Response of African Giant Snail (Archachatina Marginata) in Captivity to Deifferent Feed Items

Thirty six (36) one-week old hatchling of giant snail were randomly selected and grouped into 4 batches on the basis of body weight. Each group was fed in captivity with either of the following feed items: water leaf, cocoyam leaf, potato leaf or compound feed (24.43% crude protein). Diets were fed ad libitum for 20 weeks. The result showed that snails raised on compounded feed had the highest body weight gain which was not significantly different (P>0.05) from those fed cocoyam and water leaves. Snail fed potato leaf had significantly lowest (P>0.05) body weight gain. Mean flesh weight of snails fed compounded diets and cocoyam leaf were 158±5.31 and 153± 4.04g respectively, these were significantly different(P>0.05) from those fed water leaf (148± 1.00g) and sweet potato leaf (139±1.10g). It was concluded that African giant snail can be raised successfully in captivity on cocoyam without any adversely response. Keywords: Giant Land Snail, Cocoyam, Potato leaf, water leaf, compounded feed, captive rearing

Impacts of trace metals on Roan Antelope, Hippotragus equines and its Endoparasite Strongyloides spp ., sampled in the tropical rainforests of Odo Ona Kekere, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Background: Roan antelopes, together with other mammals, serve as man’s proteins. Para- sitic infections affect their growth and development and therefore reduce their yield. Sam- ples of hunted roan antelopes ( Hippotragus equines ) were collected from Oluwo bushmeat Market, Epe, and Odo Ona Kekere in Oluyole Local Government Area of Ibadan, Nigeria. The intestine and liver of the roan antelopes were assessed based on endoparasites, accumu- lated trace metals, lipid profile, antioxidant biomarkers, and histopathology. The study was conducted to determine the impacts of trace metals on the enteric parasite Strongyloides spp. as an early warning to metal toxicity impacts on the antelopes and the consumers. Results: The study showed that the enteric parasites of the Roan antelope accumulated barium at a higher level than the host. The parasites showed great potentials for storage of cadmium and nickel, with the second-highest bioaccumulation factors in the study ( > 2), after zinc with bioaccumulation factor > 3. Vanadium’s significant bioaccumulation factors are recorded only in the liver and intestine of the roan antelopes. The negative impact of the multi-stress conditions was evident in this study. For example, the significantly highest concentrations of zinc and barium in the parasites than the intestines and liver of the roan antelopes may partly be implicated in the outstandingly higher cholesterol, and low-lipid lipoproteins indicate dyslipidemia, which results from cellular damage due to stress. In stress conditions, some physiological reactions occur, including changes in hormones and components in the blood. These events might lead to higher cholesterol levels which may result in dyslipidemia. As seen in this study, although the levels of MDA in the investigated tissues were reasonably fairly stable, the upregulated SOD in the investigated tissues of the parasite served as an early warning signal of stress in the roan antelopes. Conclusion: The study revealed that Strongloides spp might be a reliable bioindicator of the metal burden in the roan antelopes. The enteric parasite may also serve as a good biosequestration tool to alleviate the toxic load of cadmium and nickel from the roan an- telope. The synergistic impacts of cadmium and nickel on the parasites might reduce the infection intensity in the host. This study has demonstrated an empirical early warning against the deleterious accumulation of vanadium, barium, and zinc, which might rise be- yond acceptable levels in the future, thus providing prognostic data for proactive decisions by stakeholders to make pragmatic plans and policy towards a sustainable conservation of the roan antelopes

Impacts of trace metals on Ascaris sp., endoparasites of greater cane rat, Thryonomis swinderianus (Temmincks, 1827), in the tropical rainforests of Odo Ona Kekere, Oluyole Local Government of Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria

Samples of hunted greater cane rat (Thryonomis swinderianus) were collected from Oluwo Market, Epe and Odo Ona Kekere in Oluyole Local Government Area Ibadan, Nigeria. Trace metals such as zinc, cadmium, vanadium, barium, nickel, copper, lead, cobalt, chromium, and manganese were determined in the liver, intestine, and endoparasites of T. swinderianus and the associated implications on the lipid profile, and antioxidant biomarkers were investigated

