Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Alvarez‐Velazquez, María Fernanda
• González‐Jáuregui, Mauricio
• Miranda, Sergio Albino
• Rosano‐Ortega, Genoveva
• Chapman, Colin A.
• Serio‐Silva, Juan Carlos

Titel

Lead exposure and its relationship with fecal cortisol levels in black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra)

Ist Teil von

• American journal of primatology, 2024-04, Vol.86 (4), p.e23600-n/a

Ort / Verlag

United States: Wiley Subscription Services, Inc

Erscheinungsjahr

2024

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Wiley Online Library All Journals

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Efficiently detecting early environmental threats to wildlife is vital for conservation. Beyond obvious dangers like habitat loss or deforestation, our study focuses on one of the most hazardous toxic metals for wildlife: lead (Pb). Pb is a widespread, cumulative, and insidious environmental pollutant that can trigger a wide range of physiological, biochemical, and behavioral disorders. In fact, Pb can cause permanent dysfunction of the major stress system, the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. We analyzed Pb and cortisol concentrations in fecal samples from Alouatta pigra in southern Mexico. Fecal samples were collected across six sites categorized as free‐ranging (n = 65; conserved and disturbed) and from captive animals (n = 58). Additionally, we collected soil samples (n = 35). We found that Pb was present in 28% of fecal samples and 83% of soil samples. There was a positive relation between fecal and soil Pb levels, and fecal Pb concentration was negatively associated with cortisol levels. However, the claim of Pb being a direct interference with HPA axis requires further investigation. Given our findings, assessing wildlife exposure can be a valuable tool for understanding potential Pb exposure levels in the environment and its possible implications for human health. It can also serve as an early warning system of these consequences. Highlights We found the presence of lead (Pb) in soil and fecal samples of captive and free‐ranging black howler monkeys in Southern Mexico. Feces could be used to qualitatively detect the presence of Pb in organisms and their surroundings, though they do not provide a quantitative measure of Pb levels. Fecal Pb concentrations were negatively associated with cortisol levels, suggesting that Pb exposure could disrupt endocrine function in nonhuman primates. The identification of this harmful metal in monkey feces serves as a crucial signal, underscoring the urgency of both conservation efforts and the welfare of local communities.