Fecal cortisol levels in free-ranging female chacma baboons: relationship to dominance, reproductive state and environmental factors

摘要: Savannah baboons are one of the few mammalian species that do not exhibit seasonal reproduction patterns and therefore ideally suited to study effect female reproductive states (cycling, pregnant, lactating) on cortisol levels independent factors. Fecal samples from 10 free-ranging chacma (Papio hamadryas ursinus), collected during a period 17 months, were analyzed using steroid-extraction method. Reproductive state had significant fecal cortisol, with lowest found in estrous females. Fertility was related levels; we no differences between conceptive nonconceptive cycles. Environmental factors explained most variance levels. Cortisol measures strongly correlated such as daylight duration, temperature amount time spent resting. We measured higher winter months suggest this could be shorter resting periods cold minimum ambient temperatures at site. Finally, relationship social rank nor rate agonistic interactions basal