Ultrasonography of the urogenital tract in elephants (Loxodonta africana and Elephas maximus): An important tool for assessing female reproductive function
Abstract 10.1002/1098-2361(2000)19:53.3.CO;2-B At present, the worldwide captive elephant population is not self-sustaining. The major reason for low reproductive rates is the heretofore undiagnosed reproductive disorders of nulliparous females of prime breeding age. Recent advances in ultrasound technology have facilitated the detection of these disorders in non-sedated animals. Approximately 2,000 ultrasonographic examinations were performed in more […]
Gross anatomy of the reproductive tract of female black (Diceros bicornis michaeli) and white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430100208.abs Reproductive tracts were collected from three black rhinoceros and two white rhinoceros at necropsy. All females were nulliparous, except for one primiparous white rhinoceros. The animals ranged in age from 7 days to 28 years. All nulliparous animals had a constriction in the vaginal canal, which appeared to be a hymen. The primiparous […]
The maintenance and termination of maternal behavior in rabbits: Involvement of suckling and progesterone
Rabbits mated at postpartum estrus become concurrently pregnant and lactating. They wean the first litter shortly before delivering the second one. Lactating-only rabbits do not spontaneously wean their young. These differences suggest that: a) suckling contributes to the long-term maintenance of maternal responsiveness and b) pregnancy-associated factors are essential to promote weaning. To explore if […]
What necropsy reports can tell us about menopausal and age-related changes in Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla)
This paper explores age-related post-mortem changes in zoo-housed gorillas. Our previous research examined hormonal changes in zoo-housed ageing western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) females in order to assess whether they experienced hormonal menopause. We had the opportunity to investigate whether these females showed post-mortem changes similar to those seen in ageing human females, and […]