Nilonema gymnarchi (Nematoda: Philometridae) and trace metals in Gymnarchus niloticus of Epe lagoon in Lagos State, Nigeria

The presence of trace metals in the sediment, water, and biota of the Epe lagoon has been recently linked to oil exploration and municipal perturbations around the lagoon. The study was aimed at assessing the concentrations and associated health risks of Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, Co and V in the water, sediment, and Gymnarchus niloticus of Epe lagoon and to evaluate the role of the enteric parasite Nilonema gymnarchi in bioaccumulation of the metals in the fish. The temperature, pH, redox potential, conductivity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), total dissolved solids (TDS), and salinity were determined in-situ using a handheld multi-parameter probe (Horiba Water Checker Model U-10). The concentrations of Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, Pb, Cd, Cr, Mn, Co, and V were determined in the surface water, bottom sediment, Gymnarchus niloticus, and its enteric parasites, Nilonema gymnarchi in Epe lagoon using the Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (Philips model PU 9100). The bioaccumulation factors and target hazard quotients of the trace metals in the infected and uninfected fish were estimated and compared. The intestinal tissue sections of the infected and uninfected fish were examined using a binocular dissecting microscope (American Optical Corporation, Model 570) using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stain. Biochemical markers such as reduced glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and lipid peroxidation (MDA) were determined in the liver of the infected and uninfected fish. The SOD level was higher in the uninfected fish than the infected ones supports the indications deduced from the bioaccumulation analysis. Strong positive correlations between SOD and most of the metals- Fe (0.916), Zn (0.919), Cu (0.896), and Ni (0.917) suggests that the metals may have inflicted more toxicity in the uninfected. The histopathological comparisons made between the uninfected and infected fish showed consistency with the outcomes of other comparisons made in this study. These evidence were marked by tissue alterations in the infected fish ranging from no observed changes to mild alterations, while the uninfected exhibited more severe tissue injuries such as hemorrhagic lesions, severe vascular congestion, edema, the increased connective tissue of the submucosa, and vascular congestion. The condition factors of the infected (0.252) and uninfected (0.268) fish indicated slenderness and unfitness possibly due to environmental stressors such as trace metals. The parasitized fish showing better-coping potentials than the uninfected, coupled with the significant bioaccumulation interferences exhibited by the parasite Nilonema gymnarchi is an indication that the parasites may be a good metal sequestration agent for the fish and can be used to forestall the significant health hazard quotient posed by the current level of iron and the synergy of all metals analyzed in the lagoon

Bioaccumulation of Pyrethroid in Parasite Wenyonia acuminata (Cestoda: Caryophyllaeidae) and Host fish Synodontis clarias (Linnaeus, 1758) from Lekki Lagoon, Lagos Nigeria

This study was aimed at determining the concentration of pyrethroid in the surface water, sediment, Weyonia acuminata and Synodontis clarias fish in Lekki lagoon, Lagos, Nigeria. In-situ physicochemical analysis of the surface water was conducted using a calibrated handheld multi-parameter probe (Horiba Checker Model U-10). Intestinal samples from infected and uninfected fish were analyzed for pyrethroid concentrations, microbial colonization, proteins (PRO), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), reduced glutathione (GSH), malonaldehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). The histopathology of infected and uninfected intestinal tissues were analyzed using Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stains and examined under a binocular light microscope (Model 230485). A total of 39 out of 98 S. clarias fish were infected with cestode parasite, Wenyonia acuminate, amounting to 39% parasite prevalence. Among the tested pyrethroids, Cyfluthrin and Alpha –cypermethrin had significant sorption of 1.62 and 3.27 respectively from the aqueous phase to the bottom sediment of the lagoon. Pyrethroid concentration was in the order of sediment > parasite> water > intestine> liver. The cholesterol, triglycerides, and LDL (low density lipids) in the parasite were higher than in the host fish (p<0.05). On the other hand, the fish hepatic protein, high density lipids (HDL) and glucose were higher than the levels in the parasites (p<0.05). There was a high prevalence of gut microbes (30 - 40%), which include Salmonella sp, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas sp and Bacillus sp among individuals infected with gut Cestodes, Wenyonia sp compared with uninfected individual which had higher gut Staphylococcus sp., Klebsiella sp., and Proteus sp. (10- 40%). among the congeners of pyrethroids analyzed, Cyfluthrin > Alpha-Cyermethrin had significant sorption on the sediment, however unlike a benthopelagic fish, no pyrethroid was accumulated in the S. clarias from the sediment. The fish however accumulated Alpha-Cypermethrin from the aqueous phase. The parasite on the other hand accumulated Bathroid significantly from the surface water and bottom sediment which may be linked to the higher stress levels observed in the parasite than the host fish. The parasite in turn inflicted histological alterations on the host intestine, marked by moderate inflammation of mucosa, alteration of the villi microstructure, moderate stunting of the villous structure and moderate fibrosis of villous structure. The study demonstrated the efficiency of histopathological and microbial analysis in biomonitoring studies enteric parasites and early detection of pyrethroid toxicity respectively compared to bioaccumulation analysis

