Guidelines for managing captive Iberian ibex herds for conservation purposes

Comparison of Cortisol Concentrations in Different Matrices in Alpine Ibex (Capra ibex) at the Zoo

The usefulness of blood collection using venipuncture versus kissing bugs or medicinal leeches and the collection of saliva, faeces, hair, urine, and tears for measuring "immunoreactive" C (iC) concentration in Alpine ibexes was verified using commercial enzyme immunoassays. The mean value of serum C was highest in serum collected using venipuncture and lowest in serums collected using kissing bugs. Statistically significant differences were observed between venipuncture and kissing bugs and between leeches and kissing bugs. However, no statistically significant difference was found in C concentrations between samples collected with venipuncture and those collected with leeches. The highest mean value of C concentration was measured in serum (all three methods), followed by that in hair and faeces, and the lowest mean value was found in saliva. Statistically significant differences were found between saliva and faeces samples and between saliva and hair samples. The difference between the concentrations for faeces and hair was not statistically significant. A significant difference in C concentration between males and females was found in saliva. A significant difference in C concentration among different ages was measured in serum obtained using venipuncture in all three groups and in faeces between the groups older than ten years and younger than 10 months. Highly significant differences in C concentrations were also found between hair sampled in summer and hair sampled in autumn. Collecting tear and urine samples is a laborious procedure and is therefore less acceptable for C determination. Due to the small number of samples, statistical values are not given for these two matrices.

Diseases of Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica)

Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica) is an ecologically and economically relevant medium-sized emblematic mountain ungulate. Diseases participate in the population dynamics of the species as a regulating agent, but can also threaten the conservation and viability of vulnerable population units. Moreover, Iberian ibex can also be a carrier or even a reservoir of pathogens shared with domestic animals and/or humans, being therefore a concern for livestock and public health. The objective of this review is to compile the currently available knowledge on (1) diseases of Iberian ibex, presented according to their relevance on the health and demography of free-ranging populations; (2) diseases subjected to heath surveillance plans; (3) other diseases reported in the species; and (4) diseases with particular relevance in captive Iberian ibex populations. The systematic review of all the information on diseases affecting the species unveils unpublished reports, scientific communications in meetings, and scientific articles, allowing the first comprehensive compilation of Iberian ibex diseases. This review identifies the gaps in knowledge regarding pathogenesis, immune response, diagnostic methods, treatment, and management of diseases in Iberian ibex, providing a base for future research. Moreover, this challenges wildlife and livestock disease and wildlife population managers to assess the priorities and policies currently implemented in Iberian ibex health surveillance and monitoring and disease management.

Co-infection patterns in the ectoparasitic community affecting the Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica

BACKGROUND

Sarcoptic mange is one of the main parasitic diseases affecting the Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica. Scabietic animals suffer a decline in body condition and reproductive fitness and in severe cases may die. Although several previous studies of the pathology of this disease and the physiological changes it produces in ibex have been carried out in recent years, our knowledge of the relationship between Sarcoptes scabiei and other ectoparasites of this host is still limited.

METHODS

We analysed 430 Iberian ibex skin samples. Ectoparasites were removed, counted and identified. Mite (S. scabiei) numbers were obtained after digesting the skin samples in a 5% KOH solution. We modelled mite numbers in terms of host sex and age, site, year, season and the presence of other ectoparasites such as ticks and lice using generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) and ectoparasite co-occurrence patterns using two different models: the probabilistic model species co-occurrence and the generalized linear latent variable model (GLLVM).

RESULTS

The ectoparasite community was mainly composed of S. scabiei, six ticks (Haemaphysalis sulcata, Haemaphysalis punctata, Rhipicephalus bursa, Rhipicephalus turanicus, Dermacentor marginatus and Ixodes ricinus) and two lice (Bovicola crassipes and Linognathus stenopsis). Adult male ibex harboured more mites than females. Mite numbers varied greatly spatially and seasonally and increased with the presence of other parasites. Some positive co-occurrence relationships between pairs of different ectoparasites were observed, particularly between ticks. The presence of S. scabiei negatively affected lice and H. sulcata numbers.

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcoptic mange has spread above all in ibex populations in and around the Mediterranean Basin, where it is now found in almost a third of its host's range. Mite numbers varied seasonally and spatially and were higher in male hosts. The presence of S. scabiei had a negative effect on lice numbers but favoured the presence of ticks.

