VALIDATION OF A FECAL GLUCOCORTICOID METABOLITE ASSAY FOR COLLARED PECCARIES (PECARI TAJACU).

The article presents a study which validates the use of fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) assay to assess endogenous adrenal activity in collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) through adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The feces samples were free-dried and extracted using an ethanol vortex method and assayed using an enzyme immunoassay. It compares FGM concentrations using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results demonstrate that fecal glucocorticoid metabolite assay can be an effective tool for noninvasive stress monitoring in peccaries.