title: Strategic (adaptive) hypothermia in bull dromedary camels during rut; could it increase reproductive success?
abstract: In this study of body temperatures (T(b)) in free ranging dromedary camels, we found that bulls in rut start the days cooler. Daily minima during rut averaged 0.6 degrees C lower than at other times (95% CI 0.27-0.94 degrees C) and daily maxima averaged 0.45 degrees C higher (95% CI -0.01 to -0.91 degrees C), increasing the daily T(b) cycle. Knut Schmidt-Nielsen described a similar pattern in captive dromedaries deprived of water in hot conditions, which he interpreted as a strategy to conserve water. Our observations were made in winter and with water freely available. Dromedaries can apparently employ heterothermy for more than just water conservation. In the strenuous daily contests between rival bulls in rut, a lower T(b) early in the day should extend the time for which a contestant can challenge or defend before heat stress becomes a problem. Calculations show that lowering T(b) by even 0.6 degrees C extends that time by more than 30 min, and many daily minima during rut were lower than that. Because the eventual winner of contests gains or retains a herd of females, we speculate that cooler T(b) at the start of daily contests confers an advantage which translates directly into increased reproductive success.
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Queensland 4072, Australia. g.grigg@uq.edu.au
authors: Gordon
authors: G
authors: Grigg
authors: Lyn
authors: L
authors: Beard
authors: Birgit
authors: B
authors: Dörges
authors: Jürgen
authors: J
authors: Heucke
authors: Jocelyn
authors: J
authors: Coventry
authors: Alex
authors: A
authors: Coppock
authors: Simon
authors: S
authors: Blomberg
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D002162:Camelus / Q000502:physiology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D005260:Female; D007035:Hypothermia; D008297:Male; D012098:Reproduction; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal