Journal article
Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite response of captive koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) to visitor encounters
General and comparative endocrinology, Vol.244, pp.157-163
01/04/2017
PMID: 27418014
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Abstract
Physiological responses of wildlife species to zoo visitors should be studied to better understand how wildlife perceive human encounters. We conducted an experimental test of the effect of changes in zoo visitor encounter experiences on the glucocorticoid (GC) response of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) in a Sydney zoo. Koalas were housed in a multiple-bay enclosure (two to three koalas per bay) for photography sessions with zoo visitors (no touching of koalas permitted by visitors). Following a one week no-photography baseline period, photography sessions were rotated between three enclosure bays for four weeks (Intensive photography), then between five enclosure bays for an additional four weeks (Standard photography). A sixth enclosure bay was never included in the photography sessions (control bay); koalas in this bay showed no significant change in fecal cortisol metabolites (FCMs) during the course of the study. In the five experimental bays differences were seen between male and female koalas. Males had higher mean FCMs than females, and individual FCM traces showed that two male koalas that were related and of similar age responded strongly to the experimental manipulation. These two males showed a peak in FCMs at the beginning of the Intensive photography period, then a decline when photography sessions returned to the Standard protocol. No systematic pattern in response to photography sessions was observed in females. Our results demonstrate successful application of a non-invasive endocrinology tool for assessing the stress biology and welfare of captive zoo wildlife.
Details
- Title
- Fecal glucocorticoid metabolite response of captive koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) to visitor encounters
- Creators
- Koa Webster - Macquarie UniversityEdward Narayan - Charles Sturt UniversityNicholas de Vos - Taronga Zoo
- Publication Details
- General and comparative endocrinology, Vol.244, pp.157-163
- Publisher
- Elsevier
- Number of pages
- 7
- Grant note
- 9201300452 / James N Kirby Foundation, Australia Taronga Zoo
- Identifiers
- 991013269109602368
- Copyright
- © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article