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Urinary androstenedione and luteinizing hormone concentrations during musth in a mature African elephant
Author(s) -
Brannian John D.,
Griffin Frank,
Terranova Paul F.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
zoo biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.5
H-Index - 54
eISSN - 1098-2361
pISSN - 0733-3188
DOI - 10.1002/zoo.1430080207
Subject(s) - androstenedione , luteinizing hormone , endocrinology , biology , medicine , african elephant , urinary system , testosterone (patch) , androgen , hormone , ecology
Abstract Musth has not been well documented in captive African elephants. A 37‐year‐old African bull elephant in the Kansas City Zoological Park was observed during periods of behavioral musth and non‐musth. Androstenedione and luteinizing hormone (LH) concentrations in urine were measured by radioimmunoassay. Urinary androstenedione and LH levels were significantly higher in musth urine than in non‐musth samples. A positive correlation ( P > 0.001) existed between urinary LH and androstenedione concentrations. These results indicate that musth can occur in a zoo‐maintained African elephant and that urinary androgen levels are elevated during musth, possibly as the result of LH stimulation of testicular steroidogenesis.