Tennessee (G. L. S., R. W); Chicago Zoological Park, Brookfield, Illinois (P. J., J. 0.4.)The Asiatic lion (Puntheru Zeo persicu) exists in the wild as a single relict population of approximately 250 individuals in the protected Gir Forest Sanctuary in western India. In 1981, a species survival plan (SSP) for the Asiatic lion was established by the American Association of Zoological Parks and Aquariums to manage the 200+ descendants of Asiatic lions in captivity in western zoological facilities. This captive population was derived from seven founders. In order to compare the genetic structure of the Gir Forest population with that of the captive SSP population, a genetic survey of 46 electrophoretic allozyme systems resolved from extracts of lion blood was undertaken by using 29 SSP Asiatic lions and 28 wild-caught or captive-bred lions maintained at the Sakkarbaug Zoo in India but originally derived from the Gir Forest. The Gir lion population was found to be genetically monomorphic at each of 46 allozyme loci. This was in contrast to several African lion (Puntheru leo Zeo) populations, which show moderate levels of allozyme variation at the same loci. The SSP lion population was polymorphic at three allozyme loci (IDHI, TF, and PTI) for alleles that were previously found only in African lion populations. Pedigree analysis of the genetic transmission of these three biochemical loci demonstrated that two of the five primary founder animals of the SSP Asiatic lion population (a breeding pair originally imported from the Trivandrum Zoo in southern India) were descendants of the African subspecies. Three other founder animals were pure Asian. A retrospective SSP pedigree analysis of two morphologic characters (prominent abdominal fold and pairing of infraorbital foramen) that are partially diagnostic for persicu vs Zeo was consistent with this conclusion as well. The implications for the management of small captive populations of threatened species and of the Asiatic lion SSP population are discussed.

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Ovarian activity in the female giraffe was evaluated during the nonfertile ovarian cycle and during the terminal stages of gestation. Progesterone metabolites, in the form of pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PdG), were measured in daily random urine samples collected from four adult parous giraffes. The follicular phase averaged 4.0 + 0.1 days in length (N = 12; range 3-5 days) and peak PdG levels in the postovulatory period averaged 30.9 5 1.7 ng/mg Cr (N = 12). PdG levels during the latter half of gestation greatly exceeded average luteal phase levels, which is in contrast to domestic ruminants. Prior to parturition, a marked decline in PdG excretion was evident, which may be useful for anticipating this event. These data serve to elucidate ovarian function in the mature female giraffe and to provide information concerning the physiologic role of certain anomalous ovarian structures. In addition, observed similarities in the pattern of PdG excretion during the nonfertile cycles of the giraffe and the okapi indicate similar underlying physiologic processes.Key words: urinary steroid, immunoreactivity, ovarian function, giraffe, okapi, INTRODUCTION ungulatesReproductive assessments in nondomestic species traditionally have depended on opportunistic blood sample collections for gonadal steroid measurements. Given the acute physiologic response of the animal to stress imposed by physical or chemical immobilization and restraint, it is dubious whether or not the resultant hormonal 332Loskutoff et al profiles accurately represent normal endogenous endocrine patterns [Seal et al, 1972;Cumming et al, 1976; Moberg, 19761. Results from studies in domestic cattle and sheep suggest that adrenal corticosteroids, which are released during periods of stress, play regulatory roles in the release of luteinizing hormone and gonadotropin releasing hormone welsh and Johnson, 1981: Padmanabhan et al, 1983 Moberg, 19841. The prevailing body of literature describing the reproductive physiology of exotic species is limited to postmortem examinations of animals that either succumb to disease or trauma or are culled from wild or captive populations for management or research purposes. However, this approach is limited, providing only single point-in-time appraisals of reproductive function, and fails to provide adequate evaluations of normal, ongoing reproductive processes.The giraffe (Girafla camelopardalis) is a ruminant in which unusual ovarian structures have been observed and described in a number of postmortem reports. One example is the reported occurrence of steroidogenically active hemorrhagic follicles and multiple corpora lutea in the ovaries of fetal and neonatal giraffes [Kellas et al, 19581 that are similar in function to the corpora lutea of adult female giraffes [Gombe and Kayanja, 19741. Little information is presently available regarding ovarian function during the nonfertile or fertile reproductive cycles in the adult female giraffe. A recent report by Teare and French [ 19841 indicates that serum progesterone measurem...

In this investigation, an attempt was made to identify the major urinary estrogen metabolites in the okapi by radioisotope infusion and by chromatographic separation procedures. The results suggest that the urinary estrogens are excreted in concentrations below the limit of sensitivity of conventional assay systems. In addition, a variety of contaminants with estrogenic immunoreactivity are present in okapi urine that are not necessarily correlated with follicular activity. A great proportion of circulating estrogen is eliminated in fecal material. However, the rate of elimination is slow, and the extraction procedures necessary to detect the metabolites are tedious, which would prevent the practical application of this procedure for monitoring follicular activity.

This book, as its title implies, is directed toward the veterinary medical emergency care of small animal patients (dogs and cats). Many of the clinical procedures and diagnostic tests described in this book that may be applicable to domestic animals would not be possible in exotic patients in a zoo situation (eg, it is rare to be able to check a knee jerk reflex on an awake exotic animal). Once one overlooks these differences, this book will have a lot of applications for an exotic animal hospital.Each chapter is written by a different author, each an expert in the particular field. The chapters are clearly organized with information on pathophysiology, clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment of emergency conditions. Although one may not have time to review the basic pathophysiology of a medical problem at the time of an emergency, an understanding of the situation may give insight into why a particular treatment worked or failed. Pathophysiology is often very difficult to explain in a brief overview, but the authors were able to present this material so that it could be understood by anyone with a little medical knowledge. The clinical signs, diagnosis, and treatment sections were brief and to the point, making this book very useful in a medical emergency. The treatment sections were very clearly outlined with tables and figures of drug dosages, procedures, and equipment set-ups.The first chapter is an overview of emergency and intensive care. It outlines the initial evaluation by organ system and therapy of a medical emergency when the animal arrives in critical condition. It is then followed by a section on extended managment of the intensive care patient. Some very good practice tips are presented that would be useful to veterinary technicians and veterinary students, including a clear description of insertion of indwelling vascular catheters (along with a description on the reasons for failures), a table on daily caloric and water requirements, and techniques for insertion of indwelling urinary catheters and tracheal tubes. Table 1-3 in the first chapter lists equipment, supplies, and drugs that should be available in case of an emergency. This should be extremely useful in preparing an emergency kit.The rest of the 13 chapters are organized by body systems (eg, cardiovascular, respiratory, urogenital emergencies, etc) with additional chapters on disorders of