Assessment Of Reproductive Status Of Free Ranging Female African Elephants (loxodonta Africana) Using Non-invasive Techniques.

Abstract

The major aims of this study were to evaluate the feasibility of using non-invasive techniques fo r th e assessment of the reproductive status in free ranging African elephant females. In order to find the behavioral indices of oestrus, urination, defecation and number of dung boli produced per defection were observed in receptive and nonreceptive females. Urine testing, mating frequencies and guarding distance were also observed in the receptive females throughout the receptive period. Pregnancy was assessed by observing breast development in mated nulliparous females. Urine and faecal samples were collected from cycling and pregnant females in order to develop non-invasive method of hormone sampling in the free ranging elephant. Urine samples from selected females (n = 9) were analyzed for oestrone, pregnanediol and pregnanetrioI gIucuronide conjugates with the aim of detecting oestrus and ovulation, pregnancy and postpartum.