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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0Royal Society Open Science

Under pressure: personality, behavioural and physiological responses to handling in captive Addax nasomaculatus antelopes

  • Matías Villagrán Boerr1,2
  • César Echaides1,3
  • Martin W. Seltmann4
  • Vedrana Šlipogor5,6,7
  • Bruno Esattore8
  • Laura Saggiomo9
  • Juan Pablo Damián1,10
10 affiliations
  1. 1Departamento de Biociencias Veterinarias, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República 1 , Montevideo, Uruguay
  2. 2Núcleo de Desarrollo Académico en Medicina de la Conservación, Universidad de la República, Facultad de Veterinaria 2 , Montevideo, Uruguay
  3. 3Parque Villa Dolores, Intendencia de Montevideo 3 , Montevideo, Uruguay
  4. 4Department of Biology, University of Turku 4 , Turku, Finland
  5. 5Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne 5 , Lausanne, Switzerland
  6. 6Institute of Microbiology, University of Lausanne 6 , Lausanne, Switzerland
  7. 7The Sense Research and Innovation Centre 7 , Lausanne, Switzerland
  8. 8Department of Ecology and Evolution, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences 8 , Uppsala, Sweden
  9. 9Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences 9 , Uppsala, Sweden
  10. 10Núcleo de Bienestar Animal, Universidad de la República, Facultad de Veterinaria 10 , Montevideo, Uruguay
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Abstract

Animal personality refers to consistent behavioural differences among individuals across time and contexts. Knowledge of personality in ruminants, particularly non-domesticated species, remains limited. The study aimed to assess personality in a herd of Addax nasomaculatus antelopes (n = 25) living in a zoo, via a questionnaire, and to examine its relationship with handling responses under captive conditions. Personality was assessed using a 20-item questionnaire rated by observers across three contexts (Feeding, Neutral and Handling). Handling responses were measured via surface temperature, feeding and locomotor behaviour (pre- and post-handling), exit velocity and faecal cortisol metabolites. Data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis and linear mixed models. Four personality dimensions were identified: ‘Active/Unpredictable’, ‘Aggressive/Excitable’, ‘Bully’ and ‘Confident’. These traits were associated with distinct handling responses, indicating consistent interindividual variation in stress responses. Specifically, individuals scoring higher in ‘Aggressive/Excitable’ showed higher exit velocity and lower surface temperature, whereas those scoring higher in ‘Active/Unpredictable’ and ‘Bully’ showed lower exit velocity, higher surface temperature and increased grazing after handling. No association was found between personality and faecal cortisol metabolites. These findings expand the limited knowledge on non-domestic ruminants and have implications for improving captive management and conservation programmes.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{boerr2026under,
  title = {{Under pressure: personality, behavioural and physiological responses to handling in captive Addax nasomaculatus antelopes}},
  author = {Matías Villagrán Boerr and César Echaides and Martin W. Seltmann and Vedrana Šlipogor and Bruno Esattore and Laura Saggiomo and Juan Pablo Damián},
  journal = {Royal Society Open Science},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1098/rsos.260738},
  url = {https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/10/260738/483928/Under-pressure-personality-behavioural-and},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Under pressure: personality, behavioural and physiological responses to handling in captive Addax nasomaculatus antelopes
AU  - Matías Villagrán Boerr
AU  - César Echaides
AU  - Martin W. Seltmann
AU  - Vedrana Šlipogor
AU  - Bruno Esattore
AU  - Laura Saggiomo
AU  - Juan Pablo Damián
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/07
JO  - Royal Society Open Science
DO  - 10.1098/rsos.260738
UR  - https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/13/10/260738/483928/Under-pressure-personality-behavioural-and
AB  - Animal personality refers to consistent behavioural differences among individuals across time and contexts. Knowledge of personality in ruminants, particularly non-domesticated species, remains limited. The study aimed to assess personality in a herd of Addax nasomaculatus antelopes (n = 25) living in a zoo, via a questionnaire, and to examine its relationship with handling responses under captive conditions. Personality was assessed using a 20-item questionnaire rated by observers across three contexts (Feeding, Neutral and Handling). Handling responses were measured via surface temperature, feeding and locomotor behaviour (pre- and post-handling), exit velocity and faecal cortisol metabolites. Data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis and linear mixed models. Four personality dimensions were identified: ‘Active/Unpredictable’, ‘Aggressive/Excitable’, ‘Bully’ and ‘Confident’. These traits were associated with distinct handling responses, indicating consistent interindividual variation in stress responses. Specifically, individuals scoring higher in ‘Aggressive/Excitable’ showed higher exit velocity and lower surface temperature, whereas those scoring higher in ‘Active/Unpredictable’ and ‘Bully’ showed lower exit velocity, higher surface temperature and increased grazing after handling. No association was found between personality and faecal cortisol metabolites. These findings expand the limited knowledge on non-domestic ruminants and have implications for improving captive management and conservation programmes.
SN  - 2054-5703
ER  -