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Bragg M, Muletz-Wolz CR, Songsasen N, Freeman EW. Kibble diet is associated with higher faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in zoo-managed red wolves ( Canis rufus). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae008. [PMID: 38414659 PMCID: PMC10898788 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
The red wolf (Canis rufus) is a critically endangered canid that exists solely because of the establishment of the ex situ population in the late 1980s. Yet, the population under human care suffers from gastrointestinal (GI) disease in captivity. While the cause of GI disease is unknown, it is speculated that environmental factors can influence GI health of zoo-managed red wolves. The goal of the present study was to investigate the relationship between faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations, a biomarker for stress, and environmental factors for zoo-managed red wolves. Faecal samples were collected from 14 adult wolves three times a week for 5 to 12 months. Using a single-antibody cortisol enzyme immunoassay, FGM concentrations were quantified. Environmental factors were collected for each participating wolf on dietary type, sex, type of public access to enclosure, density (enclosure size [ft2]/number of wolves living in enclosure) and a monthly average status of GI health. Red wolves that ate a commercial kibble diet had both higher FGM concentrations over time and higher baseline FGM concentrations compared to individuals that received commercial kibble mixed with commercial meat. Density, public access or GI health were not related to FGM concentration; however, males had higher baseline FGM concentrations compared to female red wolves. Our findings suggest that management conditions, particularly diet, can strongly influence FGM concentration in the zoo-managed red wolf population. Findings from this study highlight the importance of management choices on individual welfare. Maintaining a healthy captive population of red wolves is imperative for the persistence of the species, including successful future reintroductions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Bragg
- Environmental Science and Policy Department, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr. Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
- Center for Conservation Genetics, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington, DC, 20008 USA
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Carly R Muletz-Wolz
- Center for Conservation Genetics, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, 3001 Connecticut Ave. NW Washington, DC, 20008 USA
| | - Nucharin Songsasen
- Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Elizabeth W Freeman
- School of Integrative Studies, George Mason University, 4400 University Dr. Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
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Robertson KE, Ellington EH, Tonra CM, Gehrt SD. Stress in the city? Coyote hair cortisol varies with intrinsic and extrinsic factors within a heavily urbanized landscape. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 901:165965. [PMID: 37543341 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 07/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/07/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife living in proximity to people are exposed to both natural and anthropogenic factors that may influence cortisol production associated with stress response. While some species, including coyotes (Canis latrans), have become commonplace in developed areas throughout North America, urban individuals still must navigate ever-changing, novel environments and cope with frequent disturbance. Given that coyotes are relatively large predators compared to most other urban wildlife, they face unique pressures such as crossing roadways to use suitable habitat fragments and are at a greater risk of being detected and experiencing negative human interactions. To assess whether urbanization influences hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in free-ranging coyotes, we analyzed cortisol concentration in hair samples from 97 coyotes residing across the urbanization gradient within the Greater Chicago Metropolitan area. As the proportion of developed landcover within coyote home ranges increased, coyotes experienced more stress. Body condition and social status also had strong relationships with stress. Animals in poorer body condition experienced more stress and subordinate coyotes experienced less stress than alphas. We also found some evidence that stress varied seasonally and among different age classes. Understanding how intrinsic and extrinsic factors influence endocrine activity in urban carnivores is vital for predicting how hormone production and related behavioral patterns may change in future populations as more areas become developed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie E Robertson
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America
| | - E Hance Ellington
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America; Range Cattle Research and Education Center, University of Florida, 3401 Experiment Station Road, Ona, FL 33865, United States of America
| | - Christopher M Tonra
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America.
| | - Stanley D Gehrt
- School of Environment and Natural Resources, The Ohio State University, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, OH 43210, United States of America.
