Length of Estrous Cycle and Gestation in the Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx) and the Importance of the Male Presence for Induction of Postpartum Estrus

Sempéré, A.; Ancrenaz, Marc; Delhomme, A.; Greth, A.; Blanvillain, Caroline

doi:10.1006/gcen.1996.0026

Cited by 28 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Arabian oryx have been shown to breed opportunistically and without seasonality in wild populations with calving occurring throughout the year (Skinner et al, 1974;Stanley Price, 1989;Greth and Schwede, 1993;Vié 1996;Ancrenaz et al, 1998;Strauss, 2002;Wronski et al, 2011). It appears that male oryx exhibit testosterone cyclicity as an adaptive response to the variable ovarian cycles of female oryx as a means of energy conservation, and overall reproductive behaviours are heavily subjected to, and generally determined by, food and water availability as well as environmental conditions (Sempéré et al, 1996;Ancrenaz et al, 1998). As with breeding and reproductive strategies, the variable social structure of the Arabian oryx also appears to be influenced by various environmental cues (Tear and Ables, 1999;Ismail et al, 2011).…”

Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 95%

Temporal niche switching in Arabian oryx ( Oryx leucoryx ): Seasonal plasticity of 24 h activity patterns in a large desert mammal

Davimes

Alagaili

Bertelsen

et al. 2017

Physiology & Behavior

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Section: Accepted Manuscriptmentioning

confidence: 95%

Temporal niche switching in Arabian oryx ( Oryx leucoryx ): Seasonal plasticity of 24 h activity patterns in a large desert mammal

Davimes

Alagaili

Bertelsen

et al. 2017

Physiology & Behavior

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“…4). Given a gestation period of 255 ± 1.5 to 260 ± 5.5 days (Sempéré et al 1996;Vié 1996 respectively), it was surprising that the fecundity in subsequent years was higher than or equal to 100%, indicating that several females gave birth to two calves during that reproductive year. After the seventh year, fecundity decreased to below 100%, followed by a period of low fecundity between 60 and 100%.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Reproductive biology and life history traits of Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) founder females reintroduced to Mahazat as-Sayd, Saudi Arabia

Wronski

Lerp

Ismail³

2011

Mammalian Biology

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a b s t r a c tReproductive and life history data of Arabian oryx founder females reintroduced into Mahazat as-Sayd Protected Area in Saudi Arabia were collected from 1990 to 2007. A General Linear Model revealed a significant effect of both age and reproductive experience prior to release on overall and male birth rates. We also found an effect on the overall birth rate explained by age alone. Our data are in line with theories suggesting that females reaching a stage in their life where they are unlikely to raise further off-spring increase their investment into progeny and skew sex ratio of their off-spring towards males. Inter-calf interval corresponds with findings from reintroductions in Oman and elsewhere in Saudi Arabia but increased with progressing age. Calving occurred throughout the year with no distinct seasonality. Fecundity was higher in experienced founder females, albeit not significantly. Overall fecundity was highest in young females, decreased in middle aged animals, and remained stable throughout the rest of their life span. Our findings may have an influence on future reintroductions of Arabian oryx and confirm theories in behavioural ecology of ungulates.

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“…In common with most wild antelope, little is known about reproduction in this species, not least because of the harsh environment it inhabits and its tendency to disperse, making prolonged observations in the wild impractical. Pressures exerted on animals inhabiting arid environments are extreme and any increment can lead to extinction in the wild, as occurred with the mhorr gazelle, Gazella dama mhorr [2], the Arabian oryx, Oryx leucoryx [3], and the scimitar-horned oryx, Oryx dammah [4]. Indeed, ex situ breeding programs have been initiated on several arid-environment inhabiting species, although basic data remain limited and, to our knowledge, nothing has been published on reproductive cycles in gazelles.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 92%

Annual Ovarian Cycles in an Aseasonal Breeder, the Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis)1

Skinner

Richter

Malpaux

et al. 2001

Biology of Reproduction

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The springbok is an arid-adapted antelope inhabiting the desert and semidesert regions of southern Africa. Because it thrives in these sparsely vegetated areas, the springbok is of potential agricultural importance and the prospect of domestication has been speculated for many years. However, apart from observational studies on its breeding in the wild, suggesting it is an aseasonal breeder, little is known about the underlying reproductive endocrinology of this species. In this study, biweekly peripheral blood samples were collected from eight captive springbok ewes from October 1995 until September 1998 and analyzed for progesterone. At the start of the study, six ewes were prepubertal and cycling commenced spontaneously between November 1995 and June 1996. Cycling had already commenced in two ewes. At the end of November 1996, estrous cycles ceased abruptly in all ewes and restarted in April 1997. Cycling ceased again between December 1997 and February 1998 and restarted in June 1998 in six ewes; there was no cessation of estrous cycles in two ewes. Thus, although some individuals cycle continuously, there is a clear endocrine anestrus of between 4 and 5 mo in springbok, the timing and duration of which is synchronized between some individuals but the time of onset and cessation is variable from year to year. To ensure that the fluctuations we observed in progesterone levels were reliable indicators of changes in the estrous cycle, blood samples were collected every 6 h for 16 days in August 1998. A surge in LH secretion was observed in all ewes 55 +/- 5 h after the fall in progesterone. Progesterone levels increased again 45 +/- 8 h after the surge. A final study showed that the pattern of melatonin release in springbok exhibits a normal day/night profile, and thus photoperiodic information is transformed into an endocrine code to springbok but does not appear to affect reproduction. Rather, our data raise the possibility that the prevailing ambient temperature may influence the onset of ovarian activity in this species.

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Length of Estrous Cycle and Gestation in the Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx) and the Importance of the Male Presence for Induction of Postpartum Estrus

Cited by 28 publications

References 22 publications

Temporal niche switching in Arabian oryx ( Oryx leucoryx ): Seasonal plasticity of 24 h activity patterns in a large desert mammal

Temporal niche switching in Arabian oryx ( Oryx leucoryx ): Seasonal plasticity of 24 h activity patterns in a large desert mammal

Reproductive biology and life history traits of Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx) founder females reintroduced to Mahazat as-Sayd, Saudi Arabia

Annual Ovarian Cycles in an Aseasonal Breeder, the Springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis)1

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