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Thirty-six free-ranging lions (12 per group) were immobilized with tiletamine–zolazepam (Zoletil 0.6 mg/kg i.m.) plus medetomidine (0.036 mg/kg i.m.) (TZM), ketamine (3.0 mg/kg i.m.) plus medetomidine (0.036 mg/kg i.m.) (KM) or ketamine (1.2 mg/kg i.m.) plus butorphanol (0.24 mg/kg i.m.) plus medetomidine (0.036 mg/kg i.m.) (KBM). During immobilization cardiovascular variables were monitored at 5-minute intervals for a period of 30 minutes. Lions immobilized with all three drug combinations were severely hypertensive. Systolic arterial pressure was higher at initial sampling in lions immobilized with KM (237.3 ± 24.8 mmHg) than in those immobilized with TZM (221.0 ± 18.1 mmHg) or KBM (226.0 ± 20.6 mmHg) and decreased to 205.8 ± 19.4, 197.7 ± 23.7 and 196.3 ± 17.7 mmHg, respectively. Heart rates were within normal ranges for healthy, awake lions and decreased throughout the immobilization regardless of drug combination used. Lions immobilized with TZM had a higher occurrence (66%) of skipped heart beats than those immobilized with KBM (25%). The three drug combinations all caused negative cardiovascular effects, which were less when KBM was used, but adverse enough to warrant further investigations to determine if these effects can be reversed or prevented when these three combinations are used to immobilize free-living lions.

Made available in DSpace on 2022-04-28T19:48:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2022-04-01 Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) We used a high-precision weighing system and flow-through respirometry to quantify cutaneous evaporative water loss rates in woolly sheep (wool thickness, ca. 6.5 cm) and haired goats (coat thickness, ca. 2.5 cm), while simultaneously recording parallel data obtained from (1) a flow-through ventilated capsule, (2) a closed hand-held electronic evaporimeter chamber, and (3) a closed colorimetric paper disc chamber. In comparison to the weighing system and respirometry, used here as a “gold standard” measure of cutaneous evaporative water loss rate, we found relatively good agreement with data obtained from the flow-through ventilated capsules. However, we found poor agreement with data obtained from the closed electronic evaporimeter chambers (underestimated by 60%, on average) and the closed colorimetric paper disc chambers (overestimated by 52%, on average). This deviation was likely associated with a requirement for shaved skin in the closed chamber methods. Our results therefore cast doubt on the validity of the closed chamber methods for measurement of cutaneous evaporative water loss rates in furred and fleeced mammals, and instead show that more accurate values can be obtained using flow-through ventilated capsules. Innovation Group of Biometeorology and Animal Welfare Animal Science Department Universidade Federal da Paraíba Brain Function Research Group School of Physiology University of the Witwatersrand Innovation Group of Biometeorology and Animal Welfare Animal Science Department Universidade Estadual Paulista Department of Anatomy and Physiology Faculty of Veterinary Science University of Pretoria Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research Faculty of Veterinary Science University of Pretoria Innovation Group of Biometeorology and Animal Welfare Animal Science Department Universidade Estadual Paulista FAPESP: 2016/12278-1 FAPESP: 2018/12218-4

Objective To determine biomarkers for impending fluid overload during intravenous fluid administration in a feline haemorrhage-resuscitation model. Study design Randomized crossover study. Animals A group of six domestic cats (mean age and weight: 21 months; 4.9 kg, respectively). Methods The cats underwent three treatments, 2 months apart. They were anaesthetized and instrumented to measure a range of physiological, blood gas, haematological and biochemical variables over time. Samples were taken during a health check, before haemorrhage, after haemorrhage and then at 30 minute intervals during fluid resuscitation and 24 hours later. The three treatments were: 1) control, sham haemorrhage and resuscitation; 2) lactated Ringer’s solution (LRS); and 3) 6% tetrastarch 130/0.4 (Vol) where the cats underwent a controlled haemorrhage then resuscitation by administering LRS and Vol at 60 and 20 mL kg–1 hour–1, respectively, for 120 minutes. Fluid overload was identified by nasal discharge and radiographic evidence. Biomarkers were variables that exceeded the reference interval for cats during treatment. Potential biomarkers were analysed using receiver operating characteristic curves (p Results Mean ± standard deviation total blood loss was 10.2 ± 2.3, 29.3 ± 9.0 and 29.1 ± 6.3 mL kg–1 for control, LRS and Vol, respectively. The total volume of LRS and Vol administered was 120 and 40 mL kg–1, respectively. Haematocrit, albumin, magnesium, chloride-to-sodium ratio and sodium-chloride difference were identified as potential biomarkers. These variables exceeded the reference intervals from 30 minutes of resuscitation onwards. A chloride-to-sodium ratio > 0.84 was the most sensitive (90%) and specific (75%) of all potential biomarkers. Conclusions and clinical relevance Changes in physiological variables, haematocrit and albumin were poor biomarkers of impending fluid overload compared with electrolytes. Finding the ideal biomarker to identify impending fluid overload of commonly used intravenous fluids should improve the safety of their administration in cats.

Climate change will expose mammals to an array of stressors, some new, and some with increased frequency and severity. Those stressors influence endocrine and metabolic function, with potential consequences for the survival and persistence of mammalian species. Here, we review the similar consequences of climate change on the physiological function of terrestrial mammals, including direct effects of increasing air temperatures and reduced water availability, as well as the indirect effect of reduced or unpredictable food supply. Understanding the mechanisms through which function is altered and the capacity for mammals to maintain homoeostasis in a changing environment is essential for predicting the impact of climate change on mammals and implementing appropriate conservation actions.