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3
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Arora B, Pei KJC, Chin SC. New horizons in the reproductive biology of Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) using the gonadal hormonal profile. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16630. [PMID: 37789068 PMCID: PMC10547839 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43237-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The reproductive uniqueness of pangolins has been documented through diverse biological reports with discernible data discrepancies in gestation, copulation, and pregnancy. These mechanistic reproductive differences have yet to be endocrinologically quantified, which could assist in optimizing natural breeding in zoos to recover endangered species. The present research characterizes the Chinese pangolin's annual seasonal reproductive pattern by measuring immunoreactive estrogens and progestagens in 34 captive females and testosterone in 29 captive males. Our results showed that Chinese pangolins are seasonal breeders, with most births witnessed during Sept-Dec, overlapping with the field records. Females exhibited spontaneous ovulation and post-partum ovulation. Pregnant females exhibited a higher P4 level for ~ 9 months (Jan-Sept) and decreased before parturition (Oct-Dec). The circulating E2 is maintained at the baseline in pregnant females year-round. Contrastingly, in non-pregnant females, P4 is maintained at the baseline, apart from a slight elevation in January, and E2 demonstrates a sudden hike from November and remains elevated until February, suggesting the onset of ovulation. The serum testosterone concentration in males peaked during October, which is in sync with the female ovulation period. As a result that their major reproductive events, ovulation, mating, and parturition, all transpire in November-March. Evidence also supports that Chinese pangolins exhibit signs of postimplantation (pregnancy) ranging only from 5 to 6 months (May-Oct), preceded by possible facultative delay implantation triggered by lactation. The provided data not only fill in the knowledge gap for this critically endangered species but can also assist in making informed decisions, which can directly affect the successful breeding of this species in captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharti Arora
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien, 974301, Taiwan.
| | - Kurtis Jai-Chyi Pei
- Institute of Wildlife Conservation, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 91201, Taiwan
- Taiwan Wildlife Society, 900, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Shih-Chien Chin
- Taipei Zoo, Taipei, 11656, Taiwan
- Chin's Animal Hospital, Taipei, 11656, Taiwan
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4
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O'Brien SL, Irian CG, Bentley GE, Lacey EA. Sex, not social behavior, predicts fecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in a facultatively social rodent, the highland tuco-tuco (Ctenomys opimus). Horm Behav 2022; 141:105152. [PMID: 35286897 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Social relationships may influence circulating glucocorticoid levels, particularly in group-living species in which individuals regularly engage in interactions with conspecifics. The effects of such interactions appear to vary, with greater social contact being associated with increased glucocorticoid concentrations in some species but decreased concentrations in others. These distinct responses raise intriguing questions regarding relationships among social behavior, individual phenotypes, and glucocorticoid physiology. To explore such relationships in a free-living mammal with a dynamic social organization, we quantified variation in baseline glucocorticoids in a population of highland tuco-tucos (Ctenomys opimus) from Jujuy Province, Argentina. These subterranean rodents are facultatively social, with lone and group-living individuals regularly occurring within the same population. To assess potential endocrine correlates of this behavioral variability, we examined differences in baseline fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCm) concentrations as a function of social group size and composition as well as several metrics of social behavior derived from social network analyses. Despite marked variability in social relationships among the 37 (12 male, 25 female) free-living tuco-tucos sampled, none of the measures of social behavior examined were significant predictors of variation in fGCm concentrations. In contrast, individual variation in glucocorticoid metabolites was best explained by sex, with males having higher fGCm concentrations than females. These analyses provide the first characterization of the glucocorticoid physiology of highland tuco-tucos and underscore the potential importance of intrinsic phenotypic factors (e.g., sex) in shaping glucocorticoid variation in free-living mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L O'Brien
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.
