| Fancois' langur and dune monkey belong to Cercopithecidae family, and lar gibbon and pileated gibbon belong to Hylobatidae family. They are classified as Endangered (EN) on the IUCN Red List, and listed on Appendix I of CITES. To measure the hormonal level and combine their knowledge of endocrine, physiology and reproduction to infer their length of ovarian cycle and pregnancy, my results of this study may be used for more effective management in the zoo, so as to achieve the purpose of protecting the species.Francois'langur (Mikan, Anzu and Choco), dune monkey (Wani and Tubao), lar gibbon (Intan) and pileated gibbon (Makiko) in Zoorasia Yokohama Zoological gardens and Yokohama kanazawa Zoo was used in my study, and their feces and urine samples were collected at these zoos. The specimens were immediately placed in the freezer (-20?). Their frozen specimens send to our laboratory in sub-zero box once in one or two months by express delivery, and quickly put them into the refrigerator (-20?) until assay. The values of fecal and urinary hormonal metabolites were measured using enzyme immunoassay (ElA) after extraction by methanol. Gestation length was calculated as the period of increased and sustained the hormonal metabolite values prior until steep decrease the values after parturition, immediately. The ovarian cycle length was defined the period from the first elevated hormonal metabolite contents until the first raised values of the next cycle.Their reproductive states were shown by collection of the feces or urine and measurement of hormonal contents in francois' langur, dune monkey, lar gibbon and pileated gibbon. From the result of pregnanediol-glucuronide (PdG) contents in one female francois' langur, the lengths of ovarian cycle and pregnancy were calculated 25.00±2.94 days and 212.50 days, and 26.50±3.69 days and 215.00 days by contents of fecal Estradiol-17beta (E2), respectively. The other female francois'langur, the lengths of ovarian cycle and gestation were 27.11±2.26 days and 209 days based on changes of fecal PdG contents, and 26.17±4.07 days and 212 days based on the changes of fecal E2 contents, respectively. The third female francois'langur, the ovarian cycle was calculated 25.67±3.00 days and 25.38±2.56 days based on changes of fecal PdG and E2 contents, respectively.From the result of PdG levels in one female dune monkey, the lengths of ovarian cycle and pregnancy were calculated 25.83±3.25 days and 211.33± 8.74 days, and 24.80±1.48 days and 207.33±10.21 days based on the changes of E2 levels, respectively. The other female dune monkey, the lengths of ovarian cycle and pregnancy based on changes of PdG contents were calculated 28.00± 2.83 days and 201 days, and 28.00±2.94 days and 204 days based on changes of fecal E2 contents, respectively.From the result of urinary progesterone (P4) concentration in one female lar gibbon, the lengths of ovarian cycle and gestation were calculated 26.33±3.27 days and 195 days, and 24.80±5.07 days and 192 days based on changes of urinary estradiol-glucuronide (E2G) concentration, respectively. In one female pileated gibbon, the lengths of ovarian cycle and gestation were calculated 24.80 ±4.07 days and 195 day based on changes of urinary P4 concentration, and 22.00±1.83 days and 197 days based on changes of urinary E2G concentration, respectively.This thesis extends our knowledge of the reproductive physiology of the endangered species, with general information on hormonal changes that accompany the reproductive phenomena of the ovarian cycle, conception, pregnancy and parturition. The use of a reliable non-invasive approach to hormonal monitoring is advantageous in endangered species, whose wild populations have been drastically reduced. And otherwise, the results may be used for more effective management and improved captive-breeding program for the precious primates. |
PDF Full Text Request