Title
Circulating levels of alpha-tocopherol and retinol in free-ranging African elephants (Loxodonta africana)
Author(s)
Savage, A; Leong, KM; Grobler, D; Lehnhardt, J; Dierenfeld, ES; Stevens, EF; Aebischer, CP
Published
1999
Publisher
Zoo Biology
Abstract
To date, there are no detailed reports of circulating levels of plasma alpha-tocopherol and retinol for large samples of free-ranging African elephants (Loxodonta africana). This survey study measured natural circulating levels of alpha-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 a-tocopherol and retinol were found to be 0.613 +/- 0.271 mu g/mL and 0.039 +/- 0.007 mu g/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. (C) 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Keywords
VITAMIN-E; MAXIMUS

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PUB11575