Abstract:
A physiological stress response can be triggered by a variety of intrinsic and extrinsic stimuli, but minimal information is
available about the physiological stress response related to pain in wildlife. Recently established techniques now allow the
non-invasive measurement of faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations to monitor the physiological stress
response in giraffe. We examined the consequences of injury of various severities and loss of body condition in relation to
glucocorticoid output in free-ranging giraffes. Body condition (BC) was visually estimated based on the amount of fat and
muscle covering the bones, using a species-specific scoring system (one – emaciated to eight – obese). An adapted animal
trauma triage scoring system was also applied to evaluate the severity of injuries observed. Individual fGCM concentrations
were determined to assess stress-related glucocorticoid output using an enzyme immunoassay technique, and compared
with assigned BC and injury scoring. Significantly elevated fGCM levels were found in injured individuals that showed
wounds with deep tissue involvement and/or poor BC, but not in individuals that showed superficial wounds. Responsible
for the observed changes in fGCM levels may be a combination of differences in the severity of the injuries and the
subsequent degree of pain associated with it, the influence of the stress response on the energetic condition, and the
duration of the injuries. The results of this study are somewhat limited due to the small sample size, and therefore the effect
of food intake on the body conditions cannot be controlled for. However, euthanasia is a common management tool used
to prevent unnecessary suffering, nevertheless, especially in wild animals the severity of an injury and the associated pain
perceived may be difficult to assess. Combining an assessment of BC and analysis of individual stress-hormone levels can
help improve health assessments in free-ranging giraffes and thus assist management decisions.
