The tail-tale of stress: an exploratory analysis of cortisol levels in the tail-hair of captive Asian elephants.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Assessment of physiological states by measuring biomarkers, such as cortisol, has significantly contributed to the monitoring of health, welfare and management of animals. Immunoreactive cortisol in hair (hC) has been used widely for deciphering 'stressful' past-events in various wild and captive animals. However, no such studies have been done in long-lived mammals.

Methods

In this first exploratory study in elephants, we assessed (i) tail-hair growth rate (TGR) and (ii) hC levels in tail-hair samples from six captive Asian elephants from two zoos in Japan for comparing hC levels with zoo-keepers' records of distinct biological events over a c.0.5-2.0-year period. Tail-hair samples were cut into segments (based on monthly growth rate), pulverized or minced and a

SUBMITTER: Pokharel SS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7789861 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature