Carlitz Esther H D, Kirschbaum Clemens, Stalder Tobias, van Schaik Carolus P
Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Biopsychology, Technical University of Dresden, Germany.
Department of Biopsychology, Technical University of Dresden, Germany.
Gen Comp Endocrinol. 2014 Jan 1;195:151-6. doi: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.11.002. Epub 2013 Nov 13.
This study examined whether the method of hair cortisol analysis is applicable to orang-utans (Pongo spp.) and can help to advance the objective monitoring of stress in non-human primates. Specifically, we examined whether fundamental prerequisites for hair cortisol analysis are given in orang-utans and, subsequently, whether segmental hair analysis may provide a retrospective calendar of long-term cortisol levels. For this, hair samples were examined from 71 zoo-living orang-utans (38 males, mean age=22.5years; 33 females, mean age=24years) for which detailed records of past living conditions were available. Hair samples were cut from defined body regions and were analyzed either in full length or in segments. Results showed that hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) were unrelated to age or sex of the individual animal. HCC were found to be higher in orang-utans, with perceived long-term stressful periods (mean HCC=43.6±26.5pg/mg, n=13) compared to animals without perceived stressful periods (19.3±5.5pg/mg, n=55, P<0.001). In non-stressed animals, segmental hair analyses revealed that HCC was stable along the hair shaft even when hair reached >40cm. The possibility of obtaining a retrospective calendar of stress-related cortisol changes through hair analysis was further supported by data of three case studies showing close correspondence between the segmental HCC results and keeper reports of stress exposure during the respective time periods. Finally, low within-animal variation in HCC from different body regions (CV%: 14.3) suggested that this method may also be applicable to naturally shed hair, e.g., as found in nests of wild orang-utans and other great apes. Therefore, using HCC may provide an ideal non-invasive tool for both captive management as well as conservation in orang-utans and potentially other great apes.
本研究探讨了毛发皮质醇分析方法是否适用于红毛猩猩（猩猩属），以及能否有助于推进对非人灵长类动物应激的客观监测。具体而言，我们研究了红毛猩猩是否具备毛发皮质醇分析的基本前提条件，随后，分段毛发分析是否可以提供长期皮质醇水平的回顾性日历。为此，我们对71只圈养红毛猩猩（38只雄性，平均年龄=22.5岁；33只雌性，平均年龄=24岁）的毛发样本进行了检测，这些红毛猩猩都有过去生活状况的详细记录。从特定身体部位剪下毛发样本，对其进行全长分析或分段分析。结果表明，毛发皮质醇浓度（HCC）与个体动物的年龄或性别无关。发现有长期应激期的红毛猩猩（平均HCC=43.6±26.5pg/mg，n=13）的HCC高于无应激期的动物（19.3±5.5pg/mg，n=55，P<0.001）。在无应激动物中，分段毛发分析显示，即使毛发长度超过40厘米，HCC沿毛干也是稳定的。三个案例研究的数据进一步支持了通过毛发分析获得应激相关皮质醇变化回顾性日历的可能性，这些数据表明分段HCC结果与饲养员报告的相应时间段内的应激暴露情况密切对应。最后，不同身体部位的HCC在动物个体内的低变异性（CV%：14.3）表明，该方法也可能适用于自然脱落的毛发，例如在野生红毛猩猩和其他大型猿类的巢穴中发现的毛发。因此，使用HCC可能为圈养管理以及红毛猩猩和其他大型猿类的保护提供一种理想的非侵入性工具。
