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Karaer MC, Kankılıç T, Tavşanoğlu Ç, Cotman M, Čebulj-Kadunc N, Dovč A, Snoj T. Effects of season and sex on the concentrations of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in captive and free-ranging endangered mountain gazelles ( Gazella gazella). Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1386009. [PMID: 38898996 PMCID: PMC11186381 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1386009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction The aim of our study was to measure fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations in captive and free-ranging male and female mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella) during their circannual cycle. In addition, FGM concentrations were used to track the intensity of the adrenocortical response in mountain gazelles during the same period. Methods Fecal samples were collected from the ground in the Hatay Mountain Gazelle Wildlife Development Area in the Hatay Province of Türkiye (36°32' N, 36°32' E) in each season of the year (December, April, July, September). The sex of the animals was determined by detecting the SRY gene of the Y chromosome in DNA isolated from the fecal samples. FGM was extracted from dried fecal samples with methanol, and its concentration was measured using a previously partially validated ELISA. Results and discussion The results indicate that season is the most important factor explaining the variability in FGM concentrations in mountain gazelles. In animals of both sexes, the highest concentrations of FGM were observed in September. The values were significantly higher in the captive population, perhaps due to unpredictable stress. In July, FGM concentrations were low in both populations. As a result of the overall analysis across seasons, the comparison of FGM concentrations between captive and free-ranging animals revealed higher concentrations in captive animals only in September but not in other seasons, although higher concentrations have been previously reported for several wild captive species. Due to predation risk, the presence of offspring can be considered a critical point in the biological cycle for the welfare of free-ranging mountain gazelles, as suggested by the higher FGM concentrations in the free-ranging population in July. The high number of visitors could be a challenge for mountain gazelles in captivity, as indicated by higher FGM concentrations during September. Sex had no effect on the FGM concentrations of either population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Cansu Karaer
- Food and Agriculture Vocational School, Çankırı Karatekin University, Çankırı, Türkiye
- Institute of Science, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye
- Division of Ecology, Department of Biology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Tolga Kankılıç
- Department of Biology, Sabire Yazıcı Faculty of Science and Letters, Aksaray University, Aksaray, Türkiye
| | - Çağatay Tavşanoğlu
- Division of Ecology, Department of Biology, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Türkiye
| | - Marko Cotman
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Nina Čebulj-Kadunc
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Alenka Dovč
- Clinic for Birds, Small Mammals and Reptiles, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Snoj
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Marliani G, Gelli D, Bellinello E, Costantin RS, Nicoloso S, Accorsi PA, Vaglio S. Effects of pharmacological castration on endocrinological and chemical profiles in captive red and fallow deer. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2023.2190351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- G. Marliani
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy
- Animal Behaviour & Wildlife Conservation Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK
| | - D. Gelli
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padua, Legnaro, Italy
| | - E. Bellinello
- Azienda USL Bologna, Sanità Pubblica veterinaria, Vergato, Italy
| | | | | | - P. A. Accorsi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano Emilia, Italy
| | - S. Vaglio
- Animal Behaviour & Wildlife Conservation Group, School of Life Sciences, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton, UK
- University College–The Castle, Durham University, Durham, UK
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Karaer MC, Čebulj-Kadunc N, Snoj T. Stress in wildlife: comparison of the stress response among domestic, captive, and free-ranging animals. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1167016. [PMID: 37138925 PMCID: PMC10150102 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1167016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The stress response, which involves joint activity of the nervous and endocrine systems, is one of the basic adaptive mechanisms that ensures the survival of the individual. The activation of the sympathetic nervous system, the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary axis, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis enables organisms to respond to endogenous and exogenous challenges. Repeated short-term stress leads to long-term stress, which disrupts physiological homeostasis. Unlike domestic animals, wild animals are not protected from environmental and weather influences or treated for diseases. In addition, climate change, habitat fragmentation and loss, and urban stressors (such as light, noise and chemical pollution; xenobiotics; traffic; and buildings) affect individual wildlife and populations. In this review, we have attempted to depict the magnitude of the stress response in wildlife and related domestic animals as well as in captive and free-ranging animals. The intensity of the stress response can be estimated by determining the concentration of glucocorticoids in body fluids, tissues, and excreta. A comparison of results from different studies suggests that domestic animals have lower fecal and hair glucocorticoid concentrations than related wild animals. Additionally, fecal and hair glucocorticoid concentrations in captive animals are higher than in free-ranging animals of the same species. As there are limited data on this topic, we cannot draw definitive conclusions about glucocorticoid concentration and stress response. Further studies are needed to clarify these issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Cansu Karaer
- Food and Agriculture Vocational School, Çankiri Karatekin University, Çankiri, Türkiye
| | - Nina Čebulj-Kadunc
- Veterinary Faculty, Institute of Preclinical Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tomaž Snoj
- Veterinary Faculty, Institute of Preclinical Sciences, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- *Correspondence: Tomaž Snoj
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Santamaria F, Barlow CK, Schlagloth R, Schittenhelm RB, Palme R, Henning J. Identification of Koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus) Faecal Cortisol Metabolites Using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Enzyme Immunoassays. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11060393. [PMID: 34208684 PMCID: PMC8234238 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11060393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is an arboreal folivorous marsupial endemic to Australia. Anthropogenic activities and climate change are threats to this species' survival and are potential stressors. A suitable non-invasive method is needed to objectively detect stress in koalas. Under conditions of stress, the concentration of the hormone cortisol in plasma or in saliva is elevated, and this would provide a convenient measure; however, collecting blood or saliva from wild animals is both practically difficult and stressful, and so likely to confound any measurement. In contrast, measurement of cortisol metabolites in faeces provides a practical and non-invasive method to objectively measure stress in koalas. Unfortunately, the identity of the main faecal cortisol metabolites of koalas is unknown. In this study, we have used both untargeted liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) to identify several faecal cortisol metabolites in two koalas, one female (18 months old, 4.1 kg) and one male (4 years old, 6.95 kg) upon administration of hydrocortisone (cortisol) sodium succinate. The LC-MS analysis identified tetrahydrocortisol along with several other isomers as cortisol metabolites. After a survey of five enzyme immunoassays, we found that two metabolites, tetrahydrocortisol and 3β-allotetrahydrocortisol, could be detected by EIAs that used antibodies that were raised against their structurally similar corticosterone counterparts, tetrahydrocorticosterone and 3β-allotetrahydrocorticosterone, respectively. While the 3β-allotetrahydrocortisol metabolite was detected in the faeces of only one of the two animals studied, tetrahydrocortisol was detected in both. These results ultimately indicate that tetrahydrocortisol is likely the main faecal cortisol metabolite in koalas, and we demonstrate that it can be measured by an EIA (50c) that was originally developed to measure tetrahydrocorticosterone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Santamaria
- Flora, Fauna and Freshwater Research and Koala Research Central Queensland, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, North Rockhampton, QLD 4702, Australia;
- Correspondence: (F.S.); (R.P.)
