Social interactions, including agonistic behavior, are very important for the management and welfare of individuals forming groups in captivity. One of the main concerns for the stability and durability of adult male groups is a noticeable level of intraspecific aggression. This study comprises a Social Network Analysis to illustrate social structure in different groups of captive Saharan Dorcas gazelles (Gazella dorcas neglecta).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFKnowledge of the feeding ecology of ungulates in arid biomes offers an interesting model for understanding the drought resistance of large desert-adapted herbivores, a crucial issue in the face of increasing desertification due to climate change. To assess the feeding ecology of the endangered Cuvier's gazelle () in the Sahara desert, we used a multi-method approach combining faecal samples, direct observations, and the recording of indirect signs of feeding. We hypothesised that browser behaviour is the best foraging strategy for species living in hyper-arid environments, mainly due to long periods without grazing opportunities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMonitoring populations and designing effective conservation actions for endangered species present significant challenges. An accurate understanding of current distribution, ecological traits and habitat requirements is imperative in formulating conservation strategies. Recent surveys on the southernmost Cuvier's Gazelle (Gazella cuvieri) population, an ungulate endemic to North Africa, showcase its importance in terms of numbers and genetic diversity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThere is a lack of protocols specifically developed for the assessment of welfare of wild animals in captivity, even when it is known that providing good standards of welfare is important. The aim of this study was the development and the application of a protocol for the assessment of welfare in captive dorcas gazelles. The protocol was mainly developed taking into account the protocol for the assessment of welfare in cattle from the Welfare Quality project, the available literature of the biology of this species and the Husbandry Guidelines developed for captive breeding and management of this species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnsuring welfare in captive wild animal populations is important not only for ethical and legal reasons, but also to maintain healthy individuals and populations. An increased level of social behaviors such as aggression can reduce welfare by causing physical damage and chronic stress to animals. Recently, cortisol in hair has been advanced as a non-invasive indicator to quantify long-lasting stress in many species.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNorth African ungulates include several threatened and emblematic species, yet are poorly studied mainly due to their remoteness and elusiveness. Noninvasive sampling provides a useful approach to obtain ecological and genetic information essential to guide conservation actions. The very first and most important step in conservation planning is to accurately identify species, and molecular genetics has been proved to be a useful tool.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFManagers of threatened species often face the dilemma of whether to keep populations separate to conserve local adaptations and minimize the risk of outbreeding, or whether to manage populations jointly to reduce loss of genetic diversity and minimise inbreeding. In this study we examine genetic relatedness and diversity in three of the five last remaining wild populations of dama gazelle and a number of captive populations, using mtDNA control region and cytochrome b data. Despite the sampled populations belonging to the three putative subspecies, which are delineated according to phenotypes and geographical location, we find limited evidence for phylogeographical structure within the data and no genetic support for the putative subspecies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study the estrous cycle of the aoudad has been analyzed and characterized for the first time, using non-invasive methods for tracking reproductive cyclicity. The duration of the estrous cycle is 23 days (range 16-32 days), with a luteal phase of 17 days (range 12-27 days) and an interluteal phase of 6 days (range 3-14 days). The estrous cycle did not differ between females, but it was affected by the time of the year.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe objectives of the present study were to develop an alternative theoretical approach to the analysis of sperm motility and to develop motility parameters that would complement those more commonly used in current computer-assisted semen analysis procedures. We have defined a set of parameters and have tested them using boar spermatozoa undergoing bicarbonate-induced motility activation. The new parameters were calculated for a series of (x,y) coordinates of sperm head positions recorded at each move along the trajectory.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTheoretical and practical knowledge of sperm function is an essential requirement in almost every aspect of modern reproductive technology, if the overarching objective is the eventual production of live offspring. Artificial insemination (AI) techniques depend on the availability of high quality semen, whether fresh, diluted and stored, or frozen. Assessing such semen for quality and the likelihood of fertility is therefore also important, as much time, resources and effort can easily be wasted by using poor samples.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFeces from 62 captive African gazelles, including Mhorr gazelles (Gazella dama mhorr), Cuvier's gazelles (Gazella cuvieri), and Dorcas gazelles (Gazella dorcas neglecta), were examined over the course of a year to quantitate nematode egg excretion patterns. Strongyloides sp. eggs appeared only in G.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study evaluates the effect that various steps of a conventional cycle of cryopreservation have on the patterns of movement exhibited by boar spermatozoa. Sperm-rich ejaculate fractions collected from 24 mature fertile boars (1 ejaculate per boar) were cryopreserved following a standard freeze-thaw procedure with 0.5-mL plastic straws.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this study, we quantitatively examined male sexual behavior in relation to fecal estrogen and progesterone concentrations in female Mohor gazelles. We investigated the hypothesis that, during natural mating, males detect cues relating to the potential for successful conception and pregnancy. Time series analysis revealed that males could detect the approach of estrus 2-3 days before female fecal estrogens and estrogen/progestagen (E/P) ratio reached their peak values.
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