Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science ISSN: 1088-8705 (Print) 1532-7604 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/haaw20 Using Fecal Hormonal and Behavioral Analyses to Evaluate the Introduction of Two Sable Antelope at Lincoln Park Zoo Erin Loeding , Jeanette Thomas , Dave Bernier & Rachel Santymire To cite this article: Erin Loeding , Jeanette Thomas , Dave Bernier & Rachel Santymire (2011) Using Fecal Hormonal and Behavioral Analyses to Evaluate the Introduction of Two Sable Antelope at Lincoln Park Zoo, Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 14:3, 220-246, DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2011.576968 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10888705.2011.576968 Published online: 17 Jun 2011. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 211 View related articles Citing articles: 11 View citing articles Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=haaw20 Download by: [Dr Kenneth Shapiro] Date: 02 November 2015, At: 13:35 JOURNAL OF APPLIED ANIMAL WELFARE SCIENCE, 14:220–246, 2011 Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1088-8705 print/1532-7604 online DOI: 10.1080/10888705.2011.576968 Using Fecal Hormonal and Behavioral Analyses to Evaluate the Introduction of Two Sable Antelope at Lincoln Park Zoo Erin Loeding,1 Jeanette Thomas,1 Dave Bernier,2 and Rachel Santymire3 1Department of Biological Science, Western Illinois University– Quad Cities, Moline 2Department of Animal Care, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois 3Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois Introductions of sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) can be difficult due to the potential ensuing aggression compoundedby their large horns. The goal was to use hormonal assays and behavioral analyses to evaluate the success of an introduction of 2 adult females at Lincoln Park Zoo. The objectives were to (a) document behavioral and hormonal changes in 2 female sable antelope during the intro- duction, (b) compare fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) in each individual during the introduction stages, (c) measure fecal androgen metabolites (FAM) during introduction and compare with dominance rank and observed aggression, and (d) monitor estrous cycle synchronization. Results demonstrate that FGM Downloaded by [Dr Kenneth Shapiro] at 13:35 02 November 2015 were higher before than during and after the introduction. Behavioral observations indicated limited aggression between females, although the keeper survey results revealed that the new female was more dominant and had higher mean FGM and FAM than the resident. Both sable antelope were reproductively active throughout the year. Results indicate that fecal hormone analysis can provide zoo management with valuable information to minimize the risk of aggression, injury, and stress during introductions of nonhuman animals. Erin Loeding is now at The University of Chicago. Correspondenceshould be sent to Erin Loeding, The University of Chicago, 940 East 57th Street, Chicago, IL 60660. Email: [email protected] 220 SABLE ANTELOPE BEHAVIORAL ENDOCRINOLOGY 221 Sable antelope (Hippotragus niger) are indigenous to the wooded savannahs of southeastern Africa, where they forage on grasses and shrubs (International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN] Species Survival Commission Ante- lope Specialist Group, 2008). Sable antelope live in matriarchal herds of 40 to 50 females, with their young and a single dominant adult male, with female terri- tories overlapping with male territories; however, neighboring herds are isolated with little interaction (Thompson, 1993). Young males at 3–4 years of age form bachelor groups of 2–12 individuals and become solitary to establish territories at 5–6 years (Nowak, 1999). With a population in the wild of around 54,000 individuals, sable antelope are classified as Lower Risk with major threats from habitat loss, overharvesting, and human disturbance (IUCN, 2008). However, the rare subspecies, the giant sable antelope (Hippotragus niger variani), is listed as Critically Endangered and has a population in the wild of fewer than 500 individuals (IUCN, 2008). The North American captive population of sable antelope is comprised of 140 individuals (56 males, 83 females, and 1 unreported sex) living in 17 institutions; no giant sable antelope are maintained in North America (International Species Information System, 2010). Information gathered from research on welfare and behavior of the sable antelope is potentially useful for application to the endangered counterpart. The complexity of wildlife social structures and hierarchies make introduc- tions of new individuals into an existing group in captivity challenging. In sable antelope, introductions of a new individual to a herd of conspecifics have proven difficult because of increased aggression and serious injury from their large horns, which are found in both sexes (Read & Noble, 1984; Thompson, 1993). Typically, the introduced female encounters aggression from conspecifics by pursuit, which leads to exclusion from the herd (Thompson, 1993). Excluded individuals may need to be moved to a separate exhibit for the individual’s safety. To monitor the physiological responses of introducing a new individual to a group of conspecifics, fecal hormonal analysis is a noninvasive method of monitoring the well being of zoo-housed individuals and permits examination of gonadal (reproductive) and adrenocortical (stress) activity for some species. Downloaded by [Dr Kenneth Shapiro] at 13:35 02 November 2015 Using feces is favored over using blood because samples can be collected during routine cleaning of the nonhuman animal’s enclosure and without sedation or restraint to confound glucocorticoid values (Moestl & Palme, 2002). Moreover, feces represent a cumulative value of hormonal activity instead of the point- in-time blood sample; the ease of fecal collection provides the opportunity for longitudinal hormonal assessment of individual animals (Brown, Wasser, Wildt, & Graham, 1994). If small changes after specific events are desired, however, fecal hormone assessment cannot detect acute changes in hormonal activity. In sable antelope, fecal progestin metabolites (FPM) are well correlated with serum progesterone (Thompson & Monfort, 1999). 222 LOEDING, THOMAS, BERNIER, SANTYMIRE Quantitative physiological measurements of aggression have not been doc- umented in the sable antelope. Aggression has been correlated with increased androgen metabolites and high social rank of individuals in a group of ungu- lates. For example, in male bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), a correlation was determined between high social rank and aggression exerted (Pelletier, Bauman, & Festa-Bianchet, 2003). In sable antelope, dominance rank was correlated with aggressive behaviors and age, with the more aggressive and oldest individuals possessing the highest rank (Thompson, 1993). Mature females of the herd establish a stable linear dominance hierarchy through extensive fighting (Nowak, 1999; Thompson, 1993). Fecal androgen metabolites (FAM) with behavioral observations may be a potential indicator of dominance rank and provide zoo management with a method to predict problems during introductions. However, FAM have not been measured in Hippotragine antelope, and relationships be- tween FAM and aggression in females have been very limitedly investigated. Also undocumented in sable antelope, fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) can be useful in measuring the stress response during a specific event. Although stress can be described many different ways, it is defined as the actual or anticipated threat to homeostasis, anticipated threat to well being, or a phys- iological response to a real or perceived stressor (Ulrich-Lai & Herman, 2009). When a stressful situation or stressor is perceived, the hypothalamus secretes corticotropin-releasing hormone to act on the anterior pituitary, thus releasing adrenocorticotropic hormone. Consequently, glucocorticoids (including cortisol and corticosterone) are released by the adrenal cortex to act on various parts of the body, such as increasing glucose productionin the liver and reserving glucose for the brain and heart (Moberg, 1991; Palme, 2005; Touma & Palme, 2005). Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites have been used to quantify adrenocortical ac- tivity in a wide variety of species, including carnivores, primates, and ungulates (Beehner & McCann, 2008; Boissy & Le Neindre, 1997; Young et al., 2004). For example, FGM have been demonstrated to increase in cattle heifers (Bos taurus) tethered after a grazing period (Redbo, 1993). In addition, glucocorticoid metabolites have a direct inhibitory effect on estrogen secretion of granulosa cells in cattle (Kawate, Inaba, & Mori, 1993). In other mammalian species, adreno- Downloaded by [Dr Kenneth Shapiro] at 13:35 02 November 2015 cortical activity has been quantified in a wide variety of situations, such as an in- dicator of the effects of (a) environmental enrichment—giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca (Liu et al., 2006); (b) stereotypical behavior—clouded leopard, Ne- ofelis nebulosa (Wielebnowski, Fletchall, Carlstead, Busso, & Brown, 2002); and (c) separation and reunion of conspecifics, and ambient temperature changes— cattle (Boissy & Le Neindre, 1997; Redbo, 1993; Rhynes & Ewing, 1973). Estrous cycle synchronization is often an important antipredation strategy to maximize fitness in herd species such as the sable antelope (Rutberg, 1987; Thompson,