ISSN:
1748-7692
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
Measurement of progesterone concentration in blubber was developed as a method to detect pregnancy in minke whales. Progesterone was extracted and quantified from blubber samples of minke whale carcasses by radioimmunoassay. Results showed a highly significant difference (almost 60-fold) between blubber progesterone concentrations of anatomically determined pregnant females versus non-pregnant female or male carcasses. The results of the study suggest that the blubber progesterone concentrations might be used to determine pregnancy status in free-ranging whales.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2002.tb01022.x