Using faecal glucocorticoid metabolite analyses to elucidate stressors of African wild dogs Lycaon pictus from South Africa

Abstract

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A field-friendly alternative to freeze-drying faeces for glucocorticoid metabolite analyses of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus)

“…Under field conditions, where the freezing of samples is often delayed, or cannot be maintained over a longer period, this approach becomes more challenging. This is particularly true for studies focusing on wide-ranging species, such as the African wild dog ( Lycaon pictus ), where sampling is often conducted at field sites with a limited electrical supply [see [7] , [8] , [9] ]. In many such cases, a sporadic electrical supply provides a meaningful challenge to keep samples frozen over a prolonged period, including during the subsequent transport to an analytical laboratory.…”

Appeasing Pheromones for the Management of Stress and Aggression during Conservation of Wild Canids: Could the Solution Be Right under Our Nose?

“…Interestingly, captive African wild dogs show significantly higher stress-related fGCMs than their free-living counterparts [82]. Similarly, permanent and temporary captivity results in similar fGCM concentrations, both of which are higher than in free-living African wild dogs, although this study relied on a single defecated sample, and did not report the length of time the animals had been kept in temporary captivity prior to the sample's collection [60].…”

“…Furthermore, litter success is relatively low, with only 20% of captive females producing litters in 2016, compared to 31% among in situ populations [87]. As mentioned previously, female African wild dogs held in permanent captivity experience significantly more stress than free-living counterparts [60,82]. This can be attributed to their limited ability to exhibit natural behaviours, which may destabilise the social structure, co-operation, and cohesion within the pack, resulting in reduced reproductive success [60].…”

“…Artificial pack formation is often performed in conjunction with translocation, with the aim of mimicking their natural dispersal pattern, and forming socially cohesive packs that will eventually lead to functional breeding groups [58]. However, one of the largest limiting factors to the success of artificial pack formation and translocation is the stress caused by captivity and the related aggressive behaviours that can result in injuries and mortalities [60,61]. During translocation, chronic stress results from the disruption of hierarchical or familial bonds, temporary pack separation, and periods of captivity involving human husbandry, causing social instability [62][63][64].…”

“…When social integration occurs and a cohesive pack forms between opposite-sex animals, affiliative behaviours can be observed, including resting in close proximity [57,67] and reduced long distance calls [67]. However, all forms of captivity result in higher levels of stress hormones in African wild dogs, and this is increased in wild-caught animals compared to captive-bred individuals [60].…”