Design and test of novel scent enrichments to enhance breeding of zoo-housed lemurs.

Elwell, Emily; Fontani, Sara; Vaglio, Stefano

Abstract

Background
Zoos use environmental enrichments, including scents, which may have applications to improve breeding success for taxa, such as lemurs, which rely heavily on olfactory communication. We aimed to develop novel, biologically-relevant scent enrichments to trigger mating behaviours of zoo-housed lemur species, which are critically endangered in the wild and show a low success rate in captive breeding programmes.

Methods
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.

Results
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.

Conclusions
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.

Citation

Elwell, E., Fontani, S., & Vaglio, S. (2024). Design and test of novel scent enrichments to enhance breeding of zoo-housed lemurs. F1000Research, 13, Article 123. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.144636.1

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 22, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Feb 19, 2024
• Publication Date: Feb 19, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jul 31, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 19, 2024
• Journal: F1000Research
• Electronic ISSN: 2046-1402
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 13
• Article Number: 123
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.144636.1
• Keywords: Male, faecal endocrinology, scent enrichment, ruffed lemurs, Sexual Behavior, Animal - physiology, Lemuridae - physiology, behavioural observations, Female, Odorants - analysis, Lemur - physiology, gentle lemurs, semiochemistry, sexual behaviours, Animals, Zoo - physiology, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry, mating, Animals, Breeding
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/2617748