| | - Christopher K. Barlow
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (C.K.B.); (R.B.S.)
| | - Rolf Schlagloth
- Flora, Fauna and Freshwater Research and Koala Research Central Queensland, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, North Rockhampton, QLD 4702, Australia;
| | - Ralf B. Schittenhelm
- Monash Proteomics and Metabolomics Facility, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia; (C.K.B.); (R.B.S.)
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence: (F.S.); (R.P.)
| | - Joerg Henning
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia;
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Dixon G, Marriott AS, Stelfox G, Dunkerley C, Batke SP. How do red deer react to increased visitor numbers? A case study on human-deer encounter probability and its effect on cortisol stress responses. NATURE CONSERVATION 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.43.56266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
The numbers of visitors to greenspaces in the United Kingdom has increased over the last few years as the health benefits of spending time in greenspaces have become better known. This has led to problems for conservation ecologists due to increased numbers of reported human-wildlife encounters. Deer are often found in public spaces and are of particular concern. Previous research suggests elevated levels of stress hormones (e.g., cortisol) in deer is a result of increased human activity. This has been linked to several negative effects on the deer’s health. From a practitioner’s point of view, it is therefore important to implement effective management strategies that are based on scientific evidence to help ensure the welfare of managed deer populations. In an effort to identify the impact of visitor numbers on faecal cortisol concentrations, samples from 2 red deer (Cervus elaphus) herds in Lyme Park (Cheshire), United Kingdom, were collected and analysed. A predictive spatial model was developed based on logistic regression to identify areas within the park of low and high human-deer encounter probability. The faecal cortisol levels were found to be significantly higher on days with a high number of visitors. In addition, landscape features such as buildings and roads increased the probability of human-deer encounters, whereas woodland and scrub decreased the probability. However, human-deer encounter probability changed with distance to the features. By providing local park managers with this scientific data, these findings can directly inform current management efforts to reduce deer stress levels in Lyme Park. In addition, the spatial modelling method has the capacity to be implemented in other parks across the country with minimal cost and effort.
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Pérez JM, Espinosa J, Boos M, Azorit C, Molina L, López-Montoya AJ. Evaluation of long-term 11-oxoaetiocholanolone stability in red deer faecal samples under different storage conditions. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-020-01399-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Formenti N, Viganó R, Fraquelli C, Trogu T, Bonfanti M, Lanfranchi P, Palme R, Ferrari N. Increased hormonal stress response of Apennine chamois induced by interspecific interactions and anthropogenic disturbance. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-018-1228-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Fattorini N, Brunetti C, Baruzzi C, Macchi E, Pagliarella MC, Pallari N, Lovari S, Ferretti F. Being “hangry”: food depletion and its cascading effects on social behaviour. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Niccolò Fattorini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Claudia Brunetti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Carolina Baruzzi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Macchi
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Via L. Da Vinci, Grugliasco (TO), Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Pagliarella
- Department of Bioscience and Territory, University of Molise, Via F. De Sanctis, Campobasso, Italy
| | - Noemi Pallari
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
| | - Sandro Lovari
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
- Maremma Natural History Museum, Strada Corsini, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Francesco Ferretti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via P.A. Mattioli, Siena, Italy
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Corlatti L, Palme R, Lovari S. Physiological response to etho-ecological stressors in male Alpine chamois: timescale matters! Naturwissenschaften 2014; 101:577-86. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-014-1195-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2014] [Revised: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 05/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Umapathy G, Kumar V, Kabra M, Shivaji S. Detection of pregnancy and fertility status in big cats using an enzyme immunoassay based on 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2013; 180:33-8. [PMID: 23142266 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2012] [Revised: 10/11/2012] [Accepted: 10/22/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Development of non-invasive steroid hormone assays using fecal samples is crucial for detection of pregnancy and monitoring of fertility status in big cats and thus facilitates conservation and management of wild animals. Due to changes in metabolism and excretory pattern, animals excrete different steroid metabolites in feces and urine. The present study is an attempt to develop a common enzyme immunoassay for 5α-pregnan-3α-ol-20-one one of the predominant progestogen metabolites in the feces samples of big cats. The developed ELISA showed a high sensitivity and low cross reactivity to other hormones compared to commercially available RIA kits based on progesterone antibody. It could be used in a wide range of animals for monitoring fertility status and pregnancy detection by measuring fecal steroid metabolites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Govindhaswamy Umapathy
- Laboratory for the Conservation of Endangered Species, Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad, India
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