人为干扰已成为威胁濒危野生动物生存和繁殖的重要因素之一。亚洲象(Elephas maximus)是我国一类濒危保护物种，被世界自然保护联盟（IUCN）列为濒危物种（EN）。目前中国野生亚洲象仅分布于云南省普洱市（思茅区、澜沧县、江城县）、西双版纳傣族自治州以及临沧市南滚河保护区，种群数量仅为200-250头。人口的急剧增长、社会生产活动的不断扩大和利益驱使下的非法盗猎，导致亚洲象栖息地破碎化，人象冲突加剧。本研究通过非损伤性取样采集来自西双版纳地区的15个采样地点的野生亚洲象粪便样品（N=280），采用放射免疫分析法检测粪便皮质醇、雌二醇和孕酮，旨在探究西双版纳地区野生亚洲象对人为干扰的应激反应，以及应激水平与繁殖状况的潜在关系。 研究结果显示： （1）粪便皮质醇水平与人为干扰指数呈显著正相关（Pearson correlation coefficient，r=0.57，P=0.027），即人为干扰可能导致野生亚洲象种群应激水平上升。 （2）保护区外的粪便样品平均皮质醇水平最高（14.14±1.31ng/ml），勐养保护区样品次之(12.11±0.60ng/ml)，尚勇保护区样品的粪便皮质醇水平最低(7.80±0.58ng/ml)。 （3）粪便皮质醇水平与茶园频率呈显著正相关（Spearman correlation coefficient，ρ=0.865，P=0.000）；粪便皮质醇水平与农地频率呈正相关的趋势，但不显著（Spearman correlation coefficient，ρ=0.098，P=0.727）；粪便皮质醇水平与到村路的距离呈负相关的趋势，但不显著（Pearson correlation coefficient， r=-0.129，P=0.648）。道路和土地利用类型的变化可能是影响种群应激水平的潜在人为干扰因素。 （4）粪便皮质醇水平与雌二醇水平呈显著负相关（Spearman correlation coefficient，ρ=-0.123，P=0.041）。因此我们认为，升高的生理应激水平可能会降低雌二醇水平，即人为干扰的增强会间接地抑制种群中雌性亚洲象的繁殖活动。 亚洲象作为我国西双版纳热带雨林的旗舰物种，对维持当地生态系统功能有着重要作用。以生理生态学的方法探究人为干扰对野生亚洲象应激水平和繁殖的潜在关系，对降低人为干扰的不利影响和保护濒危野生动物十分重要。

Human disturbance has become one of the important threats to the survival and reproduction of endangered wild animals. Asian elephant(Elephas maximus) is regarded as the first-class endangered species in China, and listed as endangered species(EN) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature(IUCN). Currently, the wild Asian elephants in China are only distributed in Yunnan Province, including Pu'er(Simao District, Lancang County, and Jiangcheng County), Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture and the Nangunhe Protected Area in Lincang. The population of wild Asian elephants in China is estimated to be 200-250. The rapid increase in human population, expanding social production activities and interest-driven illegal poaching caused the fragmentation of elephant habitats and intensified human-elephant conflict. In this study, we collected fecal samples of wild Asian elephants from 15 sampling locations in Xishuangbanna(N=280), and evaluated fecal cortisol, estradiol and progesterone by Radioimmunoassay. The purpose of this study was to investigate the stress response of wild Asian elephants in Xishuangbanna towards human disturbance, and the potential relationship between stress level and reproductive status. The results showed that: (1) Fecal cortisol level and human disturbance index showed a significant positive correlation(Pearson correlation coefficient, r=0.57, P=0.027). It suggested that human disturbance increased the stress level of the wild Asian elephants. (2) The average cortisol level of the fecal samples collected outside the protected area was the highest(14.14±1.31ng/ml), followed by those cellected in the Mengyang Protected Area(12.11±0.60ng/ml), and the cortisol level of the fecal samples collected in the Shangyong Protected Area was the lowest(7.80±0.58ng/ml). (3) Cortisol level was significantly positively correlated with frequency of tea gardens(Spearman correlation coefficient, ρ=0.865, P=0.000); There was a positive correlation between cortisol level and farmland frequency, but not in a significant level(Spearman correlation coefficient, ρ=0.098, P=0.727); There was a negative correlation between the level of fecal cortisol and the distance to the village roads, but not significant(Pearson correlation coefficient, r=-0.129, P=0.648). Roads and changes in land use patterns could be potential human disturbances that affect population stress level. (4) Fecal cortisol level was significantly negatively correlated with estradiol level(Spearman correlation coefficient, ρ=-0.123, P=0.041). The results indicated that elevated level of physiological stress could reduce estradiol level, that was, an increase in human disturbance indirectly inhibited reproductive activity of female Asian elephants in the populations. As the flagship species of Xishuangbanna tropical rain forest in China, Asian elephant plays an important role in maintaining the ecosystem function in the region. To understand the potential impact of human disturbance on the stress level and reproduction status of wild Asian elephants through physiological and ecological methods is important for reducing the adverse effects of human disturbance and protecting endangered wild animals.