Electronic Theses and Dissertation

Kortisol merupakan hormon glukokortikoid yang berperan sebagai indikator fisiologis stres. Penelitian ini bertujuan menganalisis kadar kortisol dan metabolit kortisol sebagai indikator stres serta kesejahteraan gajah sumatra (Elephas maximus sumatranus) di beberapa Conservation Response Unit (CRU) dan Pusat Konservasi Gajah (PKG) di Aceh. Penelitian dilakukan dalam tiga tahap, yaitu: (1) evaluasi profil hematologi pada 39 ekor gajah (14 jantan dan 25 betina), (2) analisis hubungan kadar kortisol serum dengan profil leukosit pada 14 ekor gajah dewasa, dan (3) validasi kit ELISA EIA-1887 serta pengukuran metabolit kortisol feses pada 20 ekor gajah (8 jantan dan 12 betina) berdasarkan jenis kelamin dan kelompok umur. Pemeriksaan hematologi dilakukan menggunakan hematology analyzer, sedangkan kadar kortisol serum dan metabolit kortisol feses dianalisis dengan metode ELISA.

Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa seluruh parameter hematologi berada dalam kisaran normal tanpa perbedaan signifikan antara gajah jantan dan betina. Kadar kortisol serum rata-rata sebesar 21,13±4,33 ng/mL dan berkorelasi positif dengan jumlah leukosit, heterofil, dan eosinofil. Validasi kit ELISA EIA-1887 menunjukkan kinerja yang sangat baik dengan uji parallelism, akurasi (100,24±2,80%), dan presisi (%CV intra-assay 2,74–3,89%; inter-assay 3,08–5,74%), sehingga layak digunakan untuk analisis metabolit kortisol pada feses gajah sumatra. Konsentrasi metabolit kortisol pada gajah betina lebih tinggi pada akhir kebuntingan dibandingkan periode pascapartus. Selain itu, terdapat perbedaan signifikan kadar metabolit kortisol antara gajah jantan dan betina. Pada gajah jantan, kadar metabolit kortisol berbeda nyata antar kelompok umur dengan nilai tertinggi pada kelompok dewasa, sedangkan pada gajah betina tidak ditemukan perbedaan berdasarkan umur.

Kata kunci: ELISA, Elephas maximus sumatranus, gajah sumatra, kortisol.

Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone that acts as a physiological indicator of stress. This study aimed to analyze cortisol and cortisol metabolite levels as indicators of stress and the well-being of Sumatran elephants (Elephas maximus sumatranus) in several Conservation Response Units (CRUs) and the Elephant Conservation Center (PKG) in Aceh. The study was conducted in three stages: (1) evaluation of hematological profiles in 39 elephants (14 males and 25 females), (2) analysis of the relationship between serum cortisol levels and leukocyte profiles in 14 adult elephants, and (3) validation of the EIA-1887 ELISA kit and measurement of fecal cortisol metabolites in 20 elephants (8 males and 12 females) by sex and age group. Hematological examinations were performed using a hematology analyzer, while serum cortisol and fecal cortisol metabolite levels were analyzed using the ELISA method. The results showed that all hematological parameters were within the normal range, with no significant differences between male and female elephants. The average serum cortisol level was 21.13±4.33 ng/mL and was positively correlated with the number of leukocytes, heterophils, and eosinophils. Validation of the EIA-1887 ELISA kit demonstrated excellent performance with parallelism, accuracy (100.24±2.80%), and precision (%CV intra-assay 2.74–3.89%; inter-assay 3.08–5.74%), making it suitable for use in the analysis of cortisol metabolites in Sumatran elephant feces. Concentrations of cortisol metabolites in female elephants were higher at the end of pregnancy compared to the postpartum period. Furthermore, there were significant differences in cortisol metabolite levels between male and female elephants. In male elephants, cortisol metabolite levels differed significantly across age groups, with the highest values ​​in the adult group, while no differences were found based on age in female elephants. Keywords: ELISA, Elephas maximus sumatranus, Sumatran elephant, cortisol.