Suppression of ovulation in Nile Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) using melengestrol acetate‐treated feed or high dose Depo‐Provera injection

Abstract

Analysis of fecal progestogen profiles during Depo-Provera injection (1,200 mg; DEPO, Pfizer Inc., New York, NY), melengestrol acetate (MGA) in feed (2 or 3 mg/head/day), and a combination treatment (DEPO+MGA) are presented for nine captive female Nile hippos housed at Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida. All tested treatments reduced fecal progestogen elevations successfully to durations consistent with prevention of ovulation for a portion of the treatment period. Percentage of treatment months with suppression of luteal phases indicative of ovulation was maximal for high-dose MGA (91.7+/-13.9%) and DEPO+MGA (91.7+/-20.4%), followed by DEPO injection alone (69.2+/-13.9%) and low-dose MGA (57.6+/-33.2%). Both 1,200 mg DEPO and low-dose MGA (2.0 mg/day) treatments were insufficient to prevent an apparent seasonal breakthrough of ovarian activity from June-August 2002. Although luteal phases were observed, no females conceived during those months. Overall, in 133.5 treatment months with females housed with an adult male, one female conceived during the transition period between treatments. After cessation of contraceptive treatment, average latency to first normal ovarian cycle was 80.6+/-19.5 days (range = 22-179 days). Up to 12 months post-treatment, however, successive cycles were often irregular with evidence of short periods of anovulation and shortened luteal phases in all females monitored. In conclusion, high dose and combination treatments were most successful in preventing progestogen increases indicative of ovulation in hippos. Zoo Biol 26:259-274, 2007. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Hippopotamidae (Hippopotamus)

“…The common hippo reproduces well in captivity. 23,24,49,74,75 Contraception of the female hippo is possible with the use of synthetic progestins such as melengestrol acetate (MGA) in the feed. Gestation lasts 240 days, and postpartum estrus in this species contributes to very short intercalving periods of 1.5 to 2 years.…”

Biochemical and biological validations of a faecal glucocorticoid metabolite assay in mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx)

“…We extracted faecal samples using methods described previously (Wheaton et al , 2007). Briefly, 1 ml of 80% methanol was added per 0.1 g of faeces and placed on a shaker on the low setting (Eberbach Co., Ann Arbor, MI) overnight.…”

Estado actual de los hipopótamos (Hippopotamus amphibius) en Colombia: 2018

“…El manejo y el control sobre la reproducción de los hipopótamos en condiciones ex situ se centran principalmente en el manejo endocrino y uso de métodos anticonceptivos en hembras [15][16][17] . Se considera la castración una vía para controlar el crecimiento de la población y potencialmente reducir la agresividad entre machos, sin embargo, existe poca información en la literatura sobre la castración de los hipopótamos.…”

“…Se considera la castración una vía para controlar el crecimiento de la población y potencialmente reducir la agresividad entre machos, sin embargo, existe poca información en la literatura sobre la castración de los hipopótamos. En el pasado los procedimientos fracasaron debido a problemas relacionados con la anestesia, las lagunas de conocimientos acerca de la anatomía del aparato reproductor masculino y las dificultades intraoperatorias en la localización de los testículos 1,16 .…”