Parturition and Neonatal Parameters of Three Species of Rhinoceros under Managed Care in the United States
Rhinoceros species range from near threatened to critically endangered due to habitat loss and poaching. A sustainable ex situ breeding population is critically important to maintain genetic diversity and help ensure the survival of the species; however, not all populations under human care are self-sustaining. While rhinoceros reproductive physiology and pathology have been well studied, […]
Sleep-related behaviors in zoo-housed giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata): Basic characteristics and effects of season and parturition
Despite increasing interest in the behavior of zoo animals, studies of nocturnal behavior of zoo animals are limited. In this study, we investigated the relationship between parturition, season, and the sleep-related behaviors in captive reticulated giraffes to better understand the nocturnal life in giraffes. The subjects were two adult reticulated giraffes living in Kyoto City […]
Behavioural and endocrinological parameters of female African and Asian elephants
Reproduction of African elephants Loxodonta africana and Asian elephants Elephas maximus has in the past been poor in European zoos and juvenile survival has been low. A range of potential complications, such as stillbirths or maternal aggression towards the calf, makes it imperative that the date of parturition is predicted as accurately as possible. Behavioural, […]
A survey of the management and development of captive African elephant (Loxodonta africana) calves: birth to three months of age
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20195.abs We used four surveys to collect information about the birth, physical growth, and behavioral development of 12 African elephant calves born in captivity. The management of the birth process and neonatal care involved a variety of standard procedures. All of the calves were born at night, between 7PM and 7AM. The calves showed […]
Reproduction in the yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis platurus) from Panama: Field and laboratory observations
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1996)15:33.3.CO;2-R Little is known of the reproductive biology of the yellow-bellied sea snake (Pelamis platurus), a species widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific and eastern Pacific Oceans. We observed mating, birth, and free-ranging neonates of P. platurus while collecting this snake once a month over 19 months in the Gulf of Chiriquí, Panama. A pair […]
Endocrine and ultrasonographic characterization of a successful pregnancy in a Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) supplemented with a synthetic progestin
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.10131.abs A Sumatran rhinoceros with a history of early pregnancy loss was supplemented with a synthetic progestin, altrenogest (Regu-Mate®), and delivered a healthy, full-term calf 475 days after mating. Serum hormone concentrations were measured throughout gestation, and ultrasonography was used to monitor embryo/fetal growth and viability. The embryonic vesicle growth curve was characterized by […]
Effects of management practices on the timing of captive chimpanzee births
Most wild and captive nonhuman primates give birth nocturnally. Circadian rhythm mechanisms are a principal determinant of the nonrandom initiation of labor, but it has been suggested that the decreased human activity and increased seclusion over the weekend in laboratory primate colonies may result in an effect whereby births are confined mainly to the quiet […]
Behavioural predictors of the start of normal and dystocic calving in dairy cows and heifers
The individual monitoring of dairy cows around the time of calving is important to identify calving difficulties or health problems as early as possible. This study aims to identify whether there are differences in the behaviour before calving, between heifers and cows, and between those that are assisted at calving and those that are not. […]
Prepartum plasma estradiol and postpartum cortisol, but not oxytocin, are associated with interindividual and breed differences in the expression of maternal behaviour in sheep
Consistent, individual differences in the expression of maternal behaviour have been described in several species including the sheep. The neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the onset of maternal behaviour in the sheep have been described, although the relationship between hormonal events and individual differences in behaviour has yet to be determined. In this study, we examined whether […]
Maternal care of rabbits in the lab and on the farm: Endocrine regulation of behavior and productivity
Maternal behavior in rabbits has been well described in the wild, the laboratory, and the farm. Salient characteristics include: (a) the construction of a nest (inside an underground burrow or a box), composed of straw/grass and body hair and (b) the display of a single, brief (ca. 3 min) nursing bout per day. The onset and […]