Noninvasive fecal monitoring of glucocorticoids in spotted hyenas, Crocuta crocuta
Abstract
The aim of this study was to validate a method for measuring glucocorticoids noninvasively in feces of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta). Three established enzyme immunoassays (EIA) for cortisol, corticosterone, and 11-oxoetiocholanolone were tested, but proved unsatisfactory. A new EIA using another corticosterone antibody was established and was used for all subsequent analyses; this EIA was validated by demonstrating parallelism between serial dilutions of spotted hyena fecal extracts and dilutions of standard corticosterone and by the recovery of corticosterone added to fecal extracts. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) fractions analyzed by EIA showed various immunoreactive substances with polarities of unconjugated steroids. The physiological relevance of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites was further validated by demonstrating that (1) injection of exogenous ACTH to four males and two females led to a significant increase in fecal glucocorticoid metabolites within 24-50 h, (2) the translocation of a male spotted hyena to a new enclosure resulted in a fivefold increase compared to baseline concentrations, and (3) agonistic social interactions and physical conflict resulted in large increases of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in both protagonists. Fecal steroid assessment is therefore of use in monitoring adrenal activity in spotted hyenas.
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The FGM levels obtained in this study represent a pooled measure over a certain time period, reflecting cumulative secretion.
“Consequently, we consider the FGM levels obtained as a pooled measure over a certain time period, representing a cumulative secretion, as suggested by several other authors (e.g.Goymann et al., 1999;Palme, 2005;Keay et al., 2006;Cockrem, 2007;Palme, 2012).”
From Effect of weather conditions and presence of visitors on adrenocortical activity in captive African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) (2017) · cites this paper as Goymann et al., 1999
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ULTRADIAN AND CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS IN THE PLASMA CONCENTRATION OF CORTISOL IN SHEEP
FULKERSON, W. J., & TANG, B. Y. (1979) · Journal of Endocrinology · doi:10.1677/joe.0.0810135 · Cited by 115 · see citing works
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Touma, C., Sachser, N., Möstl, E., & Palme, R. (2003) · General and Comparative Endocrinology · doi:10.1016/s0016-6480(02)00620-2 · Cited by 581 · see citing works
Self-citationLaws, N., Ganswindt, A., Heistermann, M., Harris, M., Harris, S., & Sherwin, C. (2007) · Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science · doi:10.1080/10888700701555600 · Cited by 65 · see citing works
Ozella, L., Anfossi, L., Di Nardo, F., & Pessani, D. (2017) · General and Comparative Endocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.12.002 · Cited by 32 · see citing works
Hambrecht, S., Oerke, A., Heistermann, M., & Dierkes, P. W. (2020) · Zoo Biology · doi:10.1002/zoo.21537 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
- Authors
- Goymann, W., Möstl, E., Van't Hof, T., East, M. L., & Hofer, H.
- Affiliations
- Max Planck Society (DE)
- University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna (AT)
- Venue
- General and Comparative Endocrinology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 1999-06
- Volume
- 114
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 340-348
- ISSN
- 0016-6480 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1969694110
- Cited by
- 232
- References
- 1
- Citations by year
- 2026: 3 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 18.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- General and Comparative Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- MPG.PuRe (Max Planck Society) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Keywords
- spotted hyena, fecal glucocorticoids, corticosterone, cortisol, enzyme immunoassay validation, adrenal function, ACTH stimulation test, social conflict, stress hormones
- MeSH terms
- Adrenocorticotropic Hormone, Aggression, Animals, Animals, Zoo, Carnivora, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, Corticosterone, Etiocholanolone, Feces, Female, Glucocorticoids, Hydrocortisone, Immunoenzyme Techniques, Male
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