SERUM BIOCHEMISTRY VALUES AND SELECT SEROLOGIC SCREENING OF BROWN HYENAS ( PARAHYAENA BRUNNEA) FROM THE NAMIB DESERT, NAMIBIA

Are Domestic Dogs (Canis familiaris) the Family Scapegoats? A Systematic Review of Canine Distemper Virus in African Wildlife, 1978-2021

Free-living wildlife across Africa is found across expansive rangelands, frequently interacting with pastoral communities, their livestock, and domestic dogs (Canis familiaris). African wildlife populations are threatened by development, poaching and disease. Infectious diseases have caused significant declines, sabotaging conservation efforts. Canine distemper virus (CDV) infections have increased in incidence in wildlife over the past four decades. Sympatric domestic dogs have been presumed to be the reservoirs of the virus for wildlife. A systematic review using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines was carried out to investigate CDV infections in wildlife in Africa, to 1) analyze the conservation concerns associated with the disease, 2) identify the dynamics of the virus across different ecoregions, and 3) ascertain the source of the virus for free-living wildlife. The database searches identified 65 articles relevant to the study questions and an additional 43 valuable for wider discussion of the topic area. Canine distemper outbreaks were reported to occur in wildlife in six African countries, with mortality rates between 30% and 94% across all species affected. Eleven wildlife species were identified as susceptible, 64% of which (7/11) are classified as threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Disease dynamics varied between ecoregions because of differences in land use; virus strains; climate change and concurrent infections; ecotones; domestic and wildlife population densities; wildlife monitoring capacity; and wildlife movement. Nine countries reported outbreaks in domestic dog populations in or near wildlife habitats, but none reported confirmed transmission to wildlife. Of 23 reports investigating the role of domestic dogs as CDV reservoirs, 14 (61%) concluded that domestic dogs acted as either reservoirs or sources of CDV for wildlife, four (17%) did not identify dogs as reservoirs, and five (22%) were not sure of the role played by domestic dogs. This review highlights the importance of integrating active CDV surveillance in wildlife conservation programs.

Hematological and Biochemical Reference Values in Healthy Captive Tigers (Panthera tigris)

The tiger (Panthera tigris) is an endangered species. The health of individuals is important and any data on hematological and biochemical blood values can provide valuable information; when combined with physical assessment. This data assists in both the diagnosis of disease and some conservation strategies. The behavior of wild tigers makes it is extremely difficult to obtain biological samples from free-living subjects, therefore, data collected from captive tigers is highly valuable. The aim of this study was to provide additional information for the values of hematological and serum biochemical parameters in healthy captive tigers. Blood samples were collected from 22 clinically healthy tigers (Panthera tigris). The following parameters were analyzed: glucose, urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total protein (TP) and red blood cells (RBCs), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct) and red cell indices; such as mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell Hb (MCH), mean cell Hb concentration (MCHC), platelet (PLT) and white blood cells (WBCs). The mean hematological values in our tiger population were not significantly different when compared with the same parameters in the previously studied tiger population. The mean values of RBCs and PLT were statistically significantly higher and the mean values of Hb, PCV, MCV, MCH, MCHC, and WBC were lower than the mean values obtained in previous studies on the Amur tiger. Further investigation of captive and free-living tigers is needed to identify the normal ranges for parameters in this endangered species.

Physiological implications of life at the forest interface of oil palm agriculture: blood profiles of wild Malay civets (Viverra tangalunga)

Agricultural development is a major threat to global biodiversity, and effective conservation actions are crucial. Physiological repercussions of life alongside human-modified landscapes can undermine adaptable species' health and population viability; however, baseline data are lacking for many wildlife species. We assessed the physiological status of a generalist carnivore, the Malay civet (Viverra tangalunga), persisting within an extensively human-modified system in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. We characterized hematology and serum biochemistry panels from civets sampled across a mosaic landscape comprising tropical forest fragments and oil palm plantations. Intra-population variation in certain blood parameters were explained by expected biological drivers such as sex, age category and sampling season. Furthermore, we determined several erythrocyte measures, immune cell counts and dietary biochemistry markers significantly varied with proximity to oil palm plantation boundaries. These findings were supported by a case study, whereby blood profiles of GPS collared male civets were contrasted based on their exclusive use of forests or use of oil palm plantations. These data provide robust and valuable first insights into this species' physiological status and suggest agricultural landscapes are impacting the persisting population.