The stress of being alone: Removal from the colony, but not social subordination, increases fecal cortisol metabolite levels in eusocial naked mole-rats
In many social species, hierarchical status within the group is associated with differences in basal adrenocortical activity. We examined this relationship in naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber), eusocial rodents with arguably the most extreme social hierarchies of all mammals. This species lives in colonies where breeding is restricted to one socially dominant ‘queen’ and her male […]
Characterization and correlations of behavioral and adrenocortical activities of zoo-housed lesser anteaters (Tamandua tetradactyla)
We characterized behavioral and adrenocortical activities of Tamandua tetradactyla under human care driven by the hypothesis that they vary between males and females. We also assessed the potential association between natural or abnormal behaviors and adrenocortical activity. We kept females and males T. tetradactyla in individual, contiguous enclosures at Cordoba Zoo (Argentina), under natural photoperiod […]
Assessing stress in animal populations: Do fecal and plasma glucocorticoids tell the same story?
Many studies have recently focused on stress as a marker of an animal’s well being. Since animals respond to a stressor by increasing their glucocorticoid (GC) levels there has been much interest in measuring these hormones. Fecal GC analyses have been used in a wide range of studies as they are an easily obtained, non-invasive […]