| | - Christian G Irian
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - George E Bentley
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Eileen A Lacey
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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Milewski TM, Lee W, Champagne FA, Curley JP. Behavioural and physiological plasticity in social hierarchies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2022; 377:20200443. [PMID: 35000436 PMCID: PMC8743892 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals occupying dominant and subordinate positions in social hierarchies exhibit divergent behaviours, physiology and neural functioning. Dominant animals express higher levels of dominance behaviours such as aggression, territorial defence and mate-guarding. Dominants also signal their status via auditory, visual or chemical cues. Moreover, dominant animals typically increase reproductive behaviours and show enhanced spatial and social cognition as well as elevated arousal. These biobehavioural changes increase energetic demands that are met via shifting both energy intake and metabolism and are supported by coordinated changes in physiological systems including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axes as well as altered gene expression and sensitivity of neural circuits that regulate these behaviours. Conversely, subordinate animals inhibit dominance and often reproductive behaviours and exhibit physiological changes adapted to socially stressful contexts. Phenotypic changes in both dominant and subordinate individuals may be beneficial in the short-term but lead to long-term challenges to health. Further, rapid changes in social ranks occur as dominant animals socially ascend or descend and are associated with dynamic modulations in the brain and periphery. In this paper, we provide a broad overview of how behavioural and phenotypic changes associated with social dominance and subordination are expressed in neural and physiological plasticity. This article is part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking order: current state and future prospects for the study of dominance hierarchies'.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. M. Milewski
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - W. Lee
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - F. A. Champagne
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - J. P. Curley
- Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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Hydbring-Sandberg E, Larsson E, Madej A, Höglund OV. Short-term effect of ovariohysterectomy on urine serotonin, cortisol, testosterone and progesterone in bitches. BMC Res Notes 2021; 14:265. [PMID: 34246304 PMCID: PMC8272283 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05680-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to investigate the short-term effect of ovariohysterectomy on urine levels of serotonin and its relation to levels of cortisol, testosterone and progesterone in female dogs. Seven bitches were studied before surgical ovariohysterectomy and then once a week during 4 weeks. Spontaneously voided urine samples were collected and concentration ratios of hormone/creatinine in urine were analysed. Results The bitches had significantly lower levels of cortisol, testosterone, and progesterone 1 week after ovariohysterectomy compared with before and the levels stayed low throughout the study (P ≤ 0.05). Interestingly, serotonin levels tended to increase 4 weeks after surgery (P = 0.08). A positive correlation between cortisol and progesterone was found before and after surgery. After surgery, serotonin was positively correlated with cortisol and progesterone (P ≤ 0.05). Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13104-021-05680-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Hydbring-Sandberg
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7011, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Elin Larsson
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7011, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Andrzej Madej
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7011, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Odd Viking Höglund
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7054, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden
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Riddell P, Paris MCJ, Joonè CJ, Pageat P, Paris DBBP. Appeasing Pheromones for the Management of Stress and Aggression during Conservation of Wild Canids: Could the Solution Be Right under Our Nose? Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11061574. [PMID: 34072227 PMCID: PMC8230031 DOI: 10.3390/ani11061574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Many canid species are declining globally. It is important to conserve these species that often serve as important predators within ecosystems. Continued human expansion and the resulting habitat fragmentation necessitate conservation interventions, such as translocation, artificial pack formation, and captive breeding programs. However, chronic stress often occurs during these actions, and can result in aggression, and the physiological suppression of immunity and reproduction. Limited options are currently available for stress and aggression management in wild canids. Pheromones provide a promising natural alternative for stress management; an appeasing pheromone has been identified for multiple domestic species and may reduce stress and aggression behaviours. Many pheromones are species-specific, and the appeasing pheromone has been found to have slight compositional changes across species. In this review, the benefits of a dog appeasing pheromone and the need to investigate species-specific derivatives to produce more pronounced and beneficial behavioural and physiological modulation in target species as a conservation tool are examined. Abstract Thirty-six species of canid exist globally, two are classified as critically endangered, three as endangered, and five as near threatened. Human expansion and the coinciding habitat fragmentation necessitate conservation interventions to mitigate concurrent population deterioration. The current conservation management of wild canids includes animal translocation and artificial pack formation. These actions often cause chronic stress, leading to increased aggression and the suppression of the immune and reproductive systems. Castration and pharmaceutical treatments are currently used to reduce stress and aggression in domestic and captive canids. The undesirable side effects make such treatments inadvisable during conservation management of wild canids. Pheromones are naturally occurring chemical messages that modulate behaviour between conspecifics; as such, they offer a natural alternative for behaviour modification. Animals are able to distinguish between pheromones of closely related species through small compositional differences but are more likely to have greater responses to pheromones from individuals of the same species. Appeasing pheromones have been found to reduce stress- and aggression-related behaviours in domestic species, including dogs. Preliminary evidence suggests that dog appeasing pheromones (DAP) may be effective in wild canids. However, the identification and testing of species-specific derivatives could produce more pronounced and beneficial behavioural and physiological changes in target species. In turn, this could provide a valuable tool to improve the conservation management of many endangered wild canids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Riddell
- Gamete and Embryology (GAME) Laboratory, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, James Cook Drive, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia;
- Institute for Breeding Rare and Endangered African Mammals (IBREAM), 9 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh EH3 6AT SCT, UK;
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, James Cook Drive, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Monique C. J. Paris
- Institute for Breeding Rare and Endangered African Mammals (IBREAM), 9 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh EH3 6AT SCT, UK;
- Mammal Research Institute, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Carolynne J. Joonè
- Discipline of Veterinary Science, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Solander Drive, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia;
| | - Patrick Pageat
- Institut de Recherche en Sémiochemie et Ethologie Appliquée, 84400 Apt, France;
| | - Damien B. B. P. Paris
- Gamete and Embryology (GAME) Laboratory, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, James Cook Drive, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia;
- Institute for Breeding Rare and Endangered African Mammals (IBREAM), 9 Ainslie Place, Edinburgh EH3 6AT SCT, UK;
- Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, James Cook Drive, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-7-4781-6006
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Wirobski G, Range F, Schaebs FS, Palme R, Deschner T, Marshall-Pescini S. Endocrine changes related to dog domestication: Comparing urinary cortisol and oxytocin in hand-raised, pack-living dogs and wolves. Horm Behav 2021; 128:104901. [PMID: 33245878 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Dogs are exceptionally well adapted to life close to humans, and alterations in their endocrine system during the domestication process may be an underlying mechanism. In particular, it has been suggested that low circulating cortisol concentrations in conjunction with simultaneously high oxytocin concentrations may have resulted in dogs' increased docility ('selection for tameness' hypothesis) and heightened propensity to interact and form relationships with humans ('hypersociability' hypothesis) compared to wolves. To investigate this, we analyzed cortisol and oxytocin metabolite concentrations from urine samples of hand-raised, pack-living domestic dogs and their non-domestic relatives, grey wolves. Based on the hypotheses outlined above, we predicted