A preliminary investigation of urinary testosterone and cortisol levels in wild male mountain gorillas

• Published in: American journal of primatology Vol. 43; no. 1; pp. 51 - 64
• Main Authors: Robbins, Martha M., Czekala, Nancy M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 1997; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Age Factors; Animals; Behavioral psychophysiology; Biological and medical sciences; cortisol; dominance; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gorilla gorilla - physiology; Hormones and behavior; Hydrocortisone - analysis; Hydrocortisone - urine; Male; mountain gorilla; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; puberty; Sex Characteristics; Social Dominance; socioendocrinology; testosterone; Testosterone - analysis; Testosterone - urine; Africa; Rwanda; Androgen; Male; Wild animal; Hydrocortisone; Glucocorticoid; Gorilla gorilla; Testosterone; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Social behavior; Social dominance; Social interaction; Animal; Adrenal hormone; Primates; Simioidea; Research center; Developmental stage; Testicular hormone; Hormonal investigation; Sex steroid hormone; Age; Field study

Urinary steroid hormone levels were measured in wild male mountain gorillas (Gorilla gorilla beringei) to determine how levels of testosterone and cortisol corresponded with age and social rank. Urine samples were collected noninvasively from 18 males, ranging in age from 3–26 years, in three groups...