Circulating levels of α-tocopherol and retinol in free-ranging African elephants (Loxodonta africana)

✍ Scribed by A. Savage; K.M. Leong; D. Grobler; J. Lehnhardt; E.S. Dierenfeld; E.F. Stevens; C.P. Aebischer

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1999
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 24 KB
• Volume: 18
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0733-3188
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1098-2361(1999)18:4<319::aid-zoo6>3.0.co;2-t

✦ Synopsis

To date, there are no detailed reports of circulating levels of plasma α-tocopherol and retinol for large samples of free-ranging African elephants (Loxodonta africana). This survey study measured natural circulating levels of α-tocopherol as a measure of vitamin E activity and retinol as an indicator of vitamin A activity, in 70 free-ranging African elephants captured at Kruger National Park as part of a translocation program. Mean levels of α-tocopherol and retinol were found to be 0.613 ± 0.271 µg/mL and 0.039 ± 0.007 µg/mL, respectively, and did not vary significantly across sex or age class. Elephants appear to normally have low circulating levels of both these nutrients compared with domestic herbivore species; values from healthy, free-ranging elephant populations may provide useful data for assessing nutrient status of captive animals. Zoo Biol 18: 319-323, 1999.