Seasonal variation in the endocrine–testicular function of captive jaguars (Panthera onca)

Morato, Ronaldo Gonçalves; Verreschi, Ieda Therezinha do Nascimento; Guimarães, Marco Aurélio; Cassaro, Katia; Pessuti, Cecília; Barnabé, Renato Campanarut

doi:10.1016/j.theriogenology.2003.07.011

Cited by 22 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 12 publications

(22 reference statements)

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…We discuss our results in the light of recent findings from studies of felids in captivity (e.g. Morato et al 2001Morato et al , 2004Swanson and Brown 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 56%

Reproductive biology of captive female Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx

et al. 2005

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Studies on wild Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) have revealed variation in reproduction between areas, years and individuals. In order to explore potential causes for this variation other than food supply, we analysed data from captive lynx, which provide conditions with minimal environmental variation as all were fed ad libitum. Data from 37 individual female lynx were available from 20 zoos in Norway, Sweden, Finland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic. Data on 177 reproductive events (where a male was available to the female at mating time) are presented. Of these events, 85% resulted in litters being born. Average litter size was 1.95, with a variation from 1 to 4. The mean birth date was 26th May, and sex ratio was not significantly different from parity. The probability of reproduction was related to age, with fewer litters produced by the very young (2-3-year old), and no sign of a senescence effect. However, a clear effect of senescence on litter size was evident. The captive lynx did not have higher reproductive rates than wild lynx, indicating that either factors other than food supply are driving the variation in wild lynx reproduction, or that a factor such as stress may be causing additional variation in the captive population.

show abstract

“…We discuss our results in the light of recent findings from studies of felids in captivity (e.g. Morato et al 2001Morato et al , 2004Swanson and Brown 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 56%

Reproductive biology of captive female Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx

et al. 2005

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Thus, it is possible that females resume cycling 2-3 weeks after lactational anestrus, as reported for the domestic cat (Oliveira, 1994). In addition, jaguars are not seasonal breeders (Morato et al, 2004) and thus quickly return to cycling after lactational anestrus. In this way, it is possible that the mother had been free to mate for at least four months before the infanticide, which could help to exclude this first scenario.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Paternity testing and behavioral ecology: a case study of jaguars (Panthera onca) in Emas National Park, Central Brazil

et al. 2006

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We used microsatellite loci to test the paternity of two male jaguars involved in an infanticide event recorded during a long-term monitoring program of this species. Seven microsatellite primers originally developed for domestic cats and previously selected for Panthera onca were used. In order to deal with uncertainty in the mother's genotypes for some of the loci, 10000 values of W were derived by simulation procedures. The male that killed the two cubs was assigned as the true sire. Although the reasons for this behavior remain obscure, it shows, in principle, a low recognition of paternity and kinship in the species. Since the two cubs were not very young, one possibility is that the adult male did not recognize the cubs and killed them for simple territorial reasons. Thus, ecological stress in this local population becomes a very plausible explanation for this infanticide, without further sociobiological implications.

show abstract

“…Previous reproductive studies have focused on analyzing the seminal characteristics of male jaguars in Colombia [6], the analysis of the sperm production [10][11][12], and the interaction between endocrine and seminal level of jaguars in Brazil [7][8][9]. In female jaguars the estrous and ovarian activity was reported by Wildt et al (1979) [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive analysis of male and female captive jaguars (Panthera onca) in a Colombian zoological park

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A reproductive analysis of a captive group of jaguars (Panthera onca; n = 6) at the Santacruz Zoological Foundation in Cundinamarca, Colombia, was conducted by performing a longitudinal, noninvasive, hormonal analysis of estradiol and progestogens in females and of androgens in males. During four seasons, female jaguars confined in solitary were evaluated for ovarian activity and spontaneous ovulation, male jaguars for testicular activity. A second hormonal follow-up was conducted in the females after administration of gonadotropins. Hormones were extracted from fecal samples of three females (n = 3) and two males (n = 2). Estradiol measurements were obtained by RIA and progestogens by enzyme immunoassay. The linear mixed-effect regression showed that there was a significant effect of seasons in the concentrations of estradiol (chi square = 15.97, degrees of freedom = 3, P < 0.01). Posthoc comparisons of all pairs of seasonal means were conducted according to Tukey's honest significant difference, revealing significant differences between seasons: Dry 1 versus Rains 2 (P < 0.01), Rains 1 versus Rains 2 (P < 0.05), and Dry 2 versus Rains 2 (P < 0.05). Elevations of progestogens compatible with spontaneous ovulation occurred in three jaguars, and the linear mixed-effect regression showed that there was also a significant effect of seasons (chi square = 28.56, degrees of freedom = 3, P < 0.01). Posthoc comparisons showed significant differences only between seasons: Dry 2 versus Rains 2 (P < 0.01). The season with the lowest average concentration was Rains 2 (October, November, and December). During this season, periods of anestrous were registered that lasted between 31 and 83 days. The three females presented estradiol peaks after the administration of eCG. A noninvasive longitudinal analysis for androgens was also made (males 1 and 2) over the course of 1 year, and no significant differences were found between the different seasons. A seminal analysis of three adult male jaguars (Panthera onca; n = 3) was also performed after electroejaculation under general anesthesia (male 1 and 2) and by a postmortem epididymal wash (male 3). The mean concentration of spermatozoids was 5.7 × 10 ± 1.1 × 10 spermatozoa/mL. The progressive motility + standard deviation averaged 80%. The percentage of normal spermatozoids obtained by electroejaculation was 80 ± 2.8%, and the abnormalities found more frequently were head defects (7 ± 1.4%). The seminal fluid obtained by epididymal flush contained 35 ± 1.4% normal spermatozoids, and the most frequent abnormalities found corresponded to distal cytoplasmic droplets (39 ± 11.3%).

show abstract

Seasonal variation in the endocrine–testicular function of captive jaguars (Panthera onca)

Cited by 22 publications

References 12 publications

Reproductive biology of captive female Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx

Reproductive biology of captive female Eurasian lynx, Lynx lynx

Paternity testing and behavioral ecology: a case study of jaguars (Panthera onca) in Emas National Park, Central Brazil

Reproductive analysis of male and female captive jaguars (Panthera onca) in a Colombian zoological park

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About