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EDRI Federal Project Inventory:
Non-Invasive Monitoring of Reproductive and Adrenal Steroid Metabolites in Wildlife Species
- Sponsor Organization: SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
- Project Title: NON-INVASIVE MONITORING OF REPRODUCTIVE AND ADRENAL STEROID
METABOLITES IN WILDLIFE SPECIES.
- Project Focus: ECOLOGICAL EFFECTS, EXPOSURE ASSESSMENT
- Description: The Smithsonian's Endocrine Research Laboratory (ERL) located at the
Conservation andResearch Center (CRC) in Front Royal, VA, specializes
in non-invasive monitoring ofreproductive and adrenal steroid
metabolites in excreta. To date, these methods have beenused to track
longitudinal and/or cross-sectional reproductive (or adrenal) status
in over 40species of captive and free-living wildlife including:
bovids, equids, cervids, canids, felids,mustelids, vivverids, ursids,
primates (New and Old World), birds (raptors, passerines,cranes),
reptiles and marine mammals. Clearly, one of the greatest
deficiencies relating tostudies of wildlife species is the lack of
fundamental physiological databases. In fact, for mostwildlife
species we often cannot even answer the most basic questions about
reproduction,including the timing of puberty onset, the duration of
sexual receptivity (estrus), the type ofovulation (spontaneous or
induced by mating), the effect of season (in both males andfemales)
and the onset of reproductive senescence. In the past, monitoring
hormones relied on blood sampling after physical restraint
oranesthesia which can be impractical, stressful or dangerous for many
wildlife species. Noninvasive endocrine techniques are now well-
established for tracking urinary and/or fecalhormone metabolites. In
some cases, excreted hormones can even be superior to blood
databecause they represent average values pooled over time, rather
than a single point-in timemeasure. Such techniques can be quite
useful for field investigations or for trackingendocrine status in
nondomestic animal models whose small size or disposition does not
lenditself to repeated handling and blood sampling. Furthermore,
these methods have permittedassessments of pregnancy status, the
incidence of abortion and have provided insights intothe causes of
endocrine-related infertility in wildlife species.
- References: Monfort, S.L., E. Harvey-Devorshak, L. Geurts, L.R. Williamson, H.
Simmons, L. Padillaand D.E. Wildt. 1995. Urinary androstanediol
glucuronide is a measure of androgenic statusin Eld's deer stags
(Cervus eldi thamin). Biol. Reprod. 53:700-706.Wasser, S.K., S.L.
Monfort, J. Southers and D.E. Wildt. 1994. Excretion rates
andmetabolites of oestradiol and progesterone in baboon (Papio
- Category: MEASUREMENTS, METHODS
- Subcategory: EXPOSURE DETERMINATIONS/FOLLOW UP, BASIC RESEARCH,MULTIDISCIPLINARY
RESEARCH
- Keywords for Experimental System/Species: MAMMALIAN, AVIAN, REPTILIAN, FIELD STUDY, LABORATORY STUDY
- Keywords for Experimental Endpoints: REPRODUCTIVE, FEMALE, MALE, HORMONAL MEASURES, SEX STEROIDS,ADRENAL
HORMONES, PHYSIOLOGY, PUBERTY, STRESS RESPONSE
- Chemical Agents: NOT APPLICABLE
- Performing Institution: Smithsonian InstitutionConservation and Research Center1500 Remount
RoadFront Royal, VA 22630phone: 540 635-6523fax: 540 635-6571email:
NZPRPD02.SIVM.SI.EDU
- Contact: Steven L. Monfort, DVM, PhD
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