Public exposure and number of conspecifics have no influence on ovarian and adrenal activity in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

Abstract

Cheetahs in managed zoological collections do not reproduce efficiently, a problem that may be related to environmental/management stressors. In this study, we examined 17 adult female cheetahs to determine the influence of two environmental factors, (1) being housed on- or off-exhibit and (2) number of adult conspecifics (males and/or females) in nearby enclosures, on profiles and concentrations of ovarian and adrenal hormones. Secondarily, we assessed a subset of group-housed siblings (n=5 females in groups of 2 or 3) for effects of long-term cohabitation. All of the females demonstrated waves of estrogen excretion (indicative of ovarian activity) as well as occasional periods of no estrogen production (anestrus). Glucocorticoid and estrogen concentrations were correlated within an individual (r=0.53; P<0.05), and overall there was a higher frequency of days with elevated glucocorticoid concentrations in association with elevated estrogen excretion. However, none of the management factors had an impact (P>0.05) on estrogen or glucocorticoid metabolite excretory patterns. Although we recently reported that public exposure can negatively affect sperm production, ovarian steroidogenesis in females was unaffected. There also was no evidence of hyper-adrenal activity. Thus, different methods of ex situ management appear to have minimal influence on ovarian function or stress susceptibility of female cheetahs.

Reproductive biology of the 38 extant felid species: a review

“…The reproductive activity of male cheetahs also appears to be higher when they are held off‐exhibit than when they are on‐exhibit (Koester et al. , ). Given that much of the research available on the reproductive biology of felids has been conducted in captivity, it is tempting to speculate that differing enclosure conditions may have contributed to the variability in oestrous cycles and ejaculate traits of the different species.…”

“…Individuals selected for breeding should also be kept off‐exhibit and have their exposure to humans minimised (Koester et al. , ).…”

Non-invasive identification of protein biomarkers for early pregnancy diagnosis in the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus)

“…For this reason, our laboratory has focused on feces as a resource for non-invasively understanding reproductive mechanisms and determining reproductive status, especially via hormone metabolite monitoring. For example, the evaluation of serially collected fecal samples from the cheetah has been useful for characterizing this species’ unique reproductive cycle [ 4 , 24 , 25 ], exploring the influence of exogenous gonadotropins [ 26 ], including for timed artificial insemination [ 8 ], and for examining the influence of management factors on reproductive success of both females [ 27 , 28 ] and males [ 29 , 30 ]. Particularly important is that fecal samples can be collected frequently from a cheetah’s enclosure without causing perceived stress or altering best practice animal care.…”

Impact of mimicking natural dispersion on breeding success of captive North American Cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus)

“…The authors concluded that their findings indicated a psychological attachment may exist between members of a coalition (Ruiz‐Miranda et al, ). An additional study by Koester in 2017 revealed males housed in coalitions had higher ejaculation quality, and higher concentrations of androgen, further suggesting the benefit of housing males in coalition settings not only for efficiency but for economic purposes (Koester, Freeman, et al, ).…”