Observational study reveals sex-specific faecal cortisol metabolites in captive Australian marsupials, highlighting non-invasive monitoring for captive welfare.
Key Points
Faecal cortisol metabolites display significant sex differences in captive bilbies and bettongs, whereas long nosed potoroo cohorts exhibit uniform baseline levels.
Individual concentrations differed at p < 0.05 across rufous bettongs, and male bilbies showed significantly distinct baselines from females at p < 0.05.
Assessment using an enzyme immuno assay and an iterative baseline approach quantified peak faecal glucocorticoid profiles across three captive marsupial species.
Highlights captive welfare monitoring, and validated faecal cortisol metabolites may enable precise tracking across sex, housing, and diverse social grouping conditions.