confusing paternity. Overall, we found only small changes in cycling females, with slight 19 temperature increases towards the end of the swelling cycles but no overall increase in skin 20 temperature between oestrous and non-oestrous phases. Interestingly, however, pregnant and 21 cycling females had very similar skin temperatures. These results suggest that males cannot use 22 skin temperature to discriminate between pregnant and non-pregnant/cycling females during 23 maximal swelling, when ovulation is most likely to occur in cycling females. This pattern may 24 be linked to the evolution of physiological means to conceal reproductive state in pregnant 25 females.

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“…IRT has also been used as a non-invasive technique to study reproductive processes of animals ( Cilulko et al, 2013 ). For example, Hilsberg-Merz (2008) noticed that female Asian elephants ( Elephas maximus ) and Black rhinoceroses ( Diceros bicornis ) showed increased surface temperature in the area of their reproductive organs during oestrus, a pattern associated with increased attractiveness to males. In pigs, vulvar skin temperatures were higher during oestrus compared to dioestrus ( Sykes et al, 2012 ), a pattern related to increased blood flow towards the vulva due to oestrogen secretion in the ovarian follicles ( Stelletta et al, 2013 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Skin temperature and reproductive condition in wild female chimpanzees

Dezecache

Wilke

Richi

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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Infrared thermal imaging has emerged as a valuable tool in veterinary medicine, in particular for evaluating reproductive processes. Here, we explored differences in skin temperature of twenty female chimpanzees in Budongo Forest, Uganda, four of which were pregnant during data collection. Based on previous literature in other mammals, we predicted increased skin temperature of maximally swollen reproductive organs of non-pregnant females when approaching peak fertility. For pregnant females, we made the same prediction because it has been argued that female chimpanzees have evolved mechanisms to conceal pregnancy, including swellings of the reproductive organs, conspicuous copulation calling, and solicitation of male mating behaviour, to decrease the infanticidal tendencies of resident males by confusing paternity. For non-pregnant females, we found slight temperature increases towards the end of the swelling cycles but no significant change between the fertile and non-fertile phases. Despite their different reproductive state, pregnant females had very similar skin temperature patterns compared to non-pregnant females, suggesting little potential for males to use skin temperature to recognise pregnancies, especially during maximal swelling, when ovulation is most likely to occur in non-pregnant females. We discuss this pattern in light of the concealment hypothesis, i.e., that female chimpanzees have evolved physiological means to conceal their reproductive state during pregnancy.

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Infrared Thermography in Zoo and Wild Animals

Cited by 26 publications

References 8 publications

Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals

Thermal reference points as an index for monitoring body temperature in marine mammals

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Skin temperature and reproductive condition in wild female chimpanzees

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