UNASSIGNED: We examined anogenital odour secretions, released by female gentle ( Hapalemur alaotrensis) and ruffed ( Varecia variegata) lemurs, using solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques. We identified the key compounds distinguishing the volatile chemical profile of female lemurs during the breeding season and used them to develop species-specific scent enrichments. We then tested the scent enrichments, made up of synthesized mixtures conveying information about female lemur fertility, on unsuccessful breeding pairs of lemurs hosted in European zoos. We evaluated the effects of the newly designed scent enrichments on their target species by combining behavioural observations with faecal endocrinology.
UNASSIGNED: We identified and reproduced fertility-specific signals associated with female scents. These scent mixtures triggered male sexual behaviours, including mating, during and after the enrichment condition. We also found effects on faecal testosterone levels, with increased levels after the enrichment condition albeit not statistically significant.
UNASSIGNED: Our findings suggest that biologically-relevant scent enrichments may trigger natural species-specific behaviours, with potential implications for conservation breeding of zoo-based endangered lemur species, and highlight that combining more assessment methods may assist with evaluating the impact of environmental enrichments.
■我们检查了肛门生殖器气味分泌物,由雌性温柔(Hapalemuralaotrensis)和皱褶(Vareciavariegata)狐猴释放,使用固相微萃取和气相色谱-质谱技术。我们确定了在繁殖季节区分雌性狐猴挥发性化学特征的关键化合物,并将其用于开发特定物种的气味富集。然后我们测试了气味富集,由合成混合物组成,传达有关雌性狐猴生育能力的信息,在欧洲动物园饲养的狐猴繁殖不成功。我们通过将行为观察与粪便内分泌学相结合,评估了新设计的气味富集剂对其目标物种的影响。
■我们鉴定并再现了与雌性气味相关的生育力特异性信号。这些气味混合物引发了男性性行为,包括交配,在富集条件期间和之后。我们还发现了对粪便睾酮水平的影响,富集条件后水平增加,尽管没有统计学意义。
■我们的研究结果表明,生物相关的气味富集可能会触发自然物种特有的行为,对动物园濒危狐猴物种的保护育种具有潜在的影响,并强调结合更多的评估方法可能有助于评估环境富集的影响。