The spatial and temporal distribution of spawning activity by autumn‐run Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (Walbaum) was examined across multiple years. The study period included two years of extreme drought conditions when water temperatures in the spawning reach of the Stanislaus River were considered sub‐optimal for spawning and egg incubation. Despite varying levels of superimposition, redd counts and densities remained stable and positively associated with river location, indicating that superimposition may be driven by habitat preference rather than the absence of suitable spawning locations. Spawning occurred slightly later during drought years (6–10 days later compared with wetter years). This delay was attributable to deferred migration instead of deferred spawning, and the majority of redds were constructed at water temperatures exceeding the optimal temperature range. As a consequence, estimates of juvenile production during 2014 and 2015 were among the lowest on record. These findings may be related in part to the high hatchery contribution to the population, above‐average temperatures during spawning and incubation, and superimposition rates. Management recommendations include adequate cold‐water storage in the upstream reservoir, refined spawning habitat restoration techniques in the light of superimposition rates and, on a broader system scale, actions that reduce the amount of stray hatchery Chinook salmon.

Most primates, including humans, give birth during the inactive phase of the daily cycle. Practical constraints therefore limit our knowledge of the precise timing of nocturnal birth in wild diurnal primates and so limit our understanding of selective pressures and consequences. We measured maternal core body temperature ( T b ) across 24 births in a population of wild vervet monkeys using biologgers. We identified distinct perturbations in T b during the birth period, including declining T b during labour and the rapid recovery of T b post-parturition. Vervet monkeys typically gave birth during their inactive phase in synchrony with the nadir of the maternal nychthemeral T b rhythm but also showed remarkable inter-individual variability in their absolute T b during birth. Our findings support the view that selection may have favoured a nocturnal timing of primate birth to coincide with lower night-time T b and environmental temperatures, which improve thermal efficiency during birth.

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Fevers are considered an adaptive response by the host to infection. For gregarious animals, however, fever and the associated sickness behaviors may signal a temporary loss of capacity, offering other group members competitive opportunities. We implanted wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) with miniature data loggers to obtain continuous measurements of core body temperature. We detected 128 fevers in 43 monkeys, totaling 776 fever-days over a 6-year period. Fevers were characterized by a persistent elevation in mean and minimum 24-h body temperature of at least 0.5 °C. Corresponding behavioral data indicated that febrile monkeys spent more time resting and less time feeding, consistent with the known sickness behaviors of lethargy and anorexia, respectively. We found no evidence that fevers influenced the time individuals spent socializing with conspecifics, suggesting social transmission of infection within a group is likely. Notably, febrile monkeys were targeted with twice as much aggression from their conspecifics and were six times more likely to become injured compared to afebrile monkeys. Our results suggest that sickness behavior, together with its agonistic consequences, can carry meaningful costs for highly gregarious mammals. The degree to which social factors modulate the welfare of infected animals is an important aspect to consider when attempting to understand the ecological implications of disease.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-10T16:56:19Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-08-01 Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Long-term assessments of bio-thermal responses in a hair coat sheep breed were performed to investigate the effect of the thermal environment on their physiological performance and thermal balance. Twelve healthy non-lactating Morada Nova ewes (3 +/- 1.2 years old, body mass 32.7 +/- 3.7 kg) were assigned in two 12 x 12 Latin square designs (from 07:00 to 19:00 h and from 19:00 to 07:00 h, respectively) for assessments of their biothermal responses during 24 consecutive days. There was a monophasic pattern in the ambient temperature (T-A), which ranged between 21 and 38 degrees C, thereby exposing the ewes to different levels of surrounding T-A over the day and influencing several of their bio-thermal responses (P = 0.0001). Their body temperatures (i.e., rectal, skin, and hair coat surface temperatures) gradually increased (P = 0.0001) from 04:00 h. The mean peak for rectal temperature (39.3 degrees C) was recorded at 19:00 h, while for skin and hair coat surface temperatures it occurred at 13:00 and 14:00 h, respectively. The sensible heat loss by long wave radiation and surface convection exceeded the metabolism of ewes when the T-A was below 24 degrees C, which usually occurred between 24:00 and 06:00 h. During exposure to higher ambient temperatures, the sheep increased respiratory evaporative heat loss, without panting. In conclusion, the sheep regulated rectal temperature within a relatively narrow range of 1.4 degrees C over 24 h, and appear to be well adapted to coping with heat. Minimum 24 h body temperature was correlated with minimum T-A, indicating that heat conservation strategies are likely to be important for Morada Nova sheep in a tropical biotype at night, when rates of sensible heat loss exceed the heat generated by metabolism. Sao Paulo State Univ, Biometorol Lab, Innovat Grp Biometeorol Behav & Anim Welf INOBIO, Jaboticabal, Brazil King Saud Univ, Dept Anim Prod, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Univ Witwatersrand, Sch Physiol, Brain Funct Res Grp, Johannesburg, South Africa Univ Fed Paraiba, Anim Biometeorol & Ethol Grp BIOET, Areia, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ, Biometorol Lab, Innovat Grp Biometeorol Behav & Anim Welf INOBIO, Jaboticabal, Brazil Deanship of Scientific Research at King Saud University: RGP-VPP-171 FAPESP: 2011/17388-6

Observations of animal thermoregulatory behavior are labor-intensive, and human presence may disturb the normal behavior of the animal. Therefore, we investigated whether a remote biologging technique could be used to detect orientation to solar radiation in savanna antelope. We predicted that when a mammal was orientated perpendicular to solar radiation, the subcutaneous temperature on the side of the body facing the sun would be greater than that on the opposite side, whereas when the mammal was orientated parallel to solar radiation, subcutaneous temperatures on both sides would be similar. A pilot study showed that the difference between left- and right-side temperatures under a pelt reflected orientation to solar radiation if a pelt-covered cylinder had been orientated for 15 min or longer. In addition, the rate of change in temperature difference could detect orientation that had changed within the previous 5 min. We implanted temperature-sensitive data loggers subcutaneously into the flanks of eight black (Connochaetes gnu) and eight blue (Connochaetes taurinus) wildebeest. By incorporating both the rate of change and subcutaneous temperature differences and excluding times when wildebeest were lying down, our predictions correctly matched behavioral observations of wildebeest orientation to solar radiation 71% of the time. Our technique tended to fail when wildebeest were lying down, wind speeds were high and the sun was overhead. But those are conditions in which the benefits of manipulating orientation to solar radiation is of diminishing importance to a free-living mammal. Therefore, subcutaneous temperatures provide physiologically relevant information on the importance of solar radiation to mammals.