lower cortisol but higher oxytocin concentrations in dogs than wolves. In contrast to our prediction, we found higher cortisol concentrations in dogs than wolves. However, oxytocin concentrations were higher in dogs compared to wolves although the effect was relatively small. Indeed, male dogs had the highest oxytocin concentrations while female dogs' oxytocin concentrations were comparable to wolves'. Feeding status, reproductive phase, and conspecific social interactions also significantly affected cortisol and oxytocin concentrations. Furthermore, we compared two methods of correcting for variable water content of urine samples. We discuss our results in light of physiological and behavioral changes during domestication and highlight the importance of accounting for confounding variables in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Wirobski
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | - F Range
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | - F S Schaebs
- University of Leipzig, ZLS, Prager Str. 34, 04317 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - R Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
| | - T Deschner
- Endocrinology Lab, Department of Primatology, Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - S Marshall-Pescini
- Domestication Lab, Wolf Science Center, Konrad-Lorenz-Institute for Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
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Arora B, Jai-Chyi Pei K, Feng Weng C, Ching-Min Sun N. Measuring fecal metabolites of endogenous steroids using ESI-MS/MS spectra in Taiwanese pangolin, (order Pholidota, family Manidae, Genus: Manis): A non-invasive method for endangered species. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 299:113607. [PMID: 32882210 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Pangolins are 'keystone species' driven towards extinction due to a lack of profound awareness and illegal trade. The drivers urge for immediate development in the understanding of demographics and reproductive dynamics of this species. In this study, we developed and validated a quantitative method to measure pangolin fecal extracts using the electrospray (ESI-MS/MS) interface in positive ionization mode. The method aids in the measurement of hormones from the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, making it a possibly appropriate technique to understand the cross-talk between the axes. The study aims to measure the relative abundance of adrenal and gonadal hormones such as corticosterone, cortisol, estrone, estradiol-17β, progesterone, testosterone, and a number of its metabolites. From the dried fecal extract, the principal metabolite identified from the estrogen family was estradiol-17β, whereas the gestagen family revealed that the pregnane series is predominated in 5α-configuration. On the other hand, epiandrosterone was seen as the dominant form in the male fecal extracts. Additionally, the glucocorticoids are excreted majorly as corticosterone, but traces of cortisol are also present in both the male and female fecal samples. The physiological validation confirmed that the ESI-MS/MS technique is suitable to determine physiologically caused differences in the fecal steroid concentrations. Physiologically, the age structure in pangolin is not responsible for causing differences within gender. However, the results revealed that glucocorticoids might vary between the sexes, i.e., males have a higher relative abundance of glucocorticoids over females. Therefore, our studies show that some of the main adrenal and gonadal metabolites can be predicted by exploiting MS/MS, which can steer research to potentially assess the reproductive status of captive and free-ranging pangolin species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharti Arora
- Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan.
| | - Kurtis Jai-Chyi Pei
- Institute of Wildlife Conservation, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
| | - Ching Feng Weng
- Department of Life Sciences, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan
| | - Nick Ching-Min Sun
- Graduate Institute of Bioresources, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, Taiwan
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Piñeiro A, Hernández MC, Silván G, Illera JC, Barja I. Reproductive hormones monthly variation in free‐ranging European wildcats: Lack of association with faecal marking. Reprod Domest Anim 2020; 55:1784-1793. [DOI: 10.1111/rda.13843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Piñeiro
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria Universidad Andrés Bello, Republica 440 Santiago de Chile Chile
- Unidad Zoología Departamento de Biología Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - Mª Carmen Hernández
- Unidad Zoología Departamento de Biología Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - Gema Silván
- Departamento de Fisiología (Fisiología Animal) Facultad de Veterinaria Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - Juan Carlos Illera
