Non-invasive assessment of adrenocortical activity as a measure of stress in giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis)

Giraffe droppings can record a stressful journey after it is over. Hormones released into the blood are broken down, and some of their products eventually leave the body in dung. Collecting that dung could reveal a response without catching the giraffe again, but only if the laboratory test recognises the right chemical traces.

Meredith Bashaw, Florian Sicks and colleagues compared six tests using samples from two male zoo giraffes given a hormone that stimulates the adrenal glands. This created a known physiological challenge against which to check the tests. They then used the best-performing tests on five other giraffes moved within or between zoos, collecting droppings before and after transport.

Two tests detected clear increases after stimulation in both males and after transport in all five moved animals. Some other tests missed the response in one male. The transport-related elevations could persist for several days, making daily dung collection useful for following events that were already over. These measurements reflect adrenal activity, not a direct reading of distress: excitement and other demands can activate the same system. Combined with observations of the animal and its circumstances, droppings offer a way to investigate giraffe responses without creating another handling event.