As one of the few felids that is predominantly diurnal, cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) can be exposed to high heat loads in their natural habitat. Little is known about long-term patterns of body temperature and activity (including hunting) in cheetahs because long-term concurrent measurements of body temperature and activity have never been reported for cheetahs, or, indeed, for any free-living felid. We report here body temperature and locomotor activity measured with implanted data loggers over 7 months in 5 free-living cheetahs in Namibia. Air temperature ranged from a maximum of 39 °C in summer to -2 °C in winter. Cheetahs had higher (∼0.4 °C) maximum 24-h body temperatures, later acrophase (∼1 h), with larger fluctuations in the range of the 24-h body temperature rhythm (approximately 0.4 °C) during a hot-dry period than during a cool-dry period, but maintained homeothermy irrespective of the climatic conditions. As ambient temperatures increased, the cheetahs shifted from a diurnal to a crepuscular activity pattern, with reduced activity between 900 and 1500 hours and increased nocturnal activity. The timing of hunts followed the general pattern of activity; the cheetahs hunted when they were on the move. Cheetahs hunted if an opportunity presented itself; on occasion they hunted in the midday heat or in total darkness (new moon). Biologging revealed insights into cheetah biology that are not accessible by traditional observer-based techniques.

In most endothermic homeotherms, core body temperature follows a circadian rhythm. This review focuses on the amplitude of the circadian rhythm of body temperature (CRT) because the amplitude of the CRT has received increasing attention in the last few years. First, we discuss the methodology that can be used to measure the CRT, and the methodology used to calculate the amplitude of the CRT. Then, we illustrate the effect of changes in the external and internal environments on the amplitude of the CRT. Quite interestingly, as illustrated in this paper, while the molecular and hormonal basis of the CRT is well understood, the control of the amplitude is not. We conclude that challenges in the capacity of the animal to thermoregulate, or to manage energy, can impact on the amplitude of the CRT.

We describe induction time in six white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum) when they received etorphine intramuscularly (IM) or etorphine plus azaperone IM. The median induction time was reduced from 8.9 min for etorphine alone to 6.25 min with azaperone; however, there was no difference in immobilization quality between treatments.

Mammals in drylands are facing not only increasing heat loads but also reduced water and food availability as a result of climate change. Insufficient water results in suppression of evaporative cooling and therefore increases in body core temperature on hot days, while lack of food reduces the capacity to maintain body core temperature on cold nights. Both food and water shortage will narrow the prescriptive zone, the ambient temperature range over which body core temperature is held relatively constant, which will lead to increased risk of physiological malfunction and death. Behavioural modifications, such as shifting activity between night and day or seeking thermally buffered microclimates, may allow individuals to remain within the prescriptive zone, but can incur costs, such as reduced foraging or increased competition or predation, with consequences for fitness. Body size will play a major role in predicting response patterns, but identifying all the factors that will contribute to how well dryland mammals facing water and food shortage will cope with increasing heat loads requires a better understanding of the sensitivities and responses of mammals exposed to the direct and indirect effects of climate change.

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures have had unanticipated effects on ecosystems and biodiversity. Conservation physiology and its mechanistic underpinnings are well positioned to generate robust data to inform the extent to which the Anthropause has benefited biodiversity through alterations in disturbance-, pollution- and climate change-related emissions. The conservation physiology toolbox includes sensitive biomarkers and tools that can be used both retroactively (e.g. to reconstruct stress in wildlife before, during and after lockdown measures) and proactively (e.g. future viral waves) to understand the physiological consequences of the pandemic. The pandemic has also created new risks to ecosystems and biodiversity through extensive use of various antimicrobial products (e.g. hand cleansers, sprays) and plastic medical waste. Conservation physiology can be used to identify regulatory thresholds for those products. Moreover, given that COVID-19 is zoonotic, there is also opportunity for conservation physiologists to work closely with experts in conservation medicine and human health on strategies that will reduce the likelihood of future pandemics (e.g. what conditions enable disease development and pathogen transfer) while embracing the One Health concept. The conservation physiology community has also been impacted directly by COVID-19 with interruptions in research, training and networking (e.g. conferences). Because this is a nascent discipline, it will be particularly important to support early career researchers and ensure that there are recruitment pathways for the next generation of conservation physiologists while creating a diverse and inclusive community. We remain hopeful for the future and in particular the ability of the conservation physiology community to deliver relevant, solutions-oriented science to guide decision makers particularly during the important post-COVID transition and economic recovery.

