Health profile of free-ranging jaguars (Panthera onca) in Pantanal, Mato Grosso do Sul State - Brazil

Poucos são os estudos acerca da saúde de onças-pintadas em vida livre. Visando obter melhores parâmetros para avaliação clínica desta espécie ameaçada de extinção, foram realizados exame clínico, hemograma, perfil bioquímico e acompanhamento de 10 onças-pintadas da região de Corumbá, no Pantanal do Mato Grosso do Sul. Além disso, buscando obter informações sobre o possível papel da espécie como suscetível, hospedeira ou sentinela de patógenos de importância em saúde pública e animal, amostras destas 10 onças foram testadas através de métodos sorológicos para verificar contato com vírus rábico, Rickettsia spp. e Ehrlichia canis. As amostras