- Departamento de Fisiología (Fisiología Animal) Facultad de Veterinaria Universidad Complutense de Madrid Madrid Spain
| | - Isabel Barja
- Unidad Zoología Departamento de Biología Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid Spain
- Centro de Investigación en Biodiversidad y Cambio Global (CIBC‐UAM) Universidad Autónoma de Madrid Madrid Spain
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Macdonald DW, Campbell LAD, Kamler JF, Marino J, Werhahn G, Sillero-Zubiri C. Monogamy: Cause, Consequence, or Corollary of Success in Wild Canids? Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Silk MJ, Cant MA, Cafazzo S, Natoli E, McDonald RA. Elevated aggression is associated with uncertainty in a network of dog dominance interactions. Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20190536. [PMID: 31266423 PMCID: PMC6650704 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.0536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Dominance hierarchies are widespread in animal societies and reduce the costs of within-group conflict over resources and reproduction. Variation in stability across a social hierarchy may result in asymmetries in the benefits obtained from hierarchy formation. However, variation in the stability and behavioural costs of dominance interactions with rank remain poorly understood. Previous theoretical models have predicted that the intensity of dominance interactions and aggression should increase with rank, but these models typically assume high reproductive skew, and so their generality remains untested. Here we show in a pack of free-living dogs with a sex–age-graded hierarchy that the central region of the hierarchy was dominated by more unstable social relationships and associated with elevated aggression. Our results reveal unavoidable costs of ascending a dominance hierarchy, run contrary to theoretical predictions for the relationship between aggression and social rank in high-skew societies, and widen our understanding of how heterogeneous benefits of hierarchy formation arise in animal societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew J Silk
- 1 Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter , Penryn TR10 9FE, Cornwall , UK
| | - Michael A Cant
- 2 Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter , Penryn TR10 9FE, Cornwall , UK
| | - Simona Cafazzo
- 3 Wolf Science Center , Dörfles 48, 2115 Ernstbrunn , Austria
| | - Eugenia Natoli
- 4 Canile Sovrazonale, Servizio Veterinario , ASL Roma 3, Roma , Italy
| | - Robbie A McDonald
- 1 Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter , Penryn TR10 9FE, Cornwall , UK
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Medger K, Bennett NC, Lutermann H, Ganswindt A. Non-invasive assessment of glucocorticoid and androgen metabolite levels in cooperatively breeding Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 266:202-210. [PMID: 29782838 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Dominant females of cooperative breeding species often use aggression to suppress reproduction of subordinate females, resulting in subordinates experiencing stress-related increases in glucocorticoid levels, which may cause reproductive down-regulation. This would suggest a general pattern with higher glucocorticoid levels in subordinate compared to dominant individuals; however, the opposite was found in a number of cooperatively breeding species. Furthermore, breeding females of the cooperatively breeding Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis) exhibit very high androgen concentrations during the wet season, presumably to support their breeding monopoly. Hormone analysis in Damaraland mole-rats have typically been measured using plasma and urine, but faecal analysis offers additional advantages especially for field studies on this species. The present study examines the suitability of Damaraland mole-rat faecal samples for determining glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) and androgen metabolite (fAM) concentrations using enzyme immunoassays. Using these assays, we further evaluated the effects of breeding status on fGCM and fAM concentrations in wild-caught and captive Damaraland mole-rats. Wild-caught breeding and non-breeding males and females exhibited no differences in fAM concentrations. Immunoreactive fGCM concentrations were only high in male breeders and comparatively low in non-breeders and breeding females. Concentrations of fAMs and fGCMs were similar in captive males and females, but fAM concentrations were elevated in captive compared to wild-caught individuals, which may be related to a higher reproductive activity due to removal from the breeding female. The relatively uniform fAM and fGCM concentrations found in wild-caught mole-rats may be explained by a stable colony structure during the dry season during which this study was conducted. Limited dispersal opportunities result in lower aggression and stress levels within a colony and as a result lower fAM and fGCM concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Medger
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa.
