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Free-ranging Animals (free-ranging + animals)

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Life Sciences100%

Selected Abstracts

Fatty acid status in captive and free-ranging black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis)*

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 3 2008
M. Clauss
Summary The fatty acid (FA) patterns of plasma/serum triglycerides (TG), phospholipids (PL) and cholesteryl esters (CE) of captive and free-ranging black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis) were investigated. Free-ranging animals (n = 28) stemmed from four different regions. Captive animals sampled included specimens from North American (n = 11) and three different European facilities (n = 6). The European animals were tested on 1,4 different diets, resulting in a total of 15 blood samples. Regardless of differences between the free-ranging animals from different regions, differences between captive and free-ranging animals were relatively uniform: captive animals had higher overall proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), due to levels of linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n6) that were drastically increased as compared to free-ranging animals. In contrast, levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n3) were consistently lower on conventional zoo diets. n6/n3 ratios for TG, PL and CE were 1.6, 10 and 8 in samples from free-ranging animals, respectively, as compared to 4.1,16.3, 16,148 and 40,277 in samples from captive animals. There was a distinct correlation between the proportion of grain-based products (commercial concentrates, plain grains and bread) in the diets of the European animals and the measured levels of n6 PUFA. An animal from a facility with a very low proportion of grain products in the diet nevertheless had high LA readings, most probably due to the use of sunflower oil as 2% (dry matter basis) of its diet. One animal that received a high proportion of grass meal pellets due to an oral disease had increased ALA contents after the diet change. These results allow conclusions on the suitability of diets fed in captivity: the black rhinoceros is prone to several uncommon diseases that have been suspected to be linked to oxidative damage, possibly due to the disposition of this species to excessive iron storage. An unnatural dietary loading with PUFAs would exacerbate this problem. Additionally, n6 FAs are known as precursors of pro-inflammatory mediators, and their overrepresentation could therefore exacerbate any inflammatory processes. Therefore, the current practice of using grain-based feeds as major ingredients in captive rhinoceros diets is discouraged. Diet items containing ALA (a precursor of anti-inflammatory mediators) such as, fresh grass, fresh browse, the respective silages should be included at higher levels in diets for captive black rhinoceroses. Grass meal pellets, although a good source of ALA and linked with high levels of ALA in an animal of this study, must be chosen with care for black rhinoceroses due to their particular proneness for high iron contents. [source]

Role of the zoo veterinarian in the conservation of captive and free-ranging wildlife

INTERNATIONAL ZOO YEARBOOK, Issue 1 2007
S. L. DEEM
The challenges to execute wildlife conservation projects successfully have become more complex as anthropogenic changes continue to stress the planet, changing wild lands. As the wild becomes less so, more species are placed in captivity to improve their chances of long-term survival, while concurrently management (and medicine) for free-ranging wildlife has become increasingly important. A variety of disciplines, including veterinary medicine, is now recognized as key to wildlife conservation. Although veterinarians have been involved in conservation for decades, it is only recently that their role has become more appreciated in the larger conservation community. This realization of the contributions of veterinarians has occurred at a time when disease has been recognized as significantly impacting species' conservation both in situ and ex situ. Today, veterinarians work with captive and free-ranging animals to prevent and/or treat diseases that threaten species' survival. Most of these diseases are associated with the increasing human footprint. In this paper, I present wildlife health in today's world and the zoo veterinarian's role in wildlife conservation. [source]

Fatty acid status in captive and free-ranging black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis)*

JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND NUTRITION, Issue 3 2008
M. Clauss
Summary The fatty acid (FA) patterns of plasma/serum triglycerides (TG), phospholipids (PL) and cholesteryl esters (CE) of captive and free-ranging black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis) were investigated. Free-ranging animals (n = 28) stemmed from four different regions. Captive animals sampled included specimens from North American (n = 11) and three different European facilities (n = 6). The European animals were tested on 1,4 different diets, resulting in a total of 15 blood samples. Regardless of differences between the free-ranging animals from different regions, differences between captive and free-ranging animals were relatively uniform: captive animals had higher overall proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), due to levels of linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n6) that were drastically increased as compared to free-ranging animals. In contrast, levels of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n3) were consistently lower on conventional zoo diets. n6/n3 ratios for TG, PL and CE were 1.6, 10 and 8 in samples from free-ranging animals, respectively, as compared to 4.1,16.3, 16,148 and 40,277 in samples from captive animals. There was a distinct correlation between the proportion of grain-based products (commercial concentrates, plain grains and bread) in the diets of the European animals and the measured levels of n6 PUFA. An animal from a facility with a very low proportion of grain products in the diet nevertheless had high LA readings, most probably due to the use of sunflower oil as 2% (dry matter basis) of its diet. One animal that received a high proportion of grass meal pellets due to an oral disease had increased ALA contents after the diet change. These results allow conclusions on the suitability of diets fed in captivity: the black rhinoceros is prone to several uncommon diseases that have been suspected to be linked to oxidative damage, possibly due to the disposition of this species to excessive iron storage. An unnatural dietary loading with PUFAs would exacerbate this problem. Additionally, n6 FAs are known as precursors of pro-inflammatory mediators, and their overrepresentation could therefore exacerbate any inflammatory processes. Therefore, the current practice of using grain-based feeds as major ingredients in captive rhinoceros diets is discouraged. Diet items containing ALA (a precursor of anti-inflammatory mediators) such as, fresh grass, fresh browse, the respective silages should be included at higher levels in diets for captive black rhinoceroses. Grass meal pellets, although a good source of ALA and linked with high levels of ALA in an animal of this study, must be chosen with care for black rhinoceroses due to their particular proneness for high iron contents. [source]

A FIELD-BASED METHOD FOR ESTIMATING AGE IN FREE-RANGING STELLER SEA LIONS (EUMETOPIAS JUBATUS) LESS THAN TWENTY-FOUR MONTHS OF AGE

MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, Issue 2 2007
James C. King
Abstract Studies of health, survival, and development of juvenile Alaskan Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus, SSL) require accurate estimates of age for wild-captured animals. However, the value and accuracy of several potential predictors of age have not been assessed with data from known-age free-ranging animals. During 2001,2005, forty-six individual SSL originally branded or tagged at ,6 mo of age were recaptured by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). Using a series of general linear models, we evaluated the ability of morphometrics measurements: permanent canine tooth length (CTL), diastema (DIAS), whisker length (WHIS), and dorsal standard length (DSL) to predict the age of forty-six known-age juveniles (n= 46 ,23 mo of age). Permanent CTL was the strongest individual predictor (r2= 0.80); followed by DSL, DIAS, and WHIS (r2= 0.70, 0.56, and 0.45, respectively). The inclusion of a single sample from a 44-mo-old sea lion suggested quadratic relationships between age and all predictors for older animals. Only models including CTL predicted age to within 6 mo of known age. The equation Age = (,3.0112 +[0.6726 * CTL]+[0.4965 * DIAS]) allows for accurate age estimates of SSL ,23 mo for both sexes. [source]