In 1992, the Union of Concerned Scientists shared their 'World Scientists'Warning to Humanity' with governmental leaders worldwide, calling for immediate action to halt the environmental degradation that threatens the systems that support life on Earth. A follow-up 'Second Warning' was released in 2017, with over 15 000 scientists as signatories, describing the lack of progress in adopting the sustainable practices necessary to safeguard the biosphere. In their 'SecondWarning', Ripple and colleagues provided 13 'diverse and effective steps humanity can take to transition to sustainability.' Here, we discuss how the field of conservation physiology can contribute to six of these goals: (i) prioritizing connected, well-managed reserves; (ii) halting the conversion of native habitats to maintain ecosystemservices; (iii) restoring native plant communities; (iv) rewilding regions with native species; (v) developing policy instruments; and (vi) increasing outdoor education, societal engagement and reverence for nature. Throughout, we focus our recommendations on specific aspects of physiological function while acknowledging that the exact traits that will be useful in each context are oftenstill being determined and refined. However, for each goal, we include a short case study to illustrate a specific physiological trait or group of traits that is already being utilized in that context. We conclude with suggestions for how conservation physiologists can broaden the impact of their science aimed at accomplishing the goals of the 'Second Warning'. Overall, we provide an overview of how conservation physiology can contribute to addressing the grand socio-environmental challenges of our time. National Science Foundation MacroSystems Biology program [DEB-DEB-1340856]; National Science FoundationNational Science Foundation (NSF) [IOS-1755055, 1951244, 2017949]; FutureMARES (Climate Change and Future Marine Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity, EU H2020) [869300] Published version K.R.H. was supported by the National Science Foundation MacroSystems Biology program (DEB-DEB-1340856). W.A.H. was supported by the National Science Foundation (grant #IOS-1755055). M.A.P. received partial support from FutureMARES (Climate Change and Future Marine Ecosystem Services and Biodiversity, EU H2020, award no. 869300). L.S. is funded by the National Science Foundation (grants 1951244 and 2017949).

The white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum), one of five remaining rhinoceros species, is particularly sensitive to etorphine, the opioid drug used for chemical capture. As a result, capture often results in morbidity and mortality. With the recent, unprecedented rise in rhino poaching, fuelled by a growing demand for rhino horn, intensive management procedures, including chemical capture, are key to the conservation and management of this large iconic species. The use of sophisticated physiological monitoring techniques in rhinoceros undergoing capture and other management procedures (e.g. translocation) and experimental trials of different pharmacological interventions have provided insights into the causes and consequences of capture-related pathophysiology. This chapter explores some of the approaches used to investigate physiological responses of the white rhinoceros, and how the results from experimental trials are helping us move towards safer methods of chemical capture and transport.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had unanticipated effects on ecosystems and biodiversity. The conservation physiology toolbox can be used to characterize the Anthropause, mitigate the zoonotij aayc outbreaks and address the emerging issues. Conservation physiology is well positioned to deliver solutions-oriented science to guide decision makers particularly during the important post-COVID transition and economic recovery., The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures have had unanticipated effects on ecosystems and biodiversity. Conservation physiology and its mechanistic underpinnings are well positioned to generate robust data to inform the extent to which the Anthropause has benefited biodiversity through alterations in disturbance-, pollution- and climate change-related emissions. The conservation physiology toolbox includes sensitive biomarkers and tools that can be used both retroactively (e.g. to reconstruct stress in wildlife before, during and after lockdown measures) and proactively (e.g. future viral waves) to understand the physiological consequences of the pandemic. The pandemic has also created new risks to ecosystems and biodiversity through extensive use of various antimicrobial products (e.g. hand cleansers, sprays) and plastic medical waste. Conservation physiology can be used to identify regulatory thresholds for those products. Moreover, given that COVID-19 is zoonotic, there is also opportunity for conservation physiologists to work closely with experts in conservation medicine and human health on strategies that will reduce the likelihood of future pandemics (e.g. what conditions enable disease development and pathogen transfer) while embracing the One Health concept. The conservation physiology community has also been impacted directly by COVID-19 with interruptions in research, training and networking (e.g. conferences). Because this is a nascent discipline, it will be particularly important to support early career researchers and ensure that there are recruitment pathways for the next generation of conservation physiologists while creating a diverse and inclusive community. We remain hopeful for the future and in particular the ability of the conservation physiology community to deliver relevant, solutions-oriented science to guide decision makers particularly during the important post-COVID transition and economic recovery.

This study assesses the functional morphology of the ankle extensor muscle‐tendon units of the springhare Pedetes capensis, an African bipedal hopping rodent, to test for convergent evolution with the Australian bipedal hopping macropods. We dissect and measure the gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris, and flexor digitorum longus in 10 adult springhares and compare them against similar‐sized macropods using phylogenetically informed scaling analyses. We show that springhares align reasonably well with macropod predictions, being statistically indistinguishable with respect to the ankle extensor mean weighted muscle moment arm (1.63 vs. 1.65 cm, respectively), total muscle mass (41.1 vs. 29.2 g), total muscle physiological cross‐sectional area (22.9 vs. 19.3 cm(2)), mean peak tendon stress (26.2 vs. 35.2 MPa), mean tendon safety factor (4.7 vs. 3.6), and total tendon strain energy return capacity (1.81 vs. 1.82 J). However, total tendon cross‐sectional area is significantly larger in springhares than predicted for a similar‐sized macropod (0.26 vs. 0.17 cm(2), respectively), primarily due to a greater plantaris tendon thickness (0.084 vs. 0.048 cm(2)), and secondarily because the soleus muscle‐tendon unit is present in springhares but is vestigial in macropods. The overall similarities between springhares and macropods indicate that evolution has favored comparable lower hindlimb body plans for bipedal hopping locomotion in the two groups of mammals that last shared a common ancestor ~160 million years ago. The springhare’s relatively thick plantaris tendon may facilitate rapid transfer of force from muscle to skeleton, enabling fast and accelerative hopping, which could help to outpace and outmaneuver predators.

To describe acid-base status using the Henderson-Hasselbalch, Stewart and semi-quantitative methods of analysis in a feline haemorrhage-resuscitation model.Randomized crossover study.A total of six domestic cats (mean age, 21 months; weight, 4.9 kg).Venous blood samples were taken before haemorrhage, after haemorrhage at 30 minute intervals during fluid resuscitation and at 24 hours. The cats were anaesthetized and underwent following treatments: no purposeful haemorrhage and resuscitation (NoPHR), purposeful haemorrhage followed by either lactated Ringer's solution (LRS) or 6% tetrastarch 130/0.4 (Voluven) for resuscitation. LRS and Voluven were administered at 60 and 20 mL kgThe total blood loss at 120 minutes was 10.2 ± 2.3, 29.3 ± 9.0 and 29.1 ± 6.3 mL kgIn an experimental haemorrhage and resuscitation model in cats, blood pH was similar among treatments over time regardless of severe haemorrhage and resuscitation with LRS or Voluven or mild haemorrhage and no resuscitation.

