File(s) under permanent embargo
Does contraceptive treatment in wildlife result in side-effects? A review of quantitative and anecdotal evidence
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 04:51 authored by Gray, ME, Elissa CameronThe efficacy of contraceptive treatments has been extensively tested, and several formulations are effective at reducing fertility in a range of species. However, these formulations should minimally impact the behavior of individuals and populations before a contraceptive is used for population manipulation, but these effects have received less attention. Potential side effects have been identified theoretically and we reviewed published studies that have investigated side effects on behavior and physiology of individuals or population-level effects, which provided mixed results. Physiological side effects were most prevalent. Most studies reported a lack of secondary effects, but were usually based on qualitative data or anecdotes. A meta-analysis on quantitative studies of side effects showed that secondary effects consistently occur across all categories and all contraceptive types. This contrasts with the qualitative studies, suggesting that anecdotal reports are insufficient to investigate secondary impacts of contraceptive treatment. We conclude that more research is needed to address fundamental questions about secondary effects of contraceptive treatment and experiments are fundamental to conclusions. In addition, researchers are missing a vital opportunity to use contraceptives as an experimental tool to test the influence of reproduction, sex and fertility on the behavior of wildlife species. © 2010 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.
History
Publication title
ReproductionVolume
139Pagination
45-55ISSN
1470-1626Department/School
School of Natural SciencesPublisher
Soc Reproduction FertilityPlace of publication
22 Newmarket Rd, Cambridge, England, Cb5 8DtRights statement
Copyright © 2010 Society for Reproduction and FertilityRepository Status
- Restricted