Slow loris (nycticebus spp.) uncommon pathologies reported in an indonesian primate rehabilitation center

Slow lorises (Nycticebus spp.) are listed as vulnerable or endangered (IUCN Red List) endemic primate species in Indonesia, heavily hunted for the pet trade. During a six-months-period of medical assistance at IAR Ciapus primate center – West Java, a series of Slow Loris uncommon pathologies were reported.

(the following is the ppt. presentation we gave at the International Conference of Diseases of Zoo and Wild Animals, 8-11 May, Vienna- Austria )

The slow loris is a small primitive nocturnal primate, the only “poisonous” primate which can excrete a toxin underneath its armpit, “deliver” it with the bite which may lead to anaphylactic shock.
When sold as pets in order to reduce the risk of bites , it is a comune practice for people to cut their sharp teeth.
The species is under serious threat of extinction as a result of habitat loss, illegal trade for pets and for traditional medicine. Because of its “cute” appearance, the illegal wildlife trade is believed to be an even bigger threat to the slow loris’s survival than habitat loss.
The Javan slow loris is included in the category of ‘endangered’ species on the IUCN Red List and named as one of the 25 most endangered primates in the world.

The NGO : International Animal Rescue has established a facility specializing in the care of slow lorises in Ciapus, West Java, Indonesia.
The team here focuses on the rehabilitation and release of the slow loris , long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques. Is the only rehab station of its kind in Indonesia. It shelters around 100 rescued slow lorises.
The centre has a fully equipped veterinary clinic, quarantine enclosures, primate socialization enclosures and a public education centre.

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Alternative chemical immobilization protocol in a group of captive feral horses using homemade remote delivery

This is an article on feral horse remote chemical immobilization  submitted and accepted for poster presentation at the  International  Conference on Diseases of Zoo and Wild Animals, 16th-19th May 2012, Bussolengo/Verona, Italy.

You can download full article here: Alternative chemical immobilization protocol in a group of captive feral horses using homemade remote delivery

Summary
During a 6 months period, we managed to safely perform 102 remote chemical immobilisations on a group of 50 recently captured feral horses. For all procedures a standard combination of 25 mg detomidine, 62.5 mg tiletamine, 62.5 mg zolazepam and 10 mg butorphanol per delivered dart was used and repeated when necessary. We used 3.5 ml handmade darts delivered by an 11 mm wide improvised blowpipe. For better darting and anaesthesia induction results an additional smaller no-eye contact enclosure, was built which reduced the stress of the immobilisation procedures. Bigger and highly temperamental horses needed more than one dart to get recumbent. In most cases (78.4%) the horses had a smooth induction and awakening. The 19.6% rougher awakenings were attributed to longer anaesthesia onset and duration or to the individual horses temperament.

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Ovarian and Uterine Cysts in a Nutria

This presentation is ment to focus on ovarian and uterine cystic disorders in general and only as clinical example the case of our Dutch-born “Kirkegaard” is given.  It was actually a part of the Pathology class in the Small Animals  Module in Vienna, but I thought blending wildlife into small animal practice won’t do any harm. For the ovarian cysts there is the typical example of guinea pigs, but concerning cystic conditions of the uterus the dog is probably the best documented species. The full paper and poster on the two nutrias will soon follow!

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Giant Panda

Some of the particularities of a very special species. It was ment as a presentation for the Pathology class in the Conservation Medicine Module.

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Minke whales as marine bushmeat – issues of molecular identification

This is one of the presentations I prepared for Prof. Schwarzenberger’s course “Conservation Genetics”. It basically summarizes some of the reference papers on a certain topic. In this case: molecular identification techniques, problems and advantages in marine mammals, and specifically Minke whales.

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Issues of Nonhuman Primate husbandry

After visiting the Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC), Europe’s largest primate research centre, I chose primate husbandry as topic for a short presentation during the Conservation Module lectures.

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Efect of Population Density, Density Dependent Regulation

1. Introduction

• Population density is controlled by natality (+potential reproductive output), mortality (+potential/actual longevity, survivorship curves), dispersal and recruitment. Definitions and examples of basic terms are provided.

2. Population regulation

• Density dependent and density independent factors are defined and characterized from the point of view of populations and ecosystems that they influence.

3. Sex Ratios

• Classification (Mayr): primary, secondary, tertiary sex ratio.
• A difference between bird and mammal patterns is noted, as well as evolution according to age. Examples of sex ratio in birds vs. mammals and ungulates are given.
• Explanation of skewed ratios:
  • Hypothesis I. The “chromosome” hypothesis
  • Hypothesis II. Density-independent mortality (predation, physiological stress) hypothesis
  • Hypothesis III. Intraspecific competition hypothesis
• Linking natality to sex ratio: how dominance affects different species’ sex ratios

4. “Population density affects sex ratios in red deer”

• Summary, including Hypothesis, Results, Discussion
• Extensive presentation of the paper, emphasizing on observations and discussion
• Key points:
  • Dominant females are more likely to produce male offspring than subordinate females.
  • Offspring sex ratio was associated with dominance at low but not at high density.
  • The sex ratio at birth was also correlated with the amount of rainfall between November and January
  • Female fecundity also decreased with rising population density.
  • Fecundity increased significantly with dominance ranking.
  • Corpus luteum function is affected by social status in red deer.
  • The correlation between November–January rainfall and annual birth sex ratio was presumably generated by post-implantation fetal mortality.
  • Resorption of male fetuses => mothers that are unable to invest enough resources to provide them with a reasonable chance of breeding successfully.
  • High mortality of male fetuses may be a by-product of faster male growth rates.

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Pathology of Reproduction, Intoxications and Tumors in South American Camelids

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Field Use of Isoflurane and Air Anesthetic Equipment in Wildlife

ABSTRACT

Anesthesia equipment has been modified to permit the delivery of isoflurane in ambient air as the carrier and to be fitted with circuitry adaptable for different species and anesthetic situations for field operations. Preliminary empirical studies at low altitude in a range of small mammalian and avian species demonstrate the suitability of this combination and these techniques for inducing and maintaining anesthesia in clinically normal patients undergoing relatively minor procedures. The equipment has also been used to deepen and prolong anesthesia in several larger species, including great apes and large cats, after induction with injectable agents. These techniques, in combination with pulse oximetry to detect hypoxemia, provide a cheap, robust, and portable inhalation anesthetic system for field situations that is not dependent on compressed gasses.

Summary

1.    Field gas anesthesia is stable, have the facility for ventilation, and present the patient with low inspiratory resistance and freedom from rebreathing
2.    Three configurations were used
3.    The equipment is robust, lightweight -3kg
4.    At 5-L/min airflow, output concentrations accorded fairly accurately with those set on the vaporizer
5.    Especially useful in the orangutan, barbirusa and Brazilian tapir
6.    During maintenance, attention was paid to the clinical result and not to vaporizer control setting
7.    Postrelease ataxia, predation, or trauma may be minimized
8.    Calibration at low flow rates is a particular problem with very small species
9.    Pulse oximetry should be used during isoflurane and air anesthesia
10.    At high altitudes there is the  need for oxygen enrichment during spontaneous or controlled ventilation

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Hybridisation in Wildcats

Are the wildcats’ populations throughout Europe loosing the integrity of their gene pool?

ABSTRACT
The widespread occurrence of free-ranging domestic or feral cats in Europe is raising fear that introgressive hybridization with wildcats ( Felis silvestris) populations might disrupt local adaptations, leading to population decline and loss of biodiversity. It is difficult to make estimates of the degree of admixture when the gene frequencies in the native population prior to admixture are unknown. The use of hypervariable DNA markers (microsatellites) and new statistical methods (Bayesian models), have improved the assessment of cryptic population structure, admixture analyses and individual assignment testing. Results indicate that wild and domestic cat are genetically distinct in central and southwest Europe, but introgressive hybridization can be locally pervasive (Scotland, Hungary, Sardinia), and that conservation plans should be implemented to preserve the integrity of the gene pools of wild populations.

Summary

1.    Hybridization with translocated or domesticated populations of cats is increasing the risks of genetic deterioration and extinction of the wildcat
2.    In Scotland the genetic markers indicated substantial gene flow from the domestic to the wild-living population
3.    In southern and central Europe, Bayesian clustering showed that wildcats were assigned to distinct clusters, but that they are extensively admixed in the sampled location in Hungary
4.    In Italy the existence of many ‘‘private’’ alleles suggests that between wild and domestic cats there is little gene flow, with the notable exception of Sardinia
5.    Using improved markers and more then 20 microsatellite loci would allow a better monitoring of hybridization

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