In the face of climate change there is an urgent need to understand how animal performance is affected by environmental conditions. Biophysical models that use principles of heat and mass transfer can be used to explore how an animal's morphology, physiology, and behavior interact with its environment in terms of energy, mass and water balances to affect fitness and performance. We used Niche Mapper™ (NM) to build a vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) biophysical model and tested the model's ability to predict core body temperature (Tb) variation and thermal stress against Tb and behavioral data collected from wild vervets in South Africa. The mean observed Tb in both males and females was within 0.5 °C of NM's predicted Tbs for 91% of hours over the five-year study period. This is the first time that NM's Tb predictions have been validated against field data from a wild endotherm. Overall, these results provide confidence that NM can accurately predict thermal stress and can be used to provide insight into the thermoregulatory consequences of morphological (e.g., body size, shape, fur depth), physiological (e.g. Tb plasticity) and behavioral (e.g., huddling, resting, shade seeking) adaptations. Such an approach allows users to test hypotheses about how animals adapt to thermoregulatory challenges and make informed predictions about potential responses to environmental change such as climate change or habitat conversion. Importantly, NM's animal submodel is a general model that can be adapted to other species, requiring only basic information on an animal's morphology, physiology and behavior.

Understanding the physiological processes that underpin primate performance is key if we are to assess how a primate might respond when navigating new and changing environments. Given the connection between an animal’s ability to thermoregulate and the changing demands of its thermal environment, increasing attention is being devoted to the study of thermoregulatory processes as a means to assess primate performance. Infrared thermography can be used to record the body surface temperatures of free-ranging animals. However, some uncertainty remains as to how these measurements can be used to approximate core body temperature. Here, we use data collected from wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) to examine the relationship between infrared body surface, core body, and local climate, to determine to what extent surface temperatures reflect core body temperature. While we report a positive association between surface and core body temperature – a finding that has previously been used to justify the use of surface temperature measurements as a proxy for core temperature regulation – when we controlled for the effect of the local climate in our analyses, this relationship was no longer observed. That is, body surface temperatures were solely predicted by local climate, and not core body temperatures, suggesting that surface temperatures tell us more about the environment a primate is in, and less about the thermal status of its body core in that environment. Despite the advantages of a non-invasive means to detect and record animal temperatures, infrared thermography alone cannot be used to approximate core body temperature in wild primates.

Core body temperature changes across the ovulatory menstrual cycle, such that it is 0.3°C to 0.7°C higher in the post-ovulatory luteal phase when progesterone is high compared with the pre-ovulatory follicular phase. This temperature difference, which is most evident during sleep or immediately upon waking before any activity, is used by women as a retrospective indicator of an ovulatory cycle. Here, we review both historical and current literature aimed at characterizing changes in core body temperature across the menstrual cycle, considering the assessment of the circadian rhythm of core body temperature and thermoregulatory responses to challenges, including heat and cold exposure, exercise, and fever. We discuss potential mechanisms for the thermogenic effect of progesterone and the temperature-lowering effect of estrogen, and discuss effects on body temperature of exogenous formulations of these hormones as contained in oral contraceptives. We review new wearable temperature sensors aimed at tracking daily temperature changes of women across multiple menstrual cycles and highlight the need for future research on the validity and reliability of these devices. Despite the change in core body temperature across the menstrual cycle being so well identified, there remain gaps in our current understanding, particularly about the underlying mechanisms and microcircuitry involved in the temperature changes.

Objectives: Climate change is having a significant impact on biodiversity and increasing attention is therefore being devoted to identifying the behavioral strategies that a species uses to cope with climatic stress. We explore how wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) respond to heat stress, and how behavioral adaptations are used to regulate body temperature.\ud \ud Materials and methods: We implanted wild vervet monkeys with temperature-sensitive data loggers and related the body temperature rhythms of these animals to their use of thermoregulatory behaviors.\ud \ud Results: Environmental temperature had a positive effect on the mean, minima and maxima of daily body temperatures. Environmental temperature had a positive effect on the amount of time that vervet monkeys spent in the shade, and animals that spent more time in the shade had lower body temperature maxima. Drinking water did not have a proximate effect on body temperature, most likely a consequence of their regular access to drinking water. Body temperatures were observed to decrease after swimming events, but tended to return to pre-swim temperatures within 1 hr, suggesting a limited thermal benefit of this behavior.\ud \ud Conclusions: Our data support the view that vervet monkeys cope well in the heat, and use behavior as a means to aid thermoregulation. The ability of primates to be flexible in their use of thermoregulatory behaviors can contribute positively to their capacity to cope with environmental variability. However, given its broad effect on plant productivity and habitat loss, climate change is a major threat to species' biogeographical distribution and survival.

In response to food scarcity, animals may increase foraging time or shift their diet by including more profitable prey items. Aardvarks (Orycteropus afer) in the semi-arid Kalahari region of southern Africa died, apparently of starvation, because they did not shift their diet when their primary food resource declined following a drought. Whether other myrmecophagous (ant- and termite-eating) mammals alter their diet in response to food scarcity is unclear. We investigated the feeding behaviour (through faecal analysis and direct observations) of six free-living, myrmecophagous Temminck's pangolins (Smutsia temminckii), for two years in the Kalahari. We also collected data on climate and ant and termite availability. Winter was characterised by low prey abundance, but pangolins predominantly selected three insect genera, namely Crematogaster ants, Anoplolepis ants, and Trinervitermes termites, regardless of food availability. Pangolins responded to winter resource scarcity by increasing the proportion of consumed Trinervitermes termites, but the shift did not prevent low energy intake during that period. During the winter of the drier of the two years, pangolins increased foraging time and fed on energy-rich prey. Whether the relatively low dietary flexibility of pangolins will allow them to meet their energy demands as insect populations decline with climate change is not known.

