Non-invasive monitoring of adrenocortical activity in captive African penguin (Spheniscus demersus) by measuring faecal glucocorticoid metabolites
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Measurement of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) has become a useful and widely-accepted method for the non-invasive evaluation of stress in vertebrates. In this study we assessed the adrenocortical activity of five captive African Penguins (Spheniscus demersus) by means of FGM evaluation following a biological stressor, i.e. capture and immobilization. In addition, we detected individual differences in secretion of FGMs during a stage of the normal biological cycle of penguins, namely the breeding period, without any external or induced causes of stress. Our results showed that FGM concentrations peaked 5.5-8h after the induced stress in all birds, and significantly decreased within 30 h. As predictable, the highest peak of FGMs (6591 ng/g) was reached by the youngest penguin, which was at its first experience with the stressor. This peak was 1.8-2.7-fold higher compared to those of the other animals habituated to the stimulus. For the breeding period, our results revealed that the increase in FGMs compared to ordinary levels, and the peaks of FGMs, varied widely depending on the age and mainly on the reproductive state of the animal. The bird which showed the lowest peak (2518 ng/g) was an old male that was not in a reproductive state at the time of the study. Higher FGM increases and peaks were reached by the two birds which were brooding (male: 5552%, 96,631 ng/g; female: 1438%, 22,846 ng/g) and by the youngest bird (1582%, 39,700 ng/g). The impact of the reproductive state on FGM levels was unexpected compared to that produced by the induced stress. The EIA used in this study to measure FGM levels proved to be a reliable tool for assessing individual and biologically-relevant changes in FGM concentrations in African Penguin. Moreover, this method allowed detection of physiological stress during the breeding period, and identification of individual differences in relation to the reproductive status. The increase in FGM levels as a response to capture and immobilization suggests that the measured metabolites are appropriate indicators of adrenal activity in these birds.
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Previous studies have demonstrated that assessing FGMs is useful for detecting and highlighting potentially stressful situations which may influence the welfare of penguins, and it allows detection of individual differences of FGM concentrations.
“Previous studies have demonstrated that this method is useful for detecting and highlighting potentially stressful situations, which may influence the welfare of penguins, and it allows the detection of individual differences of FGM concentrations (Anfossi et al., 2014;Ozella et al., 2015).”
From Effect of weather conditions and presence of visitors on adrenocortical activity in captive African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) (2017) · cites this paper as Ozella et al., 2015
In this species, FGM levels begin to increase after 5 h from a punctual stress and decrease within 30 h.
“In a previous study, we demonstrated that in this species the FGM levels begin to increase after 5 h from a punctual stress (i.e.capture and immobilization of animals for 5 min) and decrease within 30 h (Ozella et al., 2015).”
From Effect of weather conditions and presence of visitors on adrenocortical activity in captive African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) (2017) · cites this paper as Ozella et al., 2015
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Schilling, A.-K., Mazzamuto, M. V., & Romeo, C. (2022) · Animals · doi:10.3390/ani12131719 · Cited by 105 · 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
Self-citationEffects of the presence of zoo visitors on zoo‐housed little penguins ( <i>Eudyptula minor</i> )
Chiew, S. J., Butler, K. L., Fanson, K. V., Eyre, S., Coleman, G. J., Sherwen, S. L., Melfi, V., & Hemsworth, P. H. (2022) · New Zealand Journal of Zoology · doi:10.1080/03014223.2021.1896560 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
- Authors
- Ozella, L., Anfossi, L., Di Nardo, F., & Pessani, D.
- Affiliations
- University of Turin (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Ozella, L.
- Venue
- General and Comparative Endocrinology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-12
- Volume
- 224
- Pages
- 104-112
- ISSN
- 0016-6480 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W779716766
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 3
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1
- FWCI
- 2.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- General and Comparative Endocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Institutional Research Information System University of Turin (University of Turin) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Avian ecology and behavior
- Keywords
- African penguin, Spheniscus demersus, fecal glucocorticoid metabolites, adrenocortical function, physiological stress, breeding season, reproductive status, age differences, individual differences, non-invasive stress monitoring, enzyme immunoassay
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Breeding, Feces, Female, Glucocorticoids, Immunoenzyme Techniques, Male, Reproduction, Stress, Physiological, Spheniscidae
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