Behavioral pilot study in Panthera onca

Authors

  • Ginette Isabel Chavarro-Tulcán Profesional Independiente.
  • Adriana Patricia Rojas-Rodríguez Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.19053/01228420.3833

Keywords:

physiological stress, animal welfare, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Abstract

This paper determinate the behavioral responses to an environmental enrichment plan in jaguars, and the variations in the levels of glucocorticoid metabolites. We monitored the behavior of two jaguar females in the Bioparque Los Ocarros one hour three times per day, two days per week during a total of four weeks. The goal was to identify behavioral differences in the jaguars with and without the enrichment plan. In addition, we took fecal samples the days after monitoring and stored them at a -20 °C until their analysis with ELISA test. The enrichment increased de natural behavior in number and frequency and decrease the presentation of stereotypes for one of the females. No significant variation in the levels of glucocorticoid metabolites was observed. Enrichment increases the activity in individuals, but a variation in the levels of glucocorticoid metabolites was not found. We suggest to increase the sampling time in future studies.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Whitham J, Wielebnowski N. New directions for zoo animal welfare science. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci 2013; 147: 247-260.

Castillo C, Unda K, Lara C, Serio J. Enriquecimiento ambiental y su efecto en la exhibición de comportamientos estereotipados en jaguares (Panthera onca) del Parque zoológico “Yaguar Xoo”, Oaxaca. Acta Zool. Méx 2012; 28(2): 365-377.

Merélle X. (2010). Enriquecimiento ambiental en Jaguareté (Panthera onca): una herramienta fundamental para su bienestar en cautiverio. Reportes Tigreros, 3: 1-13.

Rangel A, Alfaro J, Valdez R, Romano M, Serio J. Stress in Yucatan spider monkeys: effects of environmental conditions on fecal cortisol levels in wild and captive populations. Anim. Conserv 2009; 12: 496-502.

Burgener N, Gusset M. Frustrated appetitive foraging behavior, stereotypic pacing, and fecal glucocorticoid levels in Snow Leopards (Uncia uncia) in the Zurich Zoo. J Appl Anim Welf Sci 2008; 11: 74-83.

Rodríguez C, Arias L. Validación y aplicación de la prueba ELISA para medir cortisol fecal en jaguar (Panthera onca) y puma (Puma concolor) durante un programa de enriquecimiento ambiental en el zoológico Jaime Duque. Rev Med Vet 2005; (10): 53-64.

Goméz M. Enriquecimiento ambiental para un oso negro hembra (Ursus americanus) y un jaguar macho (Panthera onca) en la UMA rancho “Los deseos”, en el municipio de Banderilla, Veracruz. Trabajo de grado, Facultad de Biología; Universidad Veracruzana 2010.

Novak M, Hamel A, Kelly B, Dettmer A, Meyer J. Stress, the HPA axis, and nonhuman primate well-being: A review. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci 2013; 143: 135-149.

Conforti V, Morato R, Augusto M, De Oliveira E, Sousa, L, De Avila D et al. Non invasive monitoring of adrenocortical function in captive jaguars (Panthera onca). Zoo Biol 2011; 30: 1-16.

Villavicencio. Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial Villavicencio (en línea) 2014 (fecha de acceso 28 de marzo de 2015).

Zerda E. Comportamiento Animal: Introducción, Métodos y Prácticas. Bogotá: Unilibros, Universidad Nacional de Colombia 2004.

Hämäläinen A, Heistermann M, Fenosoa Z, Kraus C. Capture stress in wild gray mouse lemurs via repeated fecal sampling: Method validation and the influence of prior experience and handling protocols on stress responses. Gen Comp Endocr 2014; 195: 68-79.

Young K, Walker S, Lanthier C, Waddell W, Monfort S, Browna J. Noninvasive monitoring of adrenocortical activity in carnivores by fecal glucocorticoid analyses. Gen Comp Endocr 2004; 137: 148-165.