Background The objective structured clinical examination is a critical simulation tool used as the gold standard for assessing graduate health students' ability to perform clinically. Often these simulations use assessment/evaluation methods that can be subjective. Methods To minimize subjectivity, one graduate nursing program is triangulating student performance assessment by using case-specific quizzes, standardized patient feedback, and structured observation rubrics. Results Initial evidence finds this composite evaluation provides equitable feedback across cohorts, identifies students struggling didactically and adds precision to remediation. Conclusions Initial findings are suggesting that this approach offers an all-encompassing reflection of clinical and academic performance.

To investigate the effects of postinduction butorphanol administration in etorphine-immobilized white rhinoceros on respiration and blood gases.Randomized crossover study.A group of six sub-adult male white rhinoceros.Etorphine, or etorphine followed by butorphanol 12 minutes after recumbency, was administered intramuscularly [2.5 mg etorphine, 25 mg butorphanol (1000-1250 kg), or 3.0 mg etorphine, 30 mg butorphanol (1250-1500 kg)]. Sampling started at 10 minutes after initial recumbency, and was repeated at 5 minute intervals for 25 minutes. Arterial blood gases, limb muscle tremors, expired minute ventilation and respiratory frequency were measured at each sampling point. Calculated values included alveolar-arterial oxygen gradient [ [Formula: see text] ], expected respiratory minute volume (V˙e), tidal volume (Vt), oxygen consumption ( [Formula: see text] ) and carbon dioxide production ( [Formula: see text] ).Etorphine administration resulted in an initial median (range) hypoxaemia [arterial partial pressure of oxygen 25.0 (23.0-28.0) mmHg], hypercapnia [arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide 76.2 (67.2-81.2) mmHg], increased [Formula: see text] [41.7 (36.6-45.1) mmHg, [Formula: see text] [11.1 (10.0-12.0) L minuteHypoxaemia and hypercapnia in etorphine-immobilized rhinoceros resulted from an increased [ [Formula: see text] ] and increased [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] associated with muscle tremors. Rather than being associated with changes in V˙e, it appears that improved blood gases following butorphanol administration were a consequence of decreased [Formula: see text] associated with reduced muscle tremoring.

Bipedal hopping is used by macropods, including rat‐kangaroos, wallabies and kangaroos (superfamily Macropodoidea). Interspecific scaling of the ankle extensor muscle‐tendon units in the lower hindlimbs of these hopping bipeds shows that peak tendon stress increases disproportionately with body size. Consequently, large kangaroos store and recover more strain energy in their tendons, making hopping more efficient, but their tendons are at greater risk of rupture. This is the first intraspecific scaling analysis on the functional morphology of the ankle extensor muscle‐tendon units (gastrocnemius, plantaris and flexor digitorum longus) in one of the largest extant species of hopping mammal, the western grey kangaroo Macropus fuliginosus (5.8–70.5 kg post‐pouch body mass). The effective mechanical advantage of the ankle extensors does not vary with post‐pouch body mass, scaling with an exponent not significantly different from 0.0. Therefore, larger kangaroos balance rotational moments around the ankle by generating muscle forces proportional to weight‐related gravitational forces. Maximum force is dependent upon the physiological cross‐sectional area of the muscle, which we found scales geometrically with a mean exponent of only 0.67, rather than 1.0. Therefore, larger kangaroos are limited in their capacity to oppose large external forces around the ankle, potentially compromising fast or accelerative hopping. The strain energy return capacity of the ankle extensor tendons increases with a mean exponent of ~1.0, which is much shallower than the exponent derived from interspecific analyses of hopping mammals (~1.4–1.9). Tendon safety factor (ratio of rupture stress to estimated peak hopping stress) is lowest in the gastrocnemius (

While most primates are tropical animals, a number of species experience markedly cold winters. In a high latitude arid environment, wild female vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) that are socially integrated experience reduced cold stress. Here, we ask whether sociability is similarly salient for male vervet monkeys, who reside in non-natal groups as adults and who must, therefore, develop social relationships on arrival. We use body temperature and social data from 15 free-ranging male vervet monkeys to determine whether the number of grooming partners is as important for males during winter and whether the length of residency is positively associated with body temperature. We also assess whether larger body size and higher dominance rank mitigate the need for social partnerships. Like females, male vervets respond to lower 24 h ambient temperatures and winter's progression by decreasing minimum and mean 24 h body temperatures and by regulating their temperatures less precisely. Male rank had no effect, while larger body size was associated primarily with reduced temperature fluctuations. Males with more social partners sustained higher minimum and mean body temperatures but, unexpectedly, regulated their temperatures less tightly. Further analysis revealed that higher minimum and mean temperatures were best accounted for by the number of female partners, while increased temperature fluctuation was driven by the number of male partners. As winter and the mating season overlap, we interpret this as indicating that a need to sustain male associations incurs physiological stress that is reflected as a thermoregulatory cost. Lastly, we show that longer residency is associated with higher minimum body temperatures and lower temperature fluctuations independently of social affiliation.

We examined upstream migration patterns of adult Chinook Salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in relation to environmental factors and two management actions (installation of a rock barrier at a distributary and managed pulse flows). Data was collected using a portable resistance board weir and a Vaki Riverwatcher system that provided accurate daily counts of fall-run Chinook Salmon on their spawning migration. Akaike’s information criterion and multimodel inferential approaches, as well as generalized additive models, were used to assess the relative influence of water temperature, flow, moon illumination, weather, operation of a rock barrier, and managed pulse flows to explain the magnitude of daily counts and proportions of Chinook Salmon observed at the weir. Over the 12-year study period (2003–2014), we observed 38,206 Chinook Salmon. The installation of a rock barrier in the lower reaches of the San Joaquin River had positive and consistent influences on daily counts in the years it was installed...

