scholarly journals Physiological Stress Reactions in Red Deer Induced by Hunting Activities

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1003
Author(s):  
Sofia Vilela ◽  
António Alves da Silva ◽  
Rupert Palme ◽  
Kathreen E. Ruckstuhl ◽  
José Paulo Sousa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Stress Reactions ◽  
Fecal Cortisol ◽  
Hunting Activity ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Cortisol Levels

Hunting activity is usually seen as a factor capable of causing an intense stress response in wildlife that may lead to short but also long-term stress. In the Lousã Mountain, Portugal, the population of red deer (Cervus elaphus) is the target of intensive seasonal hunting. We collected and measured cortisol (and its metabolites) in three tissues types (blood, feces and hair) from red deer hunted during two hunting seasons to evaluate the stress levels at different time windows. We also assessed the immunological and physical condition of the animals. We predicted that the hunting activity would act as a stressor inducing increased short and long-term stress levels in the population. Results showed an increase in hair cortisol levels during the months of harvesting. Surprisingly, the tendency for plasma cortisol levels was to decrease during the hunting season, which could be interpreted as habituation to hunting activity, or due to the hunting duration. Contrary to our predictions, fecal cortisol metabolites did not show any clear patterns across the months. Overall, our results suggest an influence of hunting activities on the physiological stress in red deer. In addition, hair seems to be useful to measure physiological stress, although more studies are required to fully understand its suitability as an indicator of long-term stress. Methodologically, our approach highlights the importance of simultaneously using different methods to assess short and long-term effects in studies on physiological stress reactions.

Axenic in vitro culture and molecular characterization of Giardia duodenalis from red deer (Cervus elaphus) and Thomson’s gazelle (Gazella thomsonii)

2014 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Solarczyk ◽  
Anna Majewska ◽  
Anna Słodkowicz-Kowalska
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Growth Rate ◽  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Giardia Duodenalis ◽  
In Vitro Cultures ◽  
Short And Long Term

AbstractGiardia duodenalis is an ubiquitous flagellate that infects humans and many species of animals. This species exhibits great biotypic and genetic diversity. In the present study, we established short- and long-term in vitro cultures of G. duodenalis trophozoites originating from red deer and Thomson’s gazelle (artiodactyls) and genetically characterised the isolates by their glutamate dehydrogenase and triose phosphate isomerase gene sequences. The G. duodenalis isolates from red deer and the gazelle represented assemblages A (AIII sub-assemblage) and B. In conclusion, G. duodenalis assemblages and sub-assemblages can be associated with differences in growth rate in vitro cultures.

scholarly journals Stress hormone level and the welfare of captive European bison (Bison bonasus): the effects of visitor pressure and the social structure of herds

2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Klich ◽  
Rafał Łopucki ◽  
Marta Gałązka ◽  
Agnieszka Ścibior ◽  
Dorota Gołębiowska ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Structure ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Active Role ◽  
European Bison ◽  
Bison Bonasus ◽  
Fecal Cortisol ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
Parasitic Burden ◽  
Cortisol Levels ◽  
Study Sites

Abstract Background Captive European bison (Bison bonasus) play an active role in conservation measures for this species; this includes education, which may conflict with these animals’ welfare. The effect of the presence of visitors on the welfare of captive animals can be negative, positive or neutral. However, the response of a given species to visitors is difficult to predict, since even closely related species display varying levels of tolerance to captivity. The aim of the study was to compare immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels (regarded as an indicator of the level of physiological stress) in groups of captive European bison that differed in terms of their social structure and the level of visitor pressure. The second aim was to determine if there was a correlation between intestinal parasitic burden and immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels. Results Immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels were not influenced by sex or age. However, study site and the interaction between study site and visitor pressure were statistically significant. European bison in one enclosure presented higher levels of immunoreactive fecal cortisol on weekdays than at weekends. In the other two study sites, the levels did not differ between weekdays and weekends. No correlation was found between parasitological infestation and immunoreactive fecal cortisol levels. Conclusions Measurement of fecal cortisol metabolites could be a valuable method for further research into the welfare of European bison in captivity. More subtle factors such as individual animal characteristics, feeding systems, and the arrangement of enclosures can be of great importance in terms of the effect of visitors on animals. The results of this study can be used in guidelines for the management of European bison populations.

