The presence of the male stimulates puberty in captive female Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryxPallas, 1777)

In order to analyse the influence of the male on the onset of puberty in captive female Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx), eight females calves were removed from their mothers immediately after birth and kept without (group 1) or with (group 2) male contact until day 430 when a mature male was placed with each female. According to progesterone concentrations in plasma, the first ovulation was at day 525 ± 16 in group 1 whereas it was advanced to day 397 ± 40 in group 2 (p< 0•05). In this species, therefore, a ‘male effect’ promotes attainment of puberty in females.