It has been proposed that there is a thermal cost of the mane to male lions, potentially leading to increased body surface temperatures (T s), increased sperm abnormalities, and to lower food intake during hot summer months. To test whether a mane imposes thermal costs on males, we measured core body temperature (T b) continuously for approximately 1 year in 18 free‐living lions. There was no difference in the 24‐hr maximum T b of males (n = 12) and females (n = 6), and males had a 24‐hr mean T b that was 0.2 ± 0.1°C lower than females after correcting for seasonal effects. Although feeding on a particular day increased 24‐hr mean and 24‐hr maximum T b, this phenomenon was true of both male and female lions, and females had higher 24‐hr mean and 24‐hr maximum T b than males, on both days when lions did not feed, and on days when lions did feed. Twenty‐four‐hour T b was not influenced by mane length or color, and 24‐hr mean T b was negatively correlated with mane length. These data contradict the suggestion that there exists a thermal cost to male lions in possessing a long dark mane, but do not preclude the possibility that males compensate for a mane with increased heat loss. The increased insulation caused by a mane does not necessarily have to impair heat loss by males, which in hot environments is primarily through respiratory evaporative cooling, nor does in necessarily lead to increased heat gain, as lions are nocturnal and seek shade during the day. The mane may even act as a heat shield by increasing insulation. However, dominant male lions frequent water points more than twice as often as females, raising the possibility that male lions are increasing water uptake to facilitate increased evaporative cooling. The question of whether male lions with manes compensate for a thermal cost to the mane remains unresolved, but male lions with access to water do not have higher T b than females or males with smaller manes.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-10T22:49:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2019-08-01 Training methods for animals are useful in experimental work, particularly for respirometry studies. Here we describe the training process for a hair coat sheep breed to be assessed in subsequent indirect calorimetry trials. Behavioral and physiological measurements were taken to determine if the training reduced the animals' fear reactions, mainly to restraint at the squeeze chute and use of a facial mask. Sixteen Morada Nova sheep with body mass of 32.6 +/- 1.8 kg and 2.8 +/- 0.9 years of age (+/- SD) were randomly chosen to undergo the training. The training was divided into three periods across 76 days that consisted of a gradual alteration of the environmental conditions required for the future indirect calorimetry tests. Results revealed that the training had positive or neutral effects on the ewes'physiological and behavioral performance. At the end of training we observed that the restraint and use of a facial mask did not change (P > 0.05) the respiratory rate of the ewes. Furthermore, all animals voluntarily accessed (P < 0.05) the squeeze chute, and the number of vocalizations and head shakes (P < 0.05) decreased across the training time. Temperament assessments also showed that the group of trained ewes perceived restraint and human presence as a less stressful (P < 0.05) situation than did those that had never experienced the training (i.e., naive ewes). We were able to detect less fearful ewes by examining the inter-individual behavioral responses using Principal Component analysis, and use them in subsequent calorimetry trials. Our results showed that the resting metabolic rate of similar-sized ewes differenced by less than 10%. In conclusion, this study described a training protocol that was able to habituate sheep to voluntarily access a squeeze chute and use a facial mask for up fifty minutes without apparent changes in behavioral or physiological responses. Sao Paulo State Univ, Biometeorol Lab, Innovat Grp Biometeorol Behav & Anim Welf INOBIO, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, Brazil Univ Witwatersrand, Sch Physiol, Brain Funct Res Grp, ZA-2193 Johannesburg, South Africa Univ Fed Paraiba, Anim Biometeorol & Ethol Grp BIOET, BR-58397000 Areia, Brazil Sao Paulo State Univ, Biometeorol Lab, Innovat Grp Biometeorol Behav & Anim Welf INOBIO, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, Brazil

Objective To determine whether physiological, haematological, biochemical or electrolyte variables can predict severe haemorrhage in cats. Study design Randomized crossover study whereby each cat underwent mild and severe haemorrhage, with a 2 month period between events. Animals A group of six domestic cats aged 21 ± 1 months and weighing 4.9 ± 1.2 kg, mean ± standard deviation. Methods Cats were anaesthetized (buprenorphine, alfaxalone, isoflurane in oxygen at a fixed end-tidal concentration of 1.7%) before the haemorrhage event. In total, 34 variables were measured twice (prehaemorrhage and posthaemorrhage). The difference and percent change for each variable were compared between haemorrhage events (paired t test). Significant variables were placed into 13 different ratios (posthaemorrhage value of one variable divided by a posthaemorrhage value of a second variable) and compared (paired t test), and Cohen’s d (d) was calculated. Receiver operating characteristic curves were plotted and cut-off values for weak, moderate and strong indicators of severe haemorrhage were obtained. Results The blood loss was 4.5 ± 1.1 mL kg–1 and 26.8 ± 5.5 mL kg–1 for mild and severe haemorrhage events, respectively. The most significant variables with large effect sizes were heart rate (HR), systolic arterial blood pressure (SAP), end-tidal carbon dioxide (P e′ CO2), serum albumin, haematocrit and actual bicarbonate ion concentration [HCO3−(act)]. The most robust ratios were: 1) shock index (d = –2.8; HR:SAP); 2) HR:P e ′CO2 (d = –2.9); 3) serum albumin: haematocrit (d = 1.5); and 4) HR:HCO3−(act) (d = –1.6). These ratios were included in the final proposed Cat Acute Bleeding Scoring System (CABSS). Conclusions and clinical relevance Cats subjected to mild and severe haemorrhage demonstrated statistically and clinically relevant changes whereby four ratios could be created to make up the CABSS. The ratios detected and quantified the presence of severe haemorrhage in anaesthetized cats.

