Reproductive monitoring of free-ranging female mountain gorillas by urinary hormone analysis

Czekala, Nancy M.; Sicotte, Pascale

doi:10.1002/1098-2345(200007)51:3<209::aid-ajp6>3.0.co;2-6

Cited by 31 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In the great apes and humans, E 1 C exhibited two peaks, the first occurring at approximately mid cycle and the second peak occurring during the luteal phase. These profiles were consistent with those reported in the human (Czekala et al 1988), chimpanzee (Steinetz et al 1992;Bettinger et al 1997;Shimizu et al 2003), gorilla (Dahl et al 1987;Czekala and Sicotte 2000), orangutan (Lasley et al 1980;Nadler et al 1984), and bonobo (Heistermann et al 1996). On the other hand, in the long-tailed macaque, increase of E 1 C in the luteal phase was small or nonexistent and the absolute levels of E 1 C and PdG were generally lower.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Comparative study of urinary reproductive hormones in great apes

Shimizu

Udono²,

Tanaka

et al. 2003

Primates

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Urinary estrone conjugates (E 1 C), pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PdG), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were determined by enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) during the normal menstrual cycle in the orangutan, gorilla, chimpanzee, and bonobo. Furthermore, the data were compared to those levels in the human and long-tailed macaque. The results showed a typical preovulatory E 1 C surge and postovulatory increase in PdG in all species. The pattern of E 1 C during the menstrual cycle in the great apes more closely resembled the human than do the long-tailed macaque. A major difference of E 1 C pattern between these species appeared in the luteal phase. In the great apes and the human, E 1 C exhibited two peaks, the first peak detected at approximately mid cycle and the second peak detected during the luteal phase. On the other hand, in the longtailed macaque, increase of E 1 C in the luteal phase was small or nonexistent. The gorilla, chimpanzee, and bonobo exhibited similar PdG trends. The orangutan excreted one tenth less PdG than these species during the luteal phase. The long-tailed macaque also excreted low levels of PdG. The patterns of FSH in orangutan, chimpanzee, bonobo and long-tailed macaque showed a marked mid-cycle rise and an early follicular phase rise, similar to those in the human. Comparing similar taxa, a large difference was found in FSH of gorilla; there were three peaks during the menstrual cycle. Thus, there is considerable species variation in the excretion of these hormones during the menstrual cycle and comparative studies could be approached with a single method. The methods and baseline data presented here provide the basis for a practical approach to evaluation and monitoring of ovarian events in the female great apes.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Comparative study of urinary reproductive hormones in great apes

Shimizu

Udono²,

Tanaka

et al. 2003

Primates

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“…It is not always possible to visually confirm this positive correlation between FPM and ovulation in gorillas as they have little to no sexual swellings. It has been shown that gorillas do show increased incidence of sexual behaviors during periovulation [Czekala and Sicotte, ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the physiological and behavioral response of a male and female gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) during an introduction

et al. 2014

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Prolonged stress responses can lead to infertility and death; therefore monitoring respective indicators like stress-related hormones and behaviors is an important tool in ensuring the health and well-being among zoo-housed animal populations. Changes in social structure, such as the introduction of a new conspecific, can be a source of stress. In April 2010, a sexually mature female western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) was brought to Lincoln Park Zoo (LPZ; Chicago, IL) from the Chicago Zoological Park (Brookfield, IL) for a breeding recommendation from the Gorilla Species Survival Plan. Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) were monitored in two gorillas prior to, during and immediately following the social introduction. Reproduction events, such ovarian cyclicity and pregnancy, were monitored using behavior and fecal progestagen metabolite (FPM; female) and fecal androgen metabolite (FAM; male) analyses. Mean (± standard error) FGM concentrations for the male were elevated (P = 0.002) during the introduction (20.61 ± 0.83 ng/g) compared to the pre- and post-introduction phases (11.31 ± 0.48 ng/g and 12.42 ± 0.65 ng/g, respectively). For the female, mean FGM concentrations were lower (P < 0.001) during the post-introduction (17.91 ± 1.07 ng/g) than during the pre- and introduction phases (30.50 ± 3.42 and 27.38 ± 1.51 ng/g, respectively). The female maintained normal FPM cyclicity throughout the study and became pregnant in the post-introduction phase. These results suggest the importance of both behavioral and physiological monitoring of zoo animals and demonstrate the potential stress that can occur during social introductions. Zoo Biol. 33:394-402, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals Inc.

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“…(1) Morris et al []; (2) this study; (3) Morris et al [], Pusey et al []; (4) Czekala and Sicotte [], Harcourt et al []; (5) Fletcher []; (6) Robbins et al []; (7) Robson and Wood []; (8) Morris et al []; (9) Wallis []; (10) Pusey [1983].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early Brain Growth Cessation in Wild Virunga Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei)

McFarlin

Barks

Tocheri

et al. 2012

American J Primatol

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Understanding the life history correlates of ontogenetic differences in hominoid brain growth requires information from multiple species. At present, however, data on how brain size changes over the course of development are only available from chimpanzees and modern humans. In this study, we examined brain growth in wild Virunga mountain gorillas using data derived from necropsy reports (N = 34) and endocranial volume (EV) measurements (N = 86). The youngest individual in our sample was a 10-day-old neonatal male with a brain mass of 208 g, representing 42% of the adult male average. Our results demonstrate that Virunga mountain gorillas reach maximum adult-like brain mass by 3-4 years of age; adult-sized EV is reached by the time the first permanent molars emerge. This is in contrast to the pattern observed in chimpanzees, which despite their smaller absolute brain size, reportedly attain adult brain mass approximately 1 year later than Virunga mountain gorillas. Our findings demonstrate that brain growth is completed early in Virunga mountain gorillas compared to other great apes studied thus far, in a manner that appears to be linked with other life history characteristics of this population.

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Reproductive monitoring of free-ranging female mountain gorillas by urinary hormone analysis

Cited by 31 publications

References 8 publications

Comparative study of urinary reproductive hormones in great apes

Comparative study of urinary reproductive hormones in great apes

Evaluating the physiological and behavioral response of a male and female gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) during an introduction

Early Brain Growth Cessation in Wild Virunga Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei)

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