Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites and assay validation: Stress response evaluation in captive brown howler monkeys (Alouatta clamitans).

All challenged animals presented a peak in fecal glucocorticoids levels the day after the treatment, while control animals did not. There were no significant sex differences, but females with infants had higher levels of corticosterone. Corticosterone levels showed parallelism to the standard curve of the diagnostics kit. Collectively, the data suggest that the method was validated and is useful for monitoring stress, thereby helping in conservation programs both in captivity and in the wild. Transit time information may be coupled with travel distance in seed dispersal studies.