BLOOD PROFILES AND ASSOCIATED BIRTH CHARACTERISTICS OF FREE-RANGING MOOSE (ALCES ALCES) NEONATES IN A DECLINING POPULATION IN NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA

Sources of natural variability of blood analytes related to physiological development pose both challenges and opportunities to deriving and interpreting the most useful nutritional and health-related information from blood profiles of free-ranging animals. Preliminary evidence suggests accurate interpretation of blood profiles may be particularly important relative to newborns given their high probability of death. Our goal was to establish hematological and serum reference values for free-ranging moose (Alces alces) neonates. Sixteen neonates (8 females, 8 males) were captured and blood was sampled during 8–12 May 2013. Mean age was 2.9 days old (range = 1.4–6.0); mean body mass and hind foot length were 16.8 kg (13.8–20.5) and 46.8 cm (45.0–49.0). We present mean, 95% confidence interval and range of values for 15 hematological and 24 serum characteristics, including metabolites,chemistries, electrolytes, enzymes, and metabolic and stress hormones. We observed significant (r2 = 0.423–0.747, P ≤ 0.016) positive relationships between body mass and red blood cell and white blood cell counts, hemoglobin, and packed cell volume. Hind foot length was positively related (r2 = 0.369, P = 0.028) only to red blood cell counts. No serum constituents were affected by body size metrics, but sex influenced (P ≤ 0.052) several whole blood and serum characteristics. At the individual level, blood profiles facilitated discrimination of one individual neonate in poor nutritional condition that was not evident in the original physical examination at capture. As wildlife researchers and veterinarians increasingly assess the nutritional and health status of free-ranging moose and other species by clinical biochemistry and laboratory methods, cumulative banks of blood reference values will aid in data interpretation

Prolonged winter undernutrition and the interpretation of urinary allantoin:creatinine ratios in white-tailed deer

The urinary allantoin:creatinine (A:C) ratio (expressed in micromoles of allantoin to micromoles of creatinine) has shown potential as an index of recent winter energy intake in preliminary controlled studies of elk (Cervus elaphus) involving mild condition deterioration (up to 11% loss of body mass). To ensure reliable nutritional assessments of free-ranging cervids by measuring A:C ratios of urine in snow, it is essential to extend this work. We assessed the effect of moderate and severe winter nutritional restriction on urinary A:C ratios of captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) that lost up to 32% body mass and related these ratios to metabolizable energy intake (MEI), body-mass loss, and other reported nutritional indicators. Deer in the control group were fed a low-protein, low-energy diet ad libitum, whereas deer in the treatment group were fed restricted amounts of the same diet. MEI was below the winter maintenance requirement for all deer, but was lower (P = 0.029) in treatment deer than in control deer. Percent body-mass loss differed between the two groups as the study progressed, and represented the full range of physiological tolerance (0–32% loss). Mean A:C ratios of control deer, which lost up to 17.4% body mass, showed a slight increasing (P = 0.086) trend, whereas initially similar A:C ratios of severely restricted deer increased (P = 0.0002) markedly by the eighth week (0.52 vs. 0.09 mmol:mmol). The urinary A:C ratio was not related (P = 0.839) to recent (2 days prior to urine sampling) MEI, but there was a marginally significant relation (r2 = 0.42, P = 0.110) between the A:C ratio and cumulative percent mass loss. The urinary A:C ratio was directly related to urinary urea nitrogen:creatinine (r2 = 0.59, P \u3c 0.0001) and 3-methylhistidine:creatinine (r2 = 0.43, P \u3c 0.0001) ratios. This study confirms that elevated and increasing A:C ratios may be due either to increasing energy intake or to accelerated tissue catabolism and increased endogenous contributions to urinary allantoin excretion. Le rapport allantoïne : créatinine (A : C) de l’urine s’est montré un indice prometteur de l’absorption récente d’énergie en hiver au cours d’études préliminaires dans des conditions contrôlées chez des Wapitis (Cervus elaphus) qui ont subi une légère détérioration de leur condition physiologique (perte de masse allant jusqu’à 11 %). Pour que les rapports A : C de l’urine relevés dans la neige permettent d’estimer les conditions nutritionnelles des cervidés en liberté, il fallu étendre le champ de recherche. Nous avons mesuré les rapports A : C urinaires chez des Cerfs de Virginie (Odocoileus virginianus) en captivité qui ont perdu jusqu’à 32 % de leur masse et avons tenté de relier ces rapports à l’absorption d’énergie métabolisable (MEI), à la perte de masse et aux autres indicateurs nutritionnels disponibles. Les cerfs du groupe témoin ont été gardés à un régime faible en protéines et en énergie et se nourrissaient ad libitum, alors que les cerfs du groupe expérimental étaient soumis au même régime mais recevaient des portions rationnées. L’absorption d’énergie métabolisable a été inférieure au seuil de maintien en hiver chez tous les cerfs, mais a été encore plus basse (P = 0,029) chez les cerfs traités que chez les cerfs témoins. La perte de masse en pourcentage différait entre les groupes et la différence s’accentuait à mesure qu’avançait l’étude et représentait tout l’éventail de tolérance (perte de 0–32 %). Les rapports A : C moyens chez les cerfs témoins, qui ont perdu jusqu’à 17,4 % de leur masse, avaient légèrement tendance à augmenter (P = 0,086), alors que les rapports A : C des cerfs expérimentaux fortement privés de nourriture, semblables aux précédents au départ, avaient subi une augmentation très forte (P = 0,0002) à la 8e semaine (0,52 vs. 0,09 mmol : mmol). Le rapport A : C urinaire n’était pas relié (P = 0,839) à l’absorption récente d’énergie métabolisable (2 jours avant le prélèvement d’urine), mais il y avait une relation presque significative (r2 = 0,42, P = 0,110) entre A : C et le pourcentage cumulatif de perte de masse. Le rapport A : C de l’urine es

MINIMIZING MORTALITY OF MOOSE NEONATES FROM CAPTURE-INDUCED ABANDONMENT

Neonatal moose (Alces alces) may be prone to maternal abandonment induced by capture activities. We observed unexpectedly high levels of abandonment during the first year of our study of calf survival and cause-specific mortality in northeastern Minnesota. In response, we crafted a capture-induced abandonment contingency plan to reduce calf deaths caused by such abandonment. Locations and movements of dams relative to calves were used to gauge whether abandonment was occurring and to trigger retrieval of live calves. The Minnesota Zoo and a private facility accepted abandoned calves in viable condition. As undesirable as it is to remove calves from the population and landscape, we found it preferable to leaving them to succumb to starvation, hypothermia, or predation. We believe variations of this plan may be used in other study areas to mitigate neonate mortality due to capture-induced abandonment

An Unparalleled Opportunity for an Important Ecological Study

Wolves (Canis lupus) and moose (Alces americanus) have been studied since 1958 on 540-squarekilometer Isle Royale National Park, in Lake Superior. Wolves arrived there across the ice around 1949, and the population once increased to about 50, averaging about 25 annually (Mech 1966, Jordan et al. 1967, Vucetich and Peterson 2009). However, for various reasons, wolf numbers there have now dwindled to 2 nonbreeders, and the US National Park Service has proposed reintroducing 20–30 wolves over 3 years (National Park Service 2016). This situation offers an unparalleled opportunity to promote science-based management of this unique national park. The park has long been in the public eye for its world-renowned wolf and moose populations. Visitors to this island wilderness are especially interested in the scientific studies it has yielded and in maintaining its ecosystem

Prolonged winter undernutrition and the interpretation of urinary allantoin:creatinine ratios in white-tailed deer

The urinary allantoin:creatinine (A:C) ratio (expressed in micromoles of allantoin to micromoles of creatinine) has shown potential as an index of recent winter energy intake in preliminary controlled studies of elk (Cervus elaphus) involving mild condition deterioration (up to 11% loss of body mass). To ensure reliable nutritional assessments of free-ranging cervids by measuring A:C ratios of urine in snow, it is essential to extend this work. We assessed the effect of moderate and severe winter nutritional restriction on urinary A:C ratios of captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) that lost up to 32% body mass and related these ratios to metabolizable energy intake (MEI), body-mass loss, and other reported nutritional indicators. Deer in the control group were fed a low-protein, low-energy diet ad libitum, whereas deer in the treatment group were fed restricted amounts of the same diet. MEI was below the winter maintenance requirement for all deer, but was lower (P = 0.029) in treatment deer than in control deer. Percent body-mass loss differed between the two groups as the study progressed, and represented the full range of physiological tolerance (0–32% loss). Mean A:C ratios of control deer, which lost up to 17.4% body mass, showed a slight increasing (P = 0.086) trend, whereas initially similar A:C ratios of severely restricted deer increased (P = 0.0002) markedly by the eighth week (0.52 vs. 0.09 mmol:mmol). The urinary A:C ratio was not related (P = 0.839) to recent (2 days prior to urine sampling) MEI, but there was a marginally significant relation (r2 = 0.42, P = 0.110) between the A:C ratio and cumulative percent mass loss. The urinary A:C ratio was directly related to urinary urea nitrogen:creatinine (r2 = 0.59, P \u3c 0.0001) and 3-methylhistidine:creatinine (r2 = 0.43, P \u3c 0.0001) ratios. This study confirms that elevated and increasing A:C ratios may be due either to increasing energy intake or to accelerated tissue catabolism and increased endogenous contributions to urinary allantoin excretion. Le rapport allantoïne : créatinine (A : C) de l’urine s’est montré un indice prometteur de l’absorption récente d’énergie en hiver au cours d’études préliminaires dans des conditions contrôlées chez des Wapitis (Cervus elaphus) qui ont subi une légère détérioration de leur condition physiologique (perte de masse allant jusqu’à 11 %). Pour que les rapports A : C de l’urine relevés dans la neige permettent d’estimer les conditions nutritionnelles des cervidés en liberté, il fallu étendre le champ de recherche. Nous avons mesuré les rapports A : C urinaires chez des Cerfs de Virginie (Odocoileus virginianus) en captivité qui ont perdu jusqu’à 32 % de leur masse et avons tenté de relier ces rapports à l’absorption d’énergie métabolisable (MEI), à la perte de masse et aux autres indicateurs nutritionnels disponibles. Les cerfs du groupe témoin ont été gardés à un régime faible en protéines et en énergie et se nourrissaient ad libitum, alors que les cerfs du groupe expérimental étaient soumis au même régime mais recevaient des portions rationnées. L’absorption d’énergie métabolisable a été inférieure au seuil de maintien en hiver chez tous les cerfs, mais a été encore plus basse (P = 0,029) chez les cerfs traités que chez les cerfs témoins. La perte de masse en pourcentage différait entre les groupes et la différence s’accentuait à mesure qu’avançait l’étude et représentait tout l’éventail de tolérance (perte de 0–32 %). Les rapports A : C moyens chez les cerfs témoins, qui ont perdu jusqu’à 17,4 % de leur masse, avaient légèrement tendance à augmenter (P = 0,086), alors que les rapports A : C des cerfs expérimentaux fortement privés de nourriture, semblables aux précédents au départ, avaient subi une augmentation très forte (P = 0,0002) à la 8e semaine (0,52 vs. 0,09 mmol : mmol). Le rapport A : C urinaire n’était pas relié (P = 0,839) à l’absorption récente d’énergie métabolisable (2 jours avant le prélèvement d’urine), mais il y avait une relation presque significative (r2 = 0,42, P = 0,110) entre A : C et le pourcentage cumulatif de perte de masse. Le rapport A : C de l’urine es

Appendix B. Plot of Schoenfeld residuals for the effect of site 4 (relative to site 1) vs. time in the age-based semi-parametric proportional hazards model.

Plot of Schoenfeld residuals for the effect of site 4 (relative to site 1) vs. time in the age-based semi-parametric proportional hazards model

Appendix A. Table summarizing winter severities, crude mortality rates, and hunting hazards for female white-tailed deer (≥0.6 yr old), north-central Minnesota, USA, 1 January 1991–31 December 1996.

Table summarizing winter severities, crude mortality rates, and hunting hazards for female white-tailed deer (≥0.6 yr old), north-central Minnesota, USA, 1 January 1991–31 December 1996

R code and data for "Comparing multiple survey and recruitment-mortality models to assess growth rates and population projections"

See ReadMe text file for a comprehensive description of all uploaded data files.This collection of files provides data and R code supporting the publication "Comparing survey and multiple recruitment-mortality models to assess growth rates and population projections" in Ecology and Evolution. We provide all necessary data not included in the manuscript to reproduce the analysis of growth rates and population projections of moose in northeastern Minnesota.Minnesota Environmental and Natural Resources Trust FundWildlife Restoration (Pittman-Robertson) ProgramMinnesota Department of Natural Resources Section of Wildlife’s Wildlife Populations and Research UnitMinnesota Deer Hunters AssociationNational Science Foundation NSF ID#1545611National Science Foundation NSF ID#155667