Non-invasive fecal hormone analysis and behavioral observations for monitoring stress responses in captive western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20055.abs Non-invasive techniques for monitoring the stress response in captive western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) were investigated. Fecal samples for cortisol measurement and concurrent behavioral data were collected from six individuals in a socially housed gorilla group (one adult male, three adult females and their three offspring) over a 7-month period. Despite inter-individual […]
Discrimination of conspecifics by juvenile domestic pigs, Sus scrofa
Social recognition is important for the formation and maintenance of dominance hierarchies that are based on conspecific assessment. Pigs are assumed to recognize individuals because they react aggressively towards unfamiliar conspecifics, but we know little about the extent of their discriminatory abilities or the influential variables. We investigated the ability of 6-week-old female pigs to […]