The Effect of European Bison (Bison bonasus) Translocations on the Persistence and Genetic Diversity of Ex Situ Herds—A Modelling Study

The conservation of the genetic diversity of the European bison population is carried out mainly in ex situ herds, constituting a functional metapopulation. The breeders have to balance between the available capacity of the reserves and the need to enrich the free and semi-free herds with appropriate individuals. If there are limitations (e.g., financial) in the transfer of individuals, breeders report a problem of surplus individuals. The aim of this study was to estimate the migration parameters in the wisent metapopulation ex situ to maintain genetic diversity in hypothetical herds. The analysis was a two-step process. The first part of this study was carried out between the years 1998 and 2017, based on information from the European Bison Pedigree Book about eight selected herds. The average annual share of exported and imported individuals in the chosen metapopulation were calculated (8.81% (SD: 11.51) and 0.75% (SD: 2.15), respectively). The proportion of males to females among the exported animals was close to 1:1. The sex ratio of imported animals was close to 2:1 (M:F). The majority of transports were exports of animals (92.1%). The share of individuals exported from different age–sex groups was calculated. On this basis, in the second part of the study, the proportion of exported surplus individuals in the smallest hypothetical herd was established as 5.89% of the adult females, or 8.98% of adult males, or 32.70% of females aged 1–3 years. In order to maintain the genetic sustainability of hypothetical herds it is crucial to import individuals (M/F: 1/1; interval: 10 years). The results of this study will provide necessary information to determine the tools of wisent population management in the enclosure.

Two Cases of Mange Mite (Sarcoptes scabiei) Infestation in Long-Tailed Goral (Naemorhedus caudatus) in Republic of Korea

The long-tailed goral, Naemorhedus caudatus (Mammalia: Bovidae), is one of the endangered animals in the Republic of Korea (Korea). Sarcoptic mange mites infested in diverse species of mammals, including humans, but no case has been reported in long-tailed gorals. We report 2 cases of mange mite, Sarcoptes scabiei, infestation in long-tailed gorals. Mange mites were sampled in the skin legions of the 2 long-tailed gorals, which were rescued in 2 different regions, Uljin-gun, Gyeongsangbuk-do and Cheorwon-gun, Gangwon-do, Korea. Our results showed that the ectoparasite was the itch mite that burrowed into skin and caused scabies on the morphological inspection and placed within the phylogenetic relations of the species. The present study confirmed for the first time in Korea that mange mites are pathogenic scabies of long-tailed goral. Closer surveillance of this pathogenic ectoparasite in zoonotic and infectious ecosystems is warranted.

Development and Implementation of Baseline Welfare Assessment Protocol for Captive Breeding of Wild Ungulate-Punjab Urial (Ovis vignei punjabiensis, Lydekker 1913)

To ensure that captive breeding and other associated programs are more robust and sustainable, it is of utmost importance to ensure optimum welfare. Although it is well known that standard welfare is crucial for successful captive breeding, there is still a lack of welfare assessment protocols for wild species. The current study aimed to develop a leading baseline welfare assessment protocol for assessing welfare in captive Punjab urial. This protocol is based on the welfare protocol for domestic sheep from the Welfare Quality® project, coupled with all the information obtained from the published literature on the species' biology and ecology. This protocol consists of 4 principles, 12 criteria, and 31 animal- and resource-based indicators. The protocol was tested and applied to three different herds of Punjab urial at two different facilities. Initial results showed that some areas need to be improved for better captive breeding and management.

Characterizing the growth of Sarcoptes scabiei infrapopulations

During the course of parasitic disease infestations, parasite population sizes change at both individual host (infrapopulation) and host population (metapopulation) levels. However, most studies only report epidemiological values for specific locations and times. In this study we analysed the dynamics of several Sarcoptes scabiei infrapopulations from experimentally infested Iberian ibex, Capra pyrenaica. We obtained mite counts by digesting small skin biopsies, which we compared with indices obtained from histopathological analyses performed on adjacent skin biopsies. We obtained the finite growth rate and the daily growth rate for the mite infrapopulations: mean ± SE = 11.53 ± 10.17 and 0.10 ± 0.08 mites/day, respectively. Mite counts derived from skin sample digestion did not correlate with the histological mite indices obtained from adjacent skin biopsies. At a metapopulational level, both indices of mite abundance were modelled using GLMMs and the factors influencing their variation are analysed and discussed. Our results suggest that mites are not distributed uniformly over the whole area of the skin lesion. Therefore, direct diagnoses of mange and mite counts could be inaccurate if only small skin samples are used.