Testosterone concentrations in hair sample of jaguar (Panthera onca) according to age group

• Grant number: 17/22846-0
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): April 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Claudio Alvarenga de Oliveira
• Grantee: Jéssica Helena Mangueira Dias
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Knowing the dynamic and structure of wild populations is essential for the consolidation of management plans and conservation programs, therefore it is necessary the knowledge about biology, ecology and physiology of the species. We need to ensure accurately the sex and age of the animals in order to have proper results, though it becomes imprecise for certain species. In the case of jaguar (Panthera onca), the sex definition made by camera trapping and the age determination made by body evaluation and the dental quality might be subjective; creating, therefore, omissions that decrease the accuracy of the studies, so changing the results. Keeping in it mind and exploring the use of non-invasive methods of survey, this research pretend to use samples hair of known jaguar, to extract testosterone hormone and, through the variability of the obtained concentrations, it seeks to relate the sex and age range. We are going to use samples of male and female, classified as "cub", "sub-adult" and "adult", which come from the Biological Samples Database of CENAP-ICMBio, submitted to protocols of extraction by methanol solvent, whose effectiveness is attested for wild carnivores. Thus, to understand the hormonal profile might corroborate with the tools that already exist, then better reiterating the results.