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa; SARChI Chair of Mammal Behavioural Ecology and Physiology, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Heike Lutermann
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Andre Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa; Endocrine Research Laboratory, Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort 0110, South Africa
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Physiological mechanisms mediating patterns of reproductive suppression and alloparental care in cooperatively breeding carnivores. Physiol Behav 2018; 193:167-178. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.11.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Revised: 10/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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15
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Schradin C, Vuarin P, Rimbach R. The neoteny-helper hypothesis: When to expect and when not to expect endocrine mechanisms to regulate allo-parental care? Physiol Behav 2018; 193:127-134. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2017] [Revised: 12/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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16
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Stress levels of dominants reflect underlying conflicts with subordinates in a cooperatively breeding species. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2484-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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17
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D'Souza-Anjo M, Christensen BW, Brabender K, Zimmermann W, Kass PH, Schwarzenberger F. A comparison of fecal steroid metabolite concentrations between harem and bachelor stallions in a free-Ranging population of przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii). Zoo Biol 2017; 36:127-131. [PMID: 28114737 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2016] [Revised: 12/19/2016] [Accepted: 12/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine whether concentrations of reproductive steroid hormone metabolites significantly differed between harem stallions and bachelor stallions in the free ranging group of Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) at the Hortobágy National Park in Hungary. Throughout the study, fecal samples were collected from 21 harem stallions and 15 bachelor stallions and analyzed for immunoreactive estrogen and androgen metabolites. Harem stallions demonstrated significantly higher concentrations of estrogen (P < 0.001) and epi-androsterone (P < 0.001), but not testosterone (P = 0.426). These findings confirm that sociosexual status has a significant effect on androgen concentrations in individual Przewalski stallions. Zoo Biol. 36:127-131, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Escobar-Ibarra I, Mayagoitia-Novales L, Alcántara-Barrera A, Cerda-Molina AL, Mondragón-Ceballos R, Ramírez-Necoechea R, Alonso-Spilsbury M. Long-term quantification of faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations reveals that Mexican grey wolves may habituate to captivity. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2017. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2017.1332111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- I. Escobar-Ibarra
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco, México, DF, Mexico
- Depto. de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Área de Investigación: Ecodesarrollo de la Producción Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco, México, DF, Mexico
| | - L. Mayagoitia-Novales
- Depto. de Etología, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Tlalpan, México, DF, Mexico
| | - A. Alcántara-Barrera
- Depto. de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Área de Investigación: Ecodesarrollo de la Producción Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco, México, DF, Mexico
| | - A. L. Cerda-Molina
- Depto. de Etología, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Tlalpan, México, DF, Mexico
| | - R. Mondragón-Ceballos
- Depto. de Etología, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Tlalpan, México, DF, Mexico
| | - R. Ramírez-Necoechea
- Depto. de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Área de Investigación: Ecodesarrollo de la Producción Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco, México, DF, Mexico
| | - M. Alonso-Spilsbury
- Depto. de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Área de Investigación: Ecodesarrollo de la Producción Animal, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco, México, DF, Mexico
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de Bruin R, Ganswindt A, le Roux A. From killer to carer: steroid hormones and paternal behaviour. AFRICAN ZOOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2016.1258327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruan de Bruin
- Mammalian Cognition Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Qwaqwa campus, Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa
| | - Andre Ganswindt
- Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Aliza le Roux
- Mammalian Cognition Research Group, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Qwaqwa campus, Phuthaditjhaba, South Africa
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Schell CJ, Young JK, Lonsdorf EV, Mateo JM, Santymire RM. Olfactory attractants and parity affect prenatal androgens and territoriality of coyote breeding pairs. Physiol Behav 2016; 165:43-54. [PMID: 27378509 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.06.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2016] [Accepted: 06/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Hormones are fundamental mediators of personality traits intimately linked with reproductive success. Hence, alterations to endocrine factors may dramatically affect individual behavior that has subsequent fitness consequences. Yet it is unclear how hormonal or behavioral traits change with environmental stressors or over multiple reproductive opportunities, particularly for biparental fauna. To simulate an environmental stressor, we exposed captive coyote (Canis latrans) pairs to novel coyote odor attractants (i.e. commercial scent lures) mid-gestation to influence territorial behaviors, fecal glucocorticoid (FGMs) and fecal androgen metabolites (FAMs). In addition, we observed coyote pairs as first-time and experienced breeders to assess the influence of parity on our measures. Treatment pairs received the odors four times over a 20-day period, while control pairs received water. Odor-treated pairs scent-marked (e.g. urinated, ground scratched) and investigated odors more frequently than control pairs, and had higher FAMs when odors were provided. Pairs had higher FAMs as first-time versus experienced breeders, indicating that parity also affected androgen production during gestation. Moreover, repeatability in scent-marking behaviors corresponded with FGMs and FAMs, implying that coyote territoriality during gestation is underpinned by individually-specific hormone profiles. Our results suggest coyote androgens during gestation are sensitive to conspecific olfactory stimuli and prior breeding experience. Consequently, fluctuations in social or other environmental stimuli as well as increasing parity may acutely affect coyote traits essential to reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Schell
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 57th Street, Culver Hall 402, Chicago, IL 60637, United States.
