SEASONAL DYNAMICS OF URINARY CREATININE IN CAPTIVE SLOTH BEARS (Melursus ursinus): IMPLICATIONS FOR NON- INVASIVE MONITORING AND PHYSIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT
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Abstract
Urinarycreatinineiswidelyusedasanormalizationfactorinwildlifeendocrinologyandphysiological monitoring; however, its reliability depends on species-specific validation.Thepresentstudyevaluatedurinarycreatinineconcentrationsincaptiveslothbears(Melursusursinus) to assess the effects of season, sex, and body weight under managed-care conditions.A total of 240 urine samples were collected non-invasively from 80rehabilitated sloth bears
(40 males, 40 females; aged 1-30 years) across three seasons (summer, monsoon, and winter)attheAgraBearRescueFacility,India.Creatinineconcentrationswereestimatedusing
Jaffe’s reaction method. Seasonal variation was observed, with higher mean concentrationsduringsummer,intermediatelevelsduringmonsoon,andlowervaluesduringwinter,although variability overlapped across groups. No significant correlation was found betweenurinarycreatinineandbodyweightinanyseason,andsex-relateddifferenceswereinconsistent.Thesefindingsindicatethaturinarycreatinineinslothbearsisinfluencedbyseasonalphysiologicalandenvironmentalfactorsratherthanbybodymassorsex,challenging the assumption that it is astable correction factor. From a welfare and researchperspective, this study highlights the importance of species-specific validation of non-invasivebiomarkerstoensureaccurateinterpretationofphysiologicaldataincaptivewildlifepopulations.
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References
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