We compared body temperature patterns and selective brain cooling (SBC) in eight adult female sheep in an indoor (22–25 °C) and outdoor (mean ~ 21 °C) environment, by measuring brain, carotid arterial, and jugular venous blood temperatures at 5-min intervals using implanted data loggers. To investigate whether ultradian oscillations in brain temperature had thermoregulatory consequences for the sheep, we determined the cranial arterio-venous (AV) temperature difference as an indicator of respiratory evaporative heat loss (REHL). The 24-h pattern of SBC was similar in both environments, despite carotid blood temperature fluctuating 0.4 °C more outdoors compared to indoors. The sheep employed SBC more often during the night than during the day, but SBC was abolished at intervals of 1–3 h throughout the 24-h period. The suppression of SBC appeared to be associated with events that increased sympathetic nervous system activity, including shifts between stages of sleep. Short-term changes (over 5-min) in brain temperature were positively correlated with changes in the AV temperature difference 5 min later, and negatively correlated with changes in carotid temperature 10 min later. These data support the idea that increases in brain temperature modulate thermoregulation by increasing REHL, which leads to a decrease in carotid blood temperature. Ultradian oscillations in core temperature of sheep, therefore, appear to arise as a consequence of frequent brain temperature changes invoked by non-thermal inputs, in animals housed both in indoor and outdoor environments.

Scaling of the heart across development can reveal the degree to which variation in cardiac morphology depends on body mass. In this study, we assessed the scaling of heart mass, left and right ventricular masses, and ventricular mass ratio, as a function of eviscerated body mass across fetal and postnatal development in Horro sheep Ovis aries (~50‐fold body mass range; N = 21). Whole hearts were extracted from carcasses, cleaned, dissected into chambers and weighed. We found a biphasic relationship when heart mass was scaled against body mass, with a conspicuous ‘breakpoint’ around the time of birth, manifest not by a change in the scaling exponent (slope), but rather a jump in the elevation. Fetal heart mass (g) increased with eviscerated body mass (M (b), kg) according to the power equation 4.90 M (b) (0.88 ± 0.26 (± 95%) (CI) ()), whereas postnatal heart mass increased according to 10.0 M (b) (0.88 ± 0.10). While the fetal and postnatal scaling exponents are identical (0.88) and reveal a clear dependence of heart mass on body mass, only the postnatal exponent is significantly less than 1.0, indicating the postnatal heart becomes a smaller component of body mass as the body grows, which is a pattern found frequently with postnatal cardiac development among mammals. The rapid doubling in heart mass around the time of birth is independent of any increase in body mass and is consistent with the normalization of wall stress in response to abrupt changes in volume loading and pressure loading at parturition. We discuss variation in scaling patterns of heart mass across development among mammals, and suggest that the variation results from a complex interplay between hard‐wired genetics and epigenetic influences.

Author(s): Pilger, Tyler J.; Peterson, Matthew L.; Lee, Dana; Fuller, Andrea; Demko, Doug | Abstract: Conservation and management of culturally and economically important species rely on monitoring programs to provide accurate and robust estimates of population size. Rotary screw traps (RSTs) are often used to monitor populations of anadromous fish, including fall-run Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in California’s Central Valley. Abundance estimates from RST data depend on estimating a trap's efficiency via mark-recapture releases. Because efficiency estimates are highly variable and influenced by many factors, abundance estimates can be highly uncertain. An additional complication is the multiple accepted methods for how to apply a limited number of trap efficiency estimates, each from discrete time-periods, to a population’s downstream migration, which can span months. Yet, few studies have evaluated these different methods, particularly with long-term monitoring programs. We used 21 years of mark-recapture data and RST catch of juvenile fall-run Chinook Salmon on the Stanislaus River, California, to investigate factors associated with trap efficiency variability across years and mark-recapture releases. We compared annual abundance estimates across five methods that differed in treatment of trap efficiency (stratified versus modeled) and statistical approach (frequentist versus Bayesian) to assess the variability of estimates across methods, and to evaluate whether method affected trends in estimated abundance. Consistent with short-term studies, we observed negative associations between estimated trap efficiency and river discharge as well as fish size. Abundance estimates were robust across all methods, frequently having overlapping confidence intervals. Abundance trends, for the number of increases and decreases from year to year, did not differ across methods. Estimated juvenile abundances were significantly related to adult escapement counts, and the relationship did not depend on estimation method. Understanding the sources of uncertainty related to abundance estimates is necessary to ensure that high-quality estimates are used in life cycle and stock-recruitment modeling.

Chemical capture is an essential tool in the management and conservation of white rhinoceros ( Ceratotherium simum ); however, cardiovascular responses in immobilized megaherbivores are poorly understood. Blood pressure and heart rate responses in rhinoceros immobilized with etorphine or etorphine plus azaperone, and the effects of subsequent i.v. butorphanol administration were investigated. Six white rhinoceros were used in a randomized crossover study design with four interventions: 1) etorphine i.m.; 2) etorphine plus azaperone i.m.; 3) etorphine i.m. and butorphanol i.v.; and 4) etorphine plus azaperone i.m., and butorphanol i.v. Etorphine resulted in hypertension and tachycardia in immobilized rhinoceros on initial measurements. Over the 25-min study period, blood pressures and heart rate declined. Heart rates were slower, although the rhinoceros were still tachycardic, and blood pressures lower during the whole study period in animals immobilized with etorphine and azaperone compared with those that received only etorphine. Butorphanol administration resulted in lower arterial blood pressures and heart rates in etorphine-immobilized rhinoceros. In rhinoceros immobilized with etorphine and azaperone, heart rate slowed following administration of butorphanol i.v., although blood pressures remained unchanged. Azaperone reduced hypertension associated with etorphine immobilization, but animals remained tachycardic. Administration of butorphanol to etorphine/azaperone-immoblized rhinoceros lowered heart rate to values approaching normal resting levels without altering blood pressure.