Reproductive Behavior and Hormone Metabolite Profiles in Captive Breeding Female Sumatran Slow Lorises (Nycticebus hilleri)
Reproductive Behavior and Hormone Metabolite Profiles in Captive Breeding Female Sumatran Slow Lorises (Nycticebus hilleri)
Luthfiralda Sjahfirdi1*, Lisa Nurfalah1, Deanvi Fahira Wisnuputri1, Entang Iskandar2
ABSTRACT
A study of the reproductive behavior of the sumatran slow loris (Nycticebus hilleri), along with measurements of estrone conjugate (E1C) and pregnanediol-3-glucuronide (PdG) metabolite hormone levels in feces, was performed as a success parameter of ex-situ conservation in the breeding facility. Behaviors of two adult female N. hilleri (K2 and K5) were observed in their cages from 17:00 to 05:00 WIB from September to November 2015. Feces were collected during the observation period and the levels of E1C and PdG were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Our results showed that the average percentage of behavior observations (K2 and K5), namely was behavior moving 61%, unseen 15%, resting 8%, social behavior 8%, autogrooming 5%, feeding 4%, and reproductive behavior (1%). The presence of reproductive behaviors (1%), such as sniffing and licking the genitalia of a mate, indicates pair harmony that could lead to copulation. Although copulation was not clearly observed, the presence of unseen behavior (15%) when lorises were in sleeping cages maybe a time when copulation occurred. The highest E1C concentration was 1181.18 pg/g for K2 and 919.93 pg/g for K5. The lowest E1C was 5.75 pg/g for K2 and 29.95 pg/g for K5. The highest PdG was 19995.81 pg/g for K2 and 18168.68 pg/g for K5. The lowest PdG was 20.85 pg/g for K2 and 504.97 pg/g for K5.
Keywords | Captivity, Estrone conjugate, Feces, Nycticebus hilleri, Pregnanediol-3-glucuronide, Reproductive behavior
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January 2024
Vol. 12, Iss. 1, pp. 1-193
