Abstract:
Commercial crocodilian farms face significant economic and livestock losses attributed to
stress, which may be linked to their adopted husbandry practices. The development of appropriate
and modernized husbandry guidelines, particularly those focused on stress mitigation, is impeded
by the limited understanding of the crocodilian stress response. Fifteen grower Nile crocodiles
were subjected to simulated acute transport stress, with blood samples collected at various intervals
post-stress. Plasma levels of corticosterone (CORT), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), adrenaline,
and noradrenaline were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Glucose and
lactate were measured using portable meters and the heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (HLR) was
determined via differential leucocyte counts. Significant differences were elicited after the stressor,
with acute fluctuations observed in the fast-acting catecholamines (adrenaline and noradrenaline)
when compared to the baseline. Downstream effects of these catecholamines and CORT appear
to be associated with a persistent increase in plasma glucose and HLR. Lactate also showed acute
fluctuations over time but returned to the baseline by the final measurement. DHEA, which is
used in a ratio with CORT, showed fluctuations over time with an inverted release pattern to the
catecholamines. The study highlights the temporal dynamics of physiological markers under acute
stress, contributing to our understanding of crocodilian stress and potentially informing improved
farming practices for conservation and sustainable management.
