Noninvasive Study Of Steroid Hormone And Immunoglobulin In Giant Panda And Przewalskii Horse

The living status of endangered species such as giant panda(Ailuropoda melanoleuca) and P-horse (Equus przewalskii) is the key fields of the study of conservation biology and it attracted a wide spread attention. Noninvasive sampling and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used in this study to determine the indices of reproductive physiology, physiological stress and immunophysiology. The aim was to explore the feasible research approach to establish the scientific basis for the wild population's monitoring and health assessment in giant panda and P-horse. For this purpose, this study was done in Shaanxi Rare Wildlife Rescuing and Breeding Research Center and Xinjiang Przewalskii Horse Breeding Research Center collecting fecal sample and determine in lab during 2009 to 2010. The main results are as follows,1 The fecal estrdiol, testosterone and cortisol is significant difference (p<0.01) between the interior and exterior of feces. In view of the size of giant panda's feces is big, the feces should be mixed as sufficient as possible to avoid the inaccurate result.2 Fecal estradiol is not different between sexes (p>0.05) and the testosterone is significant difference. Therefore, fecal testosterone can be a biomarker for sex determination of wild giant panda.3 Fecal cortisol can monitor the stress physiology of giant panda for artificial insemination, artificial fertilization and parturition. Therefore, noninvasive feces sampling can be an effective sampling method to monitor the stress physiology status and living status of wild giant panda.4 The testosterone of male P-horse is seasonal change and the change patten is corresponding with the reproduction; meanwhile, the teatosterone and cortisol level is positive correlation of male P-horse. Therefore, fecal tetosterone and cortisol can be used for monitoring the reproduction status and stress physiology of male P-horse.5 Fecal cortisol is seanoal change and parturition and high temperature is more intensive stressor than other factor lead to the elevated cortisol of P-horse.6 Fecal IgG and IgM donn't change with the season and IgA concentration is the highest in July. This result shows that total immunity which was represented by IgG and total intensity of infection which was represented by IgM donn't change with the season. Meanwhile, intestinal mucosal immunity which was represented by IgA is corresponding with the increasing antigen during high temperature season. Fecal cortisol and IgG has no significant correlation. Fecal cortisol has significant correlation with IgM and IgA and the correlativity between stress response and immue response.7 Release process is an intensive stressor and lead to intensive stress response during release process and post-release days. This result indicates that timely care and management should be applied after release process in order to insure the success of release.8 The infection of horse bots larve inhibits the immunity of P-horse and weakens the stress physiology. Furthermore, the immunity was influenced by stress response.This study indicates that noninvasive sampling can be used for monitoring the reproduction status, stress physiology and immunophysiology and the noninvasive feces sampling can be an effective sampling method to monitor the physiology status and living status of this two endangered species.