EFFECTS OF FASTING AND REFEEDING ON BODY-COMPOSITION OF CAPTIVE GRAY WOLVES (CANIS-LUPUS)

Citation
Tj. Kreeger et al., EFFECTS OF FASTING AND REFEEDING ON BODY-COMPOSITION OF CAPTIVE GRAY WOLVES (CANIS-LUPUS), Canadian journal of zoology, 75(9), 1997, pp. 1549-1552
Citations number
17
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Zoology
Journal title
ISSN journal
0008-4301
Volume
75
Issue
9
Year of publication
1997
Pages
1549 - 1552
Database
ISI
SICI code
0008-4301(1997)75:9<1549:EOFARO>2.0.ZU;2-I
Abstract
We examined the effects of fasting and refeeding on body composition i n 9 captive adult gray wolves, Canis lupus (6 males, 3 females), durin g May-June 1995. Body composition was estimated by the technique of tr itiated water dilution. Wolves were immobilized and weighed, base-line blood samples were taken, tritiated water was injected, and additiona l blood samples were taken before fasting, after 10 d of fasting, and again after 2 d of refeeding. Male wolves lost 8% (P = 0.0001) and fem ales lost 7% body mass (P = 0.01) during the 10 d. Males lost 54% of t his mass in water, 28% in fat, and 18% in protein/ash; females lost 58 % in water, 20% in fat, and 22% in protein/ash. Upon refeeding, male w olves consumed an average of 6.8 kg (15.3% body mass) of deer meat per day and females consumed 6.4 kg (18.7% body mass). AU wolves regained their initial mass. Males regained 24% of this mass in water, 70% in fat, and 6% in protein/ash; females regained 35% in water, 51% in fat, and 14% in protein/ash. This study provided evidence that after prolo nged fasting, captive wolves could quickly and efficiently regain lost body mass after refeeding.