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Published on: September 14, 2018
Non-invasive body temperature measurement of wild chimpanzees using fecal temperature decline
Siv Aina Jensen1, Roger Mundry, Charles L Nunn
1Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig 04103, Germany. JensenS@rki.de
Abstract:
New methods are required to increase our understanding of pathologic processes in wild mammals. We developed a noninvasive field method to estimate the body temperature of wild living chimpanzees habituated to humans, based on statistically fitting temperature decline of feces after defecation. The method was established with the use of control measures of human rectal temperature and subsequent changes in fecal temperature over time. The method was then applied to temperature data collected from wild chimpanzee feces. In humans, we found good correspondence between the temperature estimated by the method and the actual rectal temperature that was measured (maximum deviation 0.22 C). The method was successfully applied and the average estimated temperature of the chimpanzees was 37.2 C. This simple-to-use field method reliably estimates the body temperature of wild chimpanzees and probably also other large mammals.
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01:27Assessing Body Temperature - Rectal
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01:14Assessing Body Temperature - Oral
Step 1:
Start by practicing proper hand hygiene to prevent the spread of microorganisms.
Step 2:
Take the thermometer out of the charging unit, switch it on, and wait for the ready sign.
Step 3:
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Step 4:
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01:19Assessing Body Temperature - Temporal Artery
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01:14Temperature Measurement Sites
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01:14Assessing Body Temperature - Axilla
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01:13Equipments Used to Measure Body Temperature
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