Printable Version of Topic Click here to view this topic in its original format

Rhino Resource Center: Rhino Forums > Rhinos in Captivity > Breeding > Rapid colour-change rhinoceros pregnancy test

Posted by: yuri Feb 22 2008, 09:36 PM

Rapid colour-change rhinoceros pregnancy test using faeces Edith A. MacDonald*, Wayne L. Linklater, Karen J. Steinman, Nancy M. Czekala *Email: edy.macdonald@wellingtonzoo.com ABSTRACT: Pregnancy is routinely determined by monitoring faecal progestogen levels in black (Diceros bicornis) and white (Ceratotherium simum) rhinoceros. However, current laboratory procedures are too slow, not practical in the field, and transporting samples to the laboratory may not be possible, cause them to deteriorate, or result in delays such that events subsequent to sampling supersede the results. We modified current enzyme-immuno assays (EIA) methods to create a field test that is robust under field conditions, requires minimal technical equipment and expertise, and yields results on-site within 24 hours. The field assay is a tri-colour test and pregnancy is determined visually. Faecal samples from 55 free-ranging white and seven black rhinoceros were collected from the rectums of animals at capture and from fresh dung piles while they were temporarily housed in boma. The accuracy of the colour-change field test was confirmed by radio-immuno assay (RIA) of matched faeces and independent blood serum analyses for 23 pregnant and 39 non-pregnant rhinoceros. This field pregnancy test is likely to be appropriate for other animals, like elephants, that have high and sustained levels of progestogen during pregnancy.

Posted by: StephanieR Feb 23 2008, 04:16 PM

Is this article available anywhere?

Posted by: yuri Feb 24 2008, 09:24 PM

It was a pre-publication extract I found. I included the email address of the principal authour, so you could ask for a copy perhaps?

Posted by: StephanieR Feb 24 2008, 11:51 PM

Thanks, I'll try that.

Posted by: rhinocap Oct 12 2008, 12:36 PM

hi yuri, Micro-satellites and DNA can reveal quite a lot about wild and captive rhinos. It is non-invasive and hugely preferable of manually restraining rhinos for samples. I am quite interested in the article and any sundry research that was garnered thanks to this paper. How can I get hold of a copy? I have myself just posted a query regarding dung sampling for hormones in order to identify sex ratios in black rhinos. Any personal thoughts on the latter?