Hyperprolactinemia is an endocrine disorder associated with infertility in many species, including elephants. In a recent survey of zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), over half of African elephant females (N = 101) were not cycling normally, 30% of which exhibited hyperprolactinemia. We examined whether life experience and temperament predict ovarian cyclicity and circulating prolactin status in individual African elephant females. We hypothesized that, similar to humans, acyclicity and hyperprolactinemia in elephants will be associated with an apprehensive or fearful, anxious temperament, and an increased number of potentially challenging life events (transfers, deaths and births). Ninety-five adult African elephant females housed at 37 AZA institutions were included in this study. Blood samples were collected twice a month for 1 year to determine ovarian cycle (cycling, n = 44; irregular, n = 13; non-cycling, n = 38) and prolactin (normal, n = 44; low; n = 23; high; n = 28) status. Keeper ratings on a 6-point scale were obtained on 32 temperament traits in 85 of these elephants. We determined that giving birth and being exposed to herd mates entering the facility were positively associated with normal ovarian cycle and prolactin profiles. By contrast, age, serum cortisol, and an increased number of herd mates leaving a facility were negatively associated with both. Contrary to our hypothesis, hyperprolactinemia was associated with a popular and caring temperament rating, whereas consistently low prolactin was associated with a fearful, apprehensive temperament. These findings indicate that pituitary-ovarian function may be impacted by life history (cyclicity) and temperament (prolactin), which should be taken into consideration when making management decisions.

高催乳素血症是与许多物种（包括大象）不育相关的内分泌疾病。在最近由动物园和水族馆协会（AZA）认可的动物园的调查中，超过一半的非洲象雌性动物（N = 101）没有正常骑车，其中30％表现出高催乳素血症。我们检查了生活经验和气质是否可以预测单个非洲象女性的卵巢周期和循环催乳素状态。我们假设，与人类相似，大象的非周期性和高泌乳素血症将与忧虑或恐惧的焦虑气质以及潜在的挑战性生活事件（转移，死亡和出生）数量增加有关。这项研究包括了居住在37个AZA机构中的95名成年非洲象女性。每月两次采集血样，为期一年，以确定卵巢周期（循环，n  = 44；不规则，n  = 13；非循环，n  = 38）和催乳素（正常，n = 44；低；正常）。n  = 23；高; ñ = 28）状态。对其中85头大象的32个气质特征进行了6分制的保持者评分。我们确定生育和暴露于进入该设施的牧群与正常卵巢周期和催乳素水平呈正相关。相比之下，年龄，血清皮质醇和离开设施的牧群数量增加都与这两者负相关。与我们的假设相反，高泌乳素血症与普遍和关心的气质等级相关，而持续低泌乳素与恐惧，忧虑的气质相关。这些发现表明垂体-卵巢功能可能受生活史（周期）和气质（催乳素）的影响，在制定管理决策时应予以考虑。