Delayed physiological acclimatization by African elephants following reintroduction
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Published source details
Jachowski D.S., Slotow R. & Millspaugh J.J. (2013) Delayed physiological acclimatization by African elephants following reintroduction. Animal Conservation, 16, 575-583.
Published source details Jachowski D.S., Slotow R. & Millspaugh J.J. (2013) Delayed physiological acclimatization by African elephants following reintroduction. Animal Conservation, 16, 575-583.
Actions
This study is summarised as evidence for the following.
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Release translocated mammals into fenced areas Action Link |
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Release translocated mammals into fenced areas
A replicated study in 2000–2006 in five savannah reserves in South Africa (Jachowski et al. 2013) found that following translocation into fenced reserves, stress hormone levels of African elephants Loxodonta africana declined with time since release. Average levels of stress hormones were respectively 10% and 40% lower in reserves where elephants had been released 10 and 24 years before sampling than in a reserve where elephants had been released one year before sampling. The concentrations of stress hormones levels (fecal glucocorticoid metabolites) were quantified from 1,567 fecal samples collected in 2000–2006 from elephants reintroduced to five fenced reserves. Translocated elephants had been released in 1981 in two of the reserves, in 1992 in two other reserves and in 2000 in one reserve. Samples were collected from all family groups on nearly consecutive days and efforts were made not to collect multiple samples from the same individual.
(Summarised by: Ricardo Rocha)
