Reproductive hormone profiles of six captive killer whales (Orcinu orcus) from three Sea World aquaria were studied for intervals up to 2 yr. Daily urine samples and bimonthly blood samples were collected and analyzed for hormone concentration. Immunoreactive estrone conjugates, pregnanediol-3-glucoruonide, 20-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone as well as bioactive follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) were measured in urine samples and indexed by creatinine concentrations of the same sample. In selected cases, serum progesterone concentrations were also measured. Three of the animals in the study became pregnant during the study period and two of these animals were evaluated during the time of conception and throughout most of gestation. From the data of the three animals that conceived, hormone profiles of the complete ovarian cycle, early pregnancy, and mid- to late gestation are described. The remaining three animals did not conceive and only one of these demonstrated hormone changes that indicated regular ovarian activity. The female reproductive pattern of the killer whale is characterized by a gestation of 17 mo and an ovarian cycle of 6-7 wk in duration. The hormone changes associated with the ovarian cycle of the killer whale are similar to those of most other mammalian species. A bimodal pattern of bioactive FSH with a pronounced rise of estrogen predominates the preovulatory hormone profile. After ovulation, increased progesterone production is observed for approximately 4 wk in the nonconceptive ovarian cycle. During the luteal phase and early pregnancy, when progesterone metabolites are elevated, estrogen metabolite excretion remains low. These data extend the application of urine collections for longitudinal studies involving hormone changes, particularly those involving nondomesticated species.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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...