Effect of traditional use on Vulture&#039;s population in Lagos,Nigeria

Vultures are the planetary vacuum cleaner;foraging on carcass potentially reducing disease outbreaks.Unfortunately, in Lagos, Nigeria illegal trade in wildlife and traditional use of vulture parts constitutes a potential threat to its conservation. High market demand for the species is gradually leading to its population decline. A 3-months survey was carried out in four markets predominately known for wildlife trade namely: Epe, Ikorodu, Bariga, and Oyingbo to investigate the current trend in vulture parts utilization and the cultural perception of the indigenous people. The study was carried out through the use of Focused Group Discussion (FGD), formal interview and a questionnaire survey .Three hundred respondents including wildlife vendors, bushmeat consumers, traditional practioners   and community heads were interviewed. Data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The respondents' perceptions were expressed in percentage while the market value of vulture parts was expressed in dollars (USD). Ninety-five (95%) of the respondents believed that there is a gradual decline in the population of vultures through Hunting (51%), habitat destruction (30%) and traditional use (14%). Vultures are traditionally used in medicine, voodoo, rituals and coronation ceremony for kings. Live birds and dried feathers and heads of vulture are freely displayed in the market for a prospective buyer. A single feather cost as much as 1.44 USD while the head is sold for 17.29 USD and the whole bird for 74.89 USD in the open market. Feathers of vultures are traditionally hanged at door post as protection against evil spirit while the heads are burnt and grounded into power, blended with other concoctions to fortify and prolong the life of newly installed kings. Live vultures are sacrificed to appease gods, revoke evil, curses and for treatment strange and incurable ailments such as stroke, infertility, mental sicknesses. The result from the study confirmed that high demand for vulture parts in traditional practice is one of the major drivers of vulture decline in Lagos statepeerReviewe

A freshwater perspective on the United Nations decade for ecosystem restoration

Globally, ecosystems have suffered from anthropogenic stressors as we enter the sixth mass extinction within the Anthropocene. In response, the UN has declared 2020-2030 the Decade for Ecosystem Restoration, aiming to mitigate ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss. Freshwater ecosystems are disproportionately impacted relative to marine or terrestrial systems and ecological restoration is needed to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. Paradoxically, freshwater is among Earth's most vital ecosystem services. Here we identify meaningful considerations from a freshwater perspective that will lead to progression toward the restoration of freshwater ecosystems: work across terrestrial and freshwater boundaries during restoration, emulate nature, think and act on a watershed scale, design for environmental heterogeneity, mitigate threats alongside restoration, identify bright spots, think long term (a decade is not long enough), and embrace social-ecological systems thinking. Further, we reflect upon the three implementation pathways identified by the UN to translate these considerations into practice in hopes of "bending the curve" for freshwater biodiversity and ecosystems. Pathway 1, building a global movement, could create a network to share experiences and knowledge promoting vicarious learning, ultimately leading to more effective restoration. Pathway 2, generating political support, will be necessary to institutionalize ecosystem protection and restoration by demonstrating the value of freshwater ecosystems and biodiversity. Pathway 3, building technical capacity, aims to improve the current and often ineffective restoration toolbox by incorporating evidence syntheses (i.e., appraisal of evidence base) and Indigenous ways of knowing (i.e., two eyed seeing). Given that freshwater ecosystems are in dire need of repair, it is our hope that these considerations and implementation pathways will contribute to an actionable and productive Decade for Ecosystem Restoration