Testosterone Changes in Female Pandas in Estrus

Currently, the majority of giant panda breeding is carried out by cage-mating or artificial insemination based on estrogen levels and behavior in female pandas. However, studies have shown that testosterone levels both in women and in non-human primate females have a significant effect on the desire to mate. In this study, we wanted to explain how testosterone levels of female giant pandas would change during estrous. In this study, 23 accounts of rutting were recorded in 10 female pandas from 2009 to 2012. Changes in urinal testosterone levels were monitored and compared with estradiol values. Our data showed that, for female pandas in estrus, testosterone levels after the estradiol peak was significantly higher than before, and the testosterone peak occurred 4 days after the estradiol peak. Furthermore, testosterone and estradiol level were only significantly correlated after peak estradiol levels peaked, and not before. Finally, out findings suggest that testosterone could help us better understand hormone variation during panda estrus, as well as help aid in the natural breeding of pandas.