A CCWHC Technical Bulletin: Drug Residues in Wild Meat – Addressing A Public Health Concern

Veterinary drugs play a valuable role in wildlife management and research. They are used widely for a variety of reasons, in particular, the capture and restraint of wild animals (Table 1). However, the availability and use of veterinary drugs is threatened if government regulations or the public trust are violated. Drug residues in wildlife are an important public health concern, especially for those who consume wild meat. Although the likelihood of consuming meat from a wild animal administered drug shortly before death is small, wildlife personnel (conservation officers, park wardens, biologists, veterinarians, etc.) are still confronted from time to time with the question, “Is the meat of a drugged animal safe to eat?” And, because data regarding the safety of drug residues and their rates of clearance from the tissues of wild animals are few, answers can sometimes seem uncertain. As a consequence, credibility may be weakened and the public left wondering

Biochemical and physiological aspects of obesity, high fat diet, and prolonged fasting in free-ranging polar bears

The principle objective of this investigation was to develop an understanding of the biochemical and physiological response of free-ranging adult polar bears (Ursus maritimus) to prolonged fasting. A body condition index was developed from two measures, total body mass and straight-line body length, and was used as a covariate in the analyses of all other data. Protein and amino acid catabolism and urea synthesis were significantly lower in fasting bears when compared to feeding bears, and in fat bears when compared to lean bears. The inference from these results is that the energy metabolism in both states (fasting and fat) is one in which lipid is the predominant fuel for energy and nitrogen is conserved. Nutritional state (feeding versus fasting) had no significant effect on the plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acid, glycerol, and ketone bodies, or on the plasma ratio of acyl-carnitine to free carnitine. Furthermore, acetoacetate concentration was below the level of detection

Remote Sensing of Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation: A Review from the Perspective of Remote Sensing Specialists

Remote sensing, the science of obtaining information via noncontact recording, has swept the fields of ecology, biodiversity and conservation (EBC). Several quality review papers have contributed to this field. However, these papers often discuss the issues from the standpoint of an ecologist or a biodiversity specialist. This review focuses on the spaceborne remote sensing of EBC from the perspective of remote sensing specialists, i.e., it is organized in the context of state-of-the-art remote sensing technology, including instruments and techniques. Herein, the instruments to be discussed consist of high spatial resolution, hyperspectral, thermal infrared, small-satellite constellation, and LIDAR sensors; and the techniques refer to image classification, vegetation index (VI), inversion algorithm, data fusion, and the integration of remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS)

Leukocite coping capacity as tool to assess capture and handling-induced stress in scandianavian brown bears (Ursus arctos)

Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are often captured and handled for research and management purposes. Although the techniques used are potentially stressful for the animals and might have detrimental and long-lasting consequences, it is difficult to assess their physiological impact. Here we report the use of the leukocyte coping capacity (LCC) technique to quantify the acute stress of capture and handling in brown bears in Scandinavia. In April and May 2012 and 2013, we collected venous blood samples and recorded a range of physiological variables to evaluate the effects of capture and the added impact of surgical implantation or removal of transmitters and sensors. We studied 24 brown bears, including 19 that had abdominal surgery. We found 1) LCC values following capture were lower in solitary bears than in bears in family groups suggesting capture caused relatively more stress in solitary bears, 2) ability to cope with handling stress was better (greater LCC values) in bears with good body condition, and 3) LCC values did not appear to be influenced by surgery. Although further evaluation of this technique is required, our preliminary results support the use of the LCC technique as a quantitative measure of stress.Peer reviewe

Hair cortisol concentration and body mass in moose (Alces alces) infested with deer keds (Lipoptena cervi)

The deer ked (Lipoptena cervi), a hematophagous ectoparasite of cervids, is currently spreading in Scandinavia, and the moose (Alces alces) is its main host. However, little is known about the impact of deer keds on moose. We analyzed the hair cortisol concentration (HCC) from 262 moose harvested in the fall in relation to age class, sex, body mass (BM), and deer ked infestation intensity, and BM in relation to age class, sex, and infestation intensity. We found that HCC decreased with increasing deer ked intensity at low ked intensities, but for the higher levels of ked intensities, there was a positive relationship between HCC and ked intensity. The HCC was higher in males than in females and lower in yearlings than in calves and adults. Our failure to find any association between BM and deer ked intensity suggested a negligible impact of deer ked infestation on moose foraging and metabolism at the level of infestation observed early in the infestation, but did not exclude an effect later in winter. Our findings suggested that moose generally tolerated moderate parasitism by keds. However, the increase in HCC at higher ked intensities suggested that the tolerance strategy could be disrupted with further increases in intensities and consequently may negatively affect animal health and welfare

International mammal trapping standards ̶ Part II: Killing Trap Systems

In this paper, we propose standards for killing trap systems based on Proulx et al.’s (2022) prerequisites, which provide context and explanations for our approach. Our aim is to identify assessment protocols that are based on the scientific method, and that include evaluation parameters and threshold levels of acceptation, and laboratory and field procedures, to recognize mammal trapping systems that are acceptable from an animal welfare, and capture efficiency and selectivity, point of view. The testing of killing trap systems consists of 4 steps: 1) Mechanical evaluation; 2) Approach tests in semi-natural environments; 3) Kill tests in semi-natural environments; and 4) Kill tests on traplines. Based on the normal approximation to the binomial distribution, acceptable killing trap systems are expected, at a 95% confidence level, to render ≥85% of the animals irreversibly unconscious in ≤ 90 sec for most mammal species, and ≤30 sec for small mammals (mouse, vole, etc.). We recommend that standards be continuously updated based on the development of new designs and technology

International mammal trapping standards ̶ Part I: Prerequisites

In this paper, we set out the prerequisites for the development of killing and restraining trap systems to capture mammals for research, wildlife management and conservation, fur trapping, animal control, and any other activity involving the trapping of a mammal in a mechanical trapping device. We selected them with the main intent of developing new trapping standards that will improve animal welfare as per our current state of knowledge, and with realistic, achievable objectives based on state-of-the-art trapping technology. The proposed new standards should be applicable to all terrestrial and semi-aquatic mammal species. They should be based on animal testing in semi-natural environments and on traplines, with high trap thresholds of acceptance, low times to irreversible unconsciousness for killing trap systems, an understanding of the impacts of trapping on physical form, behaviour and physiological function, adequate trap checking times and handling of the captured animals, and high capture selectivity. Furthermore, the implementation of improved trapping standards would include the mandatory publication of findings for peer-review and public education. We believe that the prerequisites that we lay out for the development of new mammal trapping standards will address many of the welfare concerns voiced by the scientific community and the public in the last two decades. It will lead to improved animal welfare and spur continuous improvement in the efficacy and innovation in trapping technology

Leukocyte coping capacity as a tool to assess capture- and handling-induced stress in Scandinavian brown bears (Ursus arctos)

Brown bears (Ursus arctos) are often captured and handled for research and management purposes. Although the techniques used are potentially stressful for the animals and might have detrimental and long-lasting consequences, it is difficult to assess their physiological impact. Here we report the use of the leukocyte coping capacity (LCC) technique to quantify the acute stress of capture and handling in brown bears in Scandinavia. In April and May 2012 and 2013, we collected venous blood samples and recorded a range of physiological variables to evaluate the effects of capture and the added impact of surgical implantation or removal of transmitters and sensors. We studied 24 brown bears, including 19 that had abdominal surgery. We found 1) LCC values following capture were lower in solitary bears than in bears in family groups suggesting capture caused relatively more stress in solitary bears, 2) ability to cope with handling stress was better (greater LCC values) in bears with good body condition, and 3) LCC values did not appear to be influenced by surgery. Although further evaluation of this technique is required, our preliminary results support the use of the LCC technique as a quantitative measure of stress