Cortisol levels in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer (Dama dama) after an acute ACTH administration

1993 ◽  
Vol 71 (11) ◽  
pp. 2258-2261 ◽  
Author(s):  
George A. Bubenik ◽  
Ludek Bartos
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Intramuscular Injection ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Fallow Deer ◽  
Cortisol Concentration ◽  
Evolutionary Adaptation ◽  
Dama Dama ◽  
Interindividual Differences ◽  
Cortisol Levels ◽  
June July

Cortisol levels were determined in seven 2.5-year-old male red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 8 yearling male fallow deer (Dama dama) after an acute intramuscular injection of 0, 10, or 40 international units (IU) of ACTH, administered in June, July, or August. In both species a highly significant increase in cortisol concentration was observed within the first hour after both doses of ACTH. At the end of the rapid cortisol elevation (60 min post ACTH) the response in both species was equal for the 10 and 40 IU doses. Average pretreatment levels were around 1–2 μg/100 mL; peak levels registered in red deer were around 10 μg/100 mL, and in fallow deer maximal concentrations reached around 8 μg/100 mL. Although all deer responded to ACTH, strong interindividual differences in intensity of cortisol elevation were detected. The extent of increase of blood cortisol levels in response to ACTH appears to be an evolutionary adaptation of various cervid species to their respective environmental conditions.

A comparison of short- and long-term cortisol levels in melancholic and non-melancholic major depressive episodes using hair and saliva specimens

2019 ◽  
Vol 254 ◽  
pp. 127-128
Author(s):  
Andrés Herane-Vives ◽  
Allan H Young ◽  
Toby Wise ◽  
Juan Aguirre ◽  
Valeria de Angel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major Depressive ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Cortisol Levels ◽  
Major Depressive Episodes ◽  
Depressive Episodes

scholarly journals Welfare of a pair of Captive Tigers: a Hand-Reared Female and a Parent-Reared Male

2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 545-556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mara Bertocchi ◽  
Spiezio Caterina ◽  
Di Ianni Francesco ◽  
Macchi Elisabetta ◽  
Parmigiani Enrico ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Animal Welfare ◽  
Behavioral Problems ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Single Case ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Behavioral Data ◽  
Stress Markers ◽  
Fecal Cortisol ◽  
Cortisol Levels ◽  
Species Specific

Animal welfare assessment has undergone considerable development. The management and rearing of big cats may lead these animals to express behavioral problems. This study was performed to assess the well-being of a non-breeding pair of Siberian tigers using ethological and physiological parameters. During the day, the animals were kept together in the outdoor exhibit, whereas overnight the tigers were individually housed. Twenty 45-min sessions were run for each subject. The Focal Animal Sampling method was used to record individual and social behaviors. In addition, fecal cortisol levels were monitored and determined by enzyme immunoassay. Single case analysis was run to analyze behavioral data and cortisol levels. Findings highlight that species-specific behaviors were performed by both animals. However, significant differences between the two tigers were observed in stress-related behaviors: the female showed stereotypic behavior, whereas the male did not. No significant differences in fecal cortisol levels were observed. Results suggest that the ethological parameters could be more sensitive than the physiological ones in detecting a stressful condition. Analyzing behavioral data together with physiological stress markers may allow for a more complete assessment of animal welfare.

scholarly journals Non-invasive cortisol measurements as indicators of physiological stress responses in guinea pigs

PeerJ ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
pp. e1590 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Nemeth ◽  
Elisabeth Pschernig ◽  
Bernard Wallner ◽  
Eva Millesi
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Guinea Pigs ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Biological Relevance ◽  
Saliva Cortisol ◽  
Cortisol Levels

