Lactation-associated infertility in Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) during the breeding season
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.10073.abs To investigate the endocrine factors in Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) responsible for the suppression of the estrous cycle during the first reproductive season after delivery (150–360 days postpartum), peripheral blood was taken to measure plasma concentrations of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), progesterone, estradiol-17β, immunoreactive (ir)-inhibin, and cortisol. The results demonstrated […]
Food consumption and growth of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus californianus)
Abstract 10.1002/1098-2361(2000)19:23.3.CO;2-F The daily food consumption of 26 California sea lions at the Harderwijk Marine Mammal Park was recorded. Average annual food consumption of males increased with age to stabilize at approximately 4,000 kg/year by the age of 10 years. Females showed a rapid increase in average annual food consumption until they were 3 years […]
Nursing parameters in captive killer whales (Orcinus orca)
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1999)18:53.3.CO;2-4 We examined nursing behaviors for a population of captive-born killer whales (four females, three males) at SeaWorld parks from birth until 90 days of age. Nursing parameters examined included cumulatives of suckles per day, bouts per day, and suckle duration (seconds) per day. Daily cumulatives of all nursing parameters peaked within the first […]
Nursing behaviors of beluga calves (Delphinapterus leucas) born in captivity
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1997)16:33.3.CO;2-3 The nursing behaviors of two beluga whale calves were observed for the first 55 days postpartum. For both calves, the total time spent nursing in a given period peaked around 7–10 days postpartum and then declined over time. One calf, however, was found to have an unusual decline in nursing at day 35 […]
Body mass and food intake in captive, breeding bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430100603.abs Body mass (BM) was recorded regularly during pregnancy in four female Indian Ocean bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Daily food intakes were recorded for each animal before and after parturition. BM increase occurred variably between 2 and 5 months of gestation, and at parturition mass increases averaged 41.2% of initial prepregnancy mass. Changes in […]
Nursing behavior and early development of impala at San Diego Wild Animal Park
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430100407.abs Because impala are commonly exhibited and handreared in zoos and their natural nursing behavior had not previously been studied, we examined nursing and early development in five impala calves housed in a large, naturalistic enclosure. Calves were observed for the first 5 weeks of life during 12-hr continuous watches and 20-min focal animal […]
Assessing reproductive status in orang-utans by using urinary estrone
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430100303.abs The aim of this work was to compare normal menstrual cycle patterns of urinary estrone excretion in orang-utans with those of an orang-utan in her late 40s, an orang-utan before and after rehabilitation for anorexia, and an orang-utan during prolonged lactation. A detailed menstrual and sexual activity record was kept for each orang-utan […]
Breed differences in the expression of maternal care at parturition persist throughout the lactation period in sheep
Maternal care plays an important role in the survival of offspring in mammals. In the ewe initial maternal care is expressed by nurturing the young and formation of an exclusive olfactory bond with the lamb. After the neonatal period, maternal care is associated with co-operation with sucking interactions, maintenance of a close ewe-lamb relationship, communication […]
Proximate composition of milk from free-ranging mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei)
Abstract Published data on milk composition for nonhuman primates, especially great apes, are lacking. Milk composition data are important for understanding the physiology and evolution of mammalian milk production, as well as the nutritional requirements of infants. For many primate species these data have added relevance because of the need to hand raise infants orphaned […]
Nursing stimulation is more than tactile sensation: It is a multisensory experience
Novel sensory experiences, particularly those associated with epochal developmental events like nursing alter cortical representation, affecting memory, perception and behavior. Functional MRI was used here to test whether the sensoricortical map of the ventrum is modified during lactation. Three stimuli were used to drive cortical activation in primiparous rats: natural, artificial suckling stimulation and general […]