Analytical Validation and Assessment of Baseline Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Northern Sea Otters (<i>Enhydra lutris kenyoni</i>) in Human Care
Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) have been used as a non-invasive and indirect measurement of the complex stress response in a variety of species. Animals in facilities under managed care allow for the longitudinal study of FGMs in a controlled environment. Animal histories often include envi...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-07-01
|
| Series: | Animals |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/13/2175 |
| _version_ | 1797592214980788224 |
|---|---|
| author | Amy Y. Olsen Angela Smith Caroline Hempstead Shawn E. Larson |
| author_facet | Amy Y. Olsen Angela Smith Caroline Hempstead Shawn E. Larson |
| author_sort | Amy Y. Olsen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) have been used as a non-invasive and indirect measurement of the complex stress response in a variety of species. Animals in facilities under managed care allow for the longitudinal study of FGMs in a controlled environment. Animal histories often include environmental, husbandry, and medical notes that can be matched to FGM concentrations to aid in the physiological validation of adrenal stimulation and response. The goal of this study was to demonstrate analytical validations using two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (EIA) to measure FGMs from northern sea otters (<i>Enhydra lutris kenyoni</i>) under human care (Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA, USA) and to determine baseline and stress response spike levels for individual sea otters. Individual variation was found among the four subjects in the study with fecal baseline levels ranging from 20.2 to 83.7 ng/g for cortisol-immunoreactive metabolites and 52.3 to 102 ng/g for corticosterone-immunoreactive metabolites. As a retrospective study, 39 percent of hormone peaks were associated with notes and most FGM spikes were associated with veterinary procedures or days in which enrichment items were provided and produced an excitatory response. Monitoring baseline FGMs levels and events associated with hormone peak values may provide insight into effective husbandry management to improve the overall welfare of sea otters and other marine mammals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:48:19Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a24cb2ed7fbb482db3f9c391e9e1e295 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T01:48:19Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-a24cb2ed7fbb482db3f9c391e9e1e2952023-11-18T16:04:05ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-07-011313217510.3390/ani13132175Analytical Validation and Assessment of Baseline Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Northern Sea Otters (<i>Enhydra lutris kenyoni</i>) in Human CareAmy Y. Olsen0Angela Smith1Caroline Hempstead2Shawn E. Larson3Seattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101, USASeattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101, USASeattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101, USASeattle Aquarium, 1483 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101, USAFecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGMs) have been used as a non-invasive and indirect measurement of the complex stress response in a variety of species. Animals in facilities under managed care allow for the longitudinal study of FGMs in a controlled environment. Animal histories often include environmental, husbandry, and medical notes that can be matched to FGM concentrations to aid in the physiological validation of adrenal stimulation and response. The goal of this study was to demonstrate analytical validations using two enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (EIA) to measure FGMs from northern sea otters (<i>Enhydra lutris kenyoni</i>) under human care (Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA, USA) and to determine baseline and stress response spike levels for individual sea otters. Individual variation was found among the four subjects in the study with fecal baseline levels ranging from 20.2 to 83.7 ng/g for cortisol-immunoreactive metabolites and 52.3 to 102 ng/g for corticosterone-immunoreactive metabolites. As a retrospective study, 39 percent of hormone peaks were associated with notes and most FGM spikes were associated with veterinary procedures or days in which enrichment items were provided and produced an excitatory response. Monitoring baseline FGMs levels and events associated with hormone peak values may provide insight into effective husbandry management to improve the overall welfare of sea otters and other marine mammals.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/13/2175hormonesstressmarine mammalendocrinologycortisolcorticosterone |
| spellingShingle | Amy Y. Olsen Angela Smith Caroline Hempstead Shawn E. Larson Analytical Validation and Assessment of Baseline Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Northern Sea Otters (<i>Enhydra lutris kenyoni</i>) in Human Care Animals hormones stress marine mammal endocrinology cortisol corticosterone |
| title | Analytical Validation and Assessment of Baseline Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Northern Sea Otters (<i>Enhydra lutris kenyoni</i>) in Human Care |
| title_full | Analytical Validation and Assessment of Baseline Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Northern Sea Otters (<i>Enhydra lutris kenyoni</i>) in Human Care |
| title_fullStr | Analytical Validation and Assessment of Baseline Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Northern Sea Otters (<i>Enhydra lutris kenyoni</i>) in Human Care |
| title_full_unstemmed | Analytical Validation and Assessment of Baseline Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Northern Sea Otters (<i>Enhydra lutris kenyoni</i>) in Human Care |
| title_short | Analytical Validation and Assessment of Baseline Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites in Northern Sea Otters (<i>Enhydra lutris kenyoni</i>) in Human Care |
| title_sort | analytical validation and assessment of baseline fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in northern sea otters i enhydra lutris kenyoni i in human care |
| topic | hormones stress marine mammal endocrinology cortisol corticosterone |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/13/2175 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT amyyolsen analyticalvalidationandassessmentofbaselinefecalglucocorticoidmetabolitesinnorthernseaottersienhydralutriskenyoniiinhumancare AT angelasmith analyticalvalidationandassessmentofbaselinefecalglucocorticoidmetabolitesinnorthernseaottersienhydralutriskenyoniiinhumancare AT carolinehempstead analyticalvalidationandassessmentofbaselinefecalglucocorticoidmetabolitesinnorthernseaottersienhydralutriskenyoniiinhumancare AT shawnelarson analyticalvalidationandassessmentofbaselinefecalglucocorticoidmetabolitesinnorthernseaottersienhydralutriskenyoniiinhumancare |