| | - Julie K Young
- USDA-WS-NWRC, Predator Research Facility, Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University, USU - BNR 163, Logan, UT 84322, United States
| | - Elizabeth V Lonsdorf
- Department of Psychology, Franklin and Marshall College, P.O. Box 3003, Lancaster, PA 17603, United States
| | - Jill M Mateo
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 57th Street, Culver Hall 402, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
| | - Rachel M Santymire
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, 1025 E. 57th Street, Culver Hall 402, Chicago, IL 60637, United States; Department of Conservation and Science, Lincoln Park Zoo, 2001 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60614, United States
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Smith B, Flavel M, Simpson B. Quantification of salivary cortisol from captive dingoes (Canis dingo) in relation to age, sex, and breeding season: implications for captive management. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/am15017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Captive-breeding programs can play a key role in the conservation of threatened species such as the Australian dingo (Canis dingo). It is important to determine whether holding and rearing practices impose stressors that impact negatively on program outcomes and the health and wellbeing of the captive population. Despite evidence that chronic stress has significant welfare implications, our understanding of ‘stress’ in either wild or captive dingoes remains limited. In a first attempt to rectify this, we report salivary cortisol concentrations in juvenile and adult dingoes held in a captive colony. Dingo puppies (n = 8, M = 0.484 ± 0.09 μg dL–1) were found to have higher concentrations than adults (n = 12, M = 0.106 ± 0.031 μg dL–1) (P < 0.0001). Concentrations in adult females (n = 6, M = 0.113 ± 0.030 μg dL–1) and males (n = 6, M = 0.099 ± 0.033 μg dL–1) did not significantly differ (P = 0.4740). Our preliminary findings also suggest that during the annual breeding season, males (but not females) have elevated levels of corticosteroids. Establishing a reference range for cortisol concentrations is vital for researchers and wildlife carers attempting to measure stressors in both captive and wild dingo populations. This study provides useful insight into the influence of time of day, development, and seasonality on cortisol concentrations. Suggestions for future research and implications of routine cortisol evaluation to aid better management practices are also discussed.
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Social Neuroendocrinology of Status: A Review and Future Directions. ADAPTIVE HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s40750-015-0025-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Associations between spatial position, stress and anxiety in forest baboons Papio anubis. Behav Processes 2014; 108:1-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2014.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2013] [Revised: 07/30/2014] [Accepted: 08/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Abstract
AbstractEthiopian wolves,Canis simensis, are an endangered carnivore endemic to the Ethiopian highlands. Although previous studies have focused on aspects of Ethiopian wolf biology, including diet, territoriality, reproduction and infectious diseases such as rabies, little is known of their helminth parasites. In the current study, faecal samples were collected from 94 wild Ethiopian wolves in the Bale Mountains of southern Ethiopia, between August 2008 and February 2010, and were screened for the presence of helminth eggs using a semi-quantitative volumetric dilution method with microscopy. We found that 66 of the 94 faecal samples (70.2%) contained eggs from at least one group of helminths, includingCapillaria,Toxocara,Trichuris, ancylostomatids,Hymenolepisand taeniids. Eggs ofCapillariasp. were found most commonly, followed byTrichurissp., ancylostomatid species andToxocaraspecies. Three samples containedHymenolepissp. eggs, which were likely artefacts from ingested prey species. Four samples contained taeniid eggs, one of which was copro-polymerase chain reaction (copro-PCR) and sequence positive forEchinococcus granulosus, suggesting a spillover from a domestic parasite cycle into this wildlife species. Associations between presence/absence ofCapillaria,ToxocaraandTrichuriseggs were found; and egg burdens ofToxocaraand ancylostomatids were found to be associated with geographical location and sampling season.
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