Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) as a tool for conservation

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a widespread vertebrate steroid that functions both as a precursor to sex steroids and as a regulator of stress, immunity, and reproductive physiology. Across taxa, DHEA frequently responds to environmental conditions in ways that complement or counterbalance glucocorticoids, providing insight into physiological resilience rather than stress exposure alone. This review evaluates the potential for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) as an emerging endocrine tool for wildlife conservation. By synthesizing evidence across taxa to assess how DHEA has been measured, interpreted, and applied in ecological contexts, we seek to highlight methodological challenges, taxonomic gaps, and priority research directions needed to integrate DHEA monitoring into conservation physiology. Collectively, existing evidence suggests that DHEA represents an understudied and underutilized, yet promising biomarker for understanding adaptive capacity and for informing conservation management decisions.