Narayan EJ, Clark G, Martin P, Parnell T, Mucci Al, Hero JM. Faecal cortisol metabolites in Bengal (Panthera tigris tigris) and Sumatrantigers (Panthera tigris sumatrae). Gen Comp Endocr 2013; 194: 318-325.

Palme R, Touma C, Arias N, Dominchin M, Lepschy F. Steroidextraction: Getthebestout of faecal samples. Vet Med Austria 2013; 100: 238-246.

Antunes E, Nichi M, Guimarães M. Comparison of two commercial kits and t wo extraction methods for fecal glucocorticoid analysis in ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) submitted to ACTH challenge. Pesquisa Vet Brasil 2008; 28 (7): 329-334.

Eguizábal G, Palme R, Villarreal D, Dal Borgo C, DI Rienzo J, Busso J. Assessment of adrenocortical activity and behavior of the collared anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla) in response to foodbased environmental enrichment. Rev. Zoo Biol (en línea) 2013 (fecha de acceso 4 de diciembre de 2014). Disponible en: www.scopus.com.

Vivas A, Jiménez G, Rodríguez C. Efecto del enriquecimiento ambiental en la respuesta fisiológica y comportamental de osos de anteojos en un zoológico de Colombia. Memorias de la conferencia interna en medicina y aprovechamiento de fauna silvestre, exótica y no convencional 2012; 8(2): 10-15.

Rangel A, Alfaro J, Valdez R, Romano M, Serio J. Stress in Yucatan spider monkeys: effects of environmental conditions on fecal cortisol levels in wild and captive populations. Anim. Conserv 2009; 12: 496-502.

Zaragoza F, Ibáñez M, Mas B, Laiglesia S, Anzola B. Influence of environmental enrichment in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes spp.) and gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla): Behavior and faecal cortisol levels. Rev. Fac. Agron 2012; 21(5): 447-456.

Shepherdson, D; Lewis, K; Carlstead, K; Baumanc, J. Individual and environmental factors associated with stereotypic behavior and fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels in zoo housed polar bears. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci 2013; 147:268-277.

Clubb R y Mason G. Natural behavioural biology as a risk factor in carnivore welfare: How analysing species differences could help zoos improve enclosures. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci 2007; 102: 303-328.

Ramos D, Reche A, Fragoso L, Palme R, Yanasse N, Gouvêa V, Beck A, Mills D. Are cats (Felis catus) frommulti-cat households more stressed? Evidence from assessment of fecal glucocorticoid metabolite analysis. Physiol. & Behav 2013; 122:72-75.

Menargues A, Urios V, Limiñana R. Seasonal pattern of salivary cortisol secretion in the greater one-horned rhino (Rhinoceros unicornis). Anim Welfare 2013; 22(4): 467-472.

Pifarré M, González C, Vázquez C, Romano M, Galindo F. The effect of zoo visitors on the behaviour and faecal cortisol of the Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi). Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci, 2012; 136 (1): 57-62.

Rajagopal T, Archunan G y Sekar M. Impact of Zoo Visitors on the Fecal Cortisol Levels and Behavior of an Endangered Species: Indian Blackbuck (Antelope cervicapra) L. J. Appl. Anim. Welfare Sci 2011; 14(1): 18-32.

Morato R, Bueno M, Malmheister P, Verreschi T, Barnabe R. Changes in the fecal concentrations of cortisol and androgen metabolites in captive male jaguars (Panthera onca) in response o stress. Braz J Med Biol Res 2004; 37(12): 1903-1907.

Published

2014-07-06

How to Cite

Chavarro-Tulcán, G. I., & Rojas-Rodríguez, A. P. (2014). Behavioral pilot study in Panthera onca. Ciencia Y Agricultura, 11(2), 17–23. https://doi.org/10.19053/01228420.3833

Issue

Section

PAPERS

Metrics