TLDR Wildebeest stress and hormone levels are influenced by food availability, human presence, and reproductive cycles.
This study explored the use of hair hormone concentrations to assess long-term physiological trends in Serengeti wildebeest. By analyzing cortisol, progesterone, and aldosterone levels in hair samples, researchers linked these hormone profiles to environmental and anthropogenic factors. Cortisol levels were negatively related to vegetative productivity and proximity to villages, indicating increased stress in areas with low food availability and near human settlements. Progesterone levels varied with reproductive cycles, peaking between the rut and calving period, while aldosterone levels indicated sodium stress, particularly in migratory wildebeest during the dry season. This research demonstrated a method for collecting chronic physiological data, offering insights into the relationship between animal physiology and environmental conditions, with implications for movement ecology, conservation, and animal welfare.
33 citations
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January 2017 in “Conservation physiology” Measuring reproductive hormones in brown bear hair could help identify their sex and reproductive state, but better collection methods or lab techniques are needed.
199 citations
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July 2007 in “General and Comparative Endocrinology” Hair cortisol can reliably indicate chronic stress in cats and dogs.
375 citations
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February 2006 in “Journal of Cell Science” The document concludes that the hair cycle is a complex process involving growth, regression, and rest phases, regulated by various molecular signals.
467 citations
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October 2014 in “European Journal of Endocrinology” The European Society of Endocrinology advises individualized long-term management for PCOS, focusing on lifestyle changes, accurate diagnosis, and treatments for associated health risks and symptoms.
78 citations
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November 2014 in “Functional Ecology” Heavily hunted wolves have higher stress and reproductive hormone levels.
34 citations
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September 2020 in “BMC Endocrine Disorders” Existing drug dexamethasone may lower death risk in severe COVID-19 cases; more research needed for other drugs.
2 citations
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November 2011 in “InTech eBooks” Most adrenal cortex tumors are benign and non-secreting, but proper diagnosis and treatment are important due to the rare possibility of cancer.
1 citations
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August 2015 in “Current Sexual Health Reports” 5α-reductase inhibitors can cause serious and possibly lasting sexual and psychological side effects.
