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García-Rodríguez A, Herrero-García G, de Garnica García MG, García Esgueva Á, Balsera R, Oleaga Á, Fernández D, Amado J, Royo LJ, García Iglesias MJ, Balseiro A. Mortality Causes in Captive Cantabrian capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus cantabricus) in Spain. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071255. [PMID: 37048511 PMCID: PMC10093503 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The Cantabrian capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus cantabricus) is one of the most severely threatened subspecies of capercaillie. Its current population range is restricted to a small area of the Cantabrian Mountains (northwestern Spain), with only around 200 individuals remaining. As part of the national strategy for the conservation of the subspecies, the Cantabrian capercaillie Captive Breeding Center of Sobrescobio opened in 2009. Here, we use the information provided by the necropsies performed in this facility on 29 individuals (11 males, 13 females and 5 undetermined; 16 chicks and 13 adults) in order to describe the main mortality causes of captive-bred Cantabrian capercaillies. After necropsy, tissue samples were taken for evaluation using standard methods in histology and microbiology. The majority of the captive animals (18/29, 62.07%) died due to infectious diseases, mainly due to Escherichia coli, Clostridium perfringens, or Aspergillus fumigatus infection. The remaining 11 animals died due to stress-related processes (i.e., rupture of the heart apex and cardiomyopathy or neurogenic shock) (8/29, 27.59%), duodenal obstruction and coelomitis (1/29, 3.45%), perforation of the proventriculus and heart with a briar branch (1/29, 3.45%) or euthanasia due to a valgus leg deformity that prevented proper animal welfare (1/29, 3.45%). Young animals (i.e., younger than 2 months) died mainly due to infectious diseases (14/16, 87.5%), while stress-related causes were responsible for most adult deaths (7/13, 53.85%). We additionally report that two free-ranging adult males died due to exertional myopathy. This study provides relevant information for reducing mortality in captive capercaillies and improving both living conditions in captivity and the adaptation of these animals to the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gloria Herrero-García
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - María Gracia de Garnica García
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
- Micros Veterinaria, S.L., C/Profesor Pedro Cármenes, Campus de Veganzana, 24007 León, Spain
| | - Álvaro García Esgueva
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Ramón Balsera
- Consejería de Fomento, Ordenación del Territorio y Medio Ambiente, 33007 Oviedo, Spain
| | - Álvaro Oleaga
- Sociedad de Servicios del Principado de Asturias S.A. (SERPA), La Laboral, 33203 Gijón, Spain
| | - Daniel Fernández
- Sociedad de Servicios del Principado de Asturias S.A. (SERPA), La Laboral, 33203 Gijón, Spain
| | - Javier Amado
- Consejería de Medio Rural y Cohesión Territorial, 33299 Gijón, Spain
| | - Luis José Royo
- Departamento de Biología Funcional, Genética, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain
| | | | - Ana Balseiro
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
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