Non-invasive measurements of glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations, including cortisol and corticosterone, serve as reliable indicators of adrenocortical activities and physiological stress loads in a variety of species. As an alternative to invasive analyses based on plasma, GC concentrations in saliva still represent single-point-of-time measurements, suitable for studying short-term or acute stress responses, whereas fecal GC metabolites (FGMs) reflect overall stress loads and stress responses after a species-specific time frame in the long-term. In our study species, the domestic guinea pig, GC measurements are commonly used to indicate stress responses to different environmental conditions, but the biological relevance of non-invasive measurements is widely unknown. We therefore established an experimental protocol based on the animals’ natural stress responses to different environmental conditions and compared GC levels in plasma, saliva, and fecal samples during non-stressful social isolations and stressful two-hour social confrontations with unfamiliar individuals. Plasma and saliva cortisol concentrations were significantly increased directly after the social confrontations, and plasma and saliva cortisol levels were strongly correlated. This demonstrates a high biological relevance of GC measurements in saliva. FGM levels measured 20 h afterwards, representing the reported mean gut passage time based on physiological validations, revealed that the overall stress load was not affected by the confrontations, but also no relations to plasma cortisol levels were detected. We therefore measured FGMs in two-hour intervals for 24 h after another social confrontation and detected significantly increased levels after four to twelve hours, reaching peak concentrations already after six hours. Our findings confirm that non-invasive GC measurements in guinea pigs are highly biologically relevant in indicating physiological stress responses compared to circulating levels in plasma in the short- and long-term. Our approach also underlines the importance of detailed investigations on how to use and interpret non-invasive measurements, including the determination of appropriate time points for sample collections.

scholarly journals A long-term survey of Fascioloides magna in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Slovakia (Danube floodplain forests) during the period of 2005 – 2015

2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Bazsalovicsová ◽  
M. Špakulová ◽  
L’. Juhásová ◽  
Š. Miholics ◽  
D. Rajský ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Liver Fluke ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Floodplain Forests ◽  
Fascioloides Magna ◽  
Domestic Ruminants ◽  
Giant Liver Fluke ◽  
Ongoing Monitoring ◽  
Long Term Survey

Summary Fascioloidosis of wild and domestic ruminants is caused by giant liver fluke, Fascioloides magna (Trematoda; Fasciolidae). In Slovakia, the parasite is present in the Danube floodplain forests permanent focus for almost 30 years. Here we provide data on 11-year survey of F. magna acquired from 137 red deer (Cervus elaphus) hunted in the southwestern hunting grounds (districts Komárno and Dunajská Streda). Almost 47 % of all examined deer, including males, females and fawns, were infected with F. magna. During the studied period, the prevalence ranged between 33.3 % (2009) and 63.6 % (2007). Prevalence of fascioloidosis varied between sexes and age categories; while the lowest overall prevalence was detected in females (33.3 %), higher values were documented for red deer males (50.6 %) and fawns (43.3 %). A presence of giant liver fluke in studied regions of southwestern Slovakia deserves future attention and ongoing monitoring due to a possible threat of F. magna infection of domestic ruminants in overlapping regions.

scholarly journals Extirpation and reintroduction of the Corsican red deer Cervus elaphus corsicanus in Corsica

Oryx ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 488-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolas Kidjo ◽  
Gérard Feracci ◽  
Eric Bideau ◽  
Georges Gonzalez ◽  
César Mattéi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cervus Elaphus ◽  
Red Deer ◽  
Captive Breeding ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Natural Choice ◽  
Sardinian Population ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Nature Park ◽  
Regional Nature Park

AbstractThe Endangered Corsican red deer Cervus elaphus corsicanus was extirpated from Corsica in the early 1970s, at which time the Sardinian population fell to <250 individuals. The Sardinian authorities agreed to protect this subspecies and to secure its reintroduction in Corsica, a natural choice, considering ethological and historical descriptions. Since the beginning of 1985, when the first deer destined for captive breeding and eventual reintroduction arrived in Corsica, the population increased from 13 Sardinian founders to 106 captive animals under constant monitoring in three enclosures (Quenza, Casabianda and Ania di Fium'Orbu). The sites of Quenza, Chisà and Santo Pietro di Venaco were selected by the Regional Nature Park of Corsica for the reintroduction into the wild that began in 1998. Currently the size of the whole Corsican population is c. 250 individuals. These deer are still closely monitored and studied, both in enclosures and in the wild, to secure the long-term conservation of this subspecies. The Corsican and Sardinian populations together now total slightly >1,000, and the subspecies could therefore be downgraded to Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List.

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