Effective storage period of cortisol in fresh feces of the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey.

The determination of hormones in fresh feces is a non-destructive method to detect the physiological status of wildlife; however, the effective storage period of fresh feces varies among different animal species. Therefore, understanding the effective storage period of physiological hormones in fresh feces for targeted species is a precondition to use this method. To determine the effective storage period of cortisol in fresh feces of the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellanae), we analyzed the content of cortisol with a RIA method under storage conditions of 95% ethanol at low temperature (4±1)℃ after eight storage periods, i.e. 0 (control), 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 20 and 30 days. The results showed that after a storage period of six days, the content of female fecal cortisol was significantly lower than that of control (P0.05), while those of male fecal cortisol was significantly larger than control (P0.05), indicating that the safe storage period for cortisol is 5 days or less. The experimental conditions were established according to the habitat of species, so the results can be an important reference for the collection and storage of fresh feces and a basis for related researches.