Corticosterone stress hormone responses in oil rehabilitated and non-rehabilitated little penguins

Chilvers, B. Louise; Finlayson, Graeme; Candy, E.J.; Sriram, Aditi; Morgan, Kerri; Cockrem, John F.

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.10.004

Cited by 8 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…This provides some evidence that rescue, captivity, and rehabilitation per se did not cause chronic stress for these possums. In a study of oiled little penguins (Eudyptula minor), there were no long-term effects of rehabilitation on adrenal responses to humans in comparison to wild penguins [75], and a study of translocated elephants (Loxodonta africana) showed that FGMs were elevated during translocation but returned to baseline levels within 23 days [76]. Acute stressors have little impact on the long-term fitness of an animal, however, repeated exposure to acute stressors can result in chronic stress [16,77] and concurrent stressors have been associated with an increasing number of mass mortality events [78].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of an Enzyme Immunoassay to Measure Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Common Brushtail Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) to Evaluate Responses to Rehabilitation

Cope

Keeley

Keong

et al. 2022

Animals

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Volunteer wildlife rehabilitators rescue and rehabilitate thousands of native animals every year in Australia. However, there is little known about how exposure to novel stimuli during rehabilitation could affect the physiology of wildlife. We investigated this question in a species that commonly enters rehabilitation, the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). We evaluated five enzyme immunoassays (EIA) to determine the most suitable for measuring faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) as a proxy for evaluating the response of brushtail possums to potential stressors during rehabilitation. An adrenocorticotrophin hormone (ACTH) challenge was conducted on wild-caught possums to determine the best-performing EIA based on the successful detection of FGM peaks in at least two of three possums. While a number of assays met these criteria, the 11-oxoaetiocholanolone (abbreviation: 72a) EIA was selected as it had the largest amplitude of change in response to the ACTH challenge. This assay was then used to measure FGM concentrations in 20 possums during rehabilitation. There was high variation in baseline FGM concentrations and response to captivity between possums. Significant changes in FGM levels were detected in most possums during captivity, but were not reliably associated with potentially stressful events that were identified by rehabilitators. The probability of an FGM peak occurring within five days of a potentially stressful event was about 50%, regardless of the type of event. Our study has demonstrated that injured and orphaned possums show changes in FGMs during captivity and rehabilitation and has identified events that can induce a physiological response in some individuals. We recommend that research now focus on the relationship between these responses during rehabilitation and pre- and post-release survival.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Validation of an Enzyme Immunoassay to Measure Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Common Brushtail Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) to Evaluate Responses to Rehabilitation

Cope

Keeley

Keong

et al. 2022

Animals

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“…Little blue penguins were the species rehabilitated in the highest numbers (Gartrell et al in press) during the 'Rena' event, as well as having a high number of known mortalities (n = 114, including individuals that died or were euthanized in the rehabilitation facility; Table 1). For this species, post-release monitoring studies have been conducted to evaluate survival and reproduction, (Sievwright et al 2019, in press), post-spill diving and foraging behaviour (Chilvers et al 2015) and for understanding corticosterone stress responses to determine if responses of oiled and rehabilitated birds differed from those of birds not oiled or rehabilitated but from the same area (Chilvers et al 2016). Little blue penguins are recorded as a declining species, with unknown numbers in New Zealand, although they are widely distributed throughout New Zealand and Southern Australia, with an estimated total population of mature individuals of > 400 000; BirdLife International 2017).…”

Section: Known Mortality and Biological Impactsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing avian mortality during oil spills: a case study of the New Zealand MV ‘Rena’ oil spill, 2011

Hunter¹,

Tennyson²,

Bartle³

et al. 2019

Endang. Species. Res.

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Determining the effects of oil spills on wildlife can be difficult. The collection and publication of data on wildlife impacts and mortalities from oil spills are vital steps to help understand overall effects. However, the way wildlife are collected and processed affects the results and how information can be used. Information for threatened and endangered species is particularly important, as effects on small population size or range-restricted species need to be evaluated as accurately as possible. This paper outlines the procedures for the collection of wildlife, both alive and dead, during the first 6 wk following the MV 'Rena' incident in New Zealand and discusses these processes in terms of assessing mortality. The container ship MV 'Rena' struck the Astrolabe Reef, 22 km off Tauranga, New Zealand, spilling an estimated 350 t of heavy fuel oil on 5 October 2011. An oiled-wildlife response team undertook search and collection of all live oiled and all dead birds in the affected area. In the first 6 wk of the response, 428 live birds were taken into the rehabilitation facility, and 1376 oiled and 687 unoiled bird carcasses (representing 49 species) were assessed. To maximise information gathering from oil spill mortalities, we recommend the development of clear collection procedures and documentation, experts for species identification and, where possible, necropsies of carcasses. Direct counts of mortality and post-release (for rehabilitated wildlife) monitoring studies of oiled wildlife are still rare; however, this is critical research that should be undertaken during and after oil-spill events.

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Survival rates of oil-rehabilitated and non-rehabilitated little penguins after the C/V Rena oil spill, New Zealand

Sievwright

Battley

McConnell

et al. 2019

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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Corticosterone stress hormone responses in oil rehabilitated and non-rehabilitated little penguins

Cited by 8 publications

References 23 publications

Validation of an Enzyme Immunoassay to Measure Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Common Brushtail Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) to Evaluate Responses to Rehabilitation

Validation of an Enzyme Immunoassay to Measure Faecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Common Brushtail Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) to Evaluate Responses to Rehabilitation

Assessing avian mortality during oil spills: a case study of the New Zealand MV ‘Rena’ oil spill, 2011

Survival rates of oil-rehabilitated and non-rehabilitated little penguins after the C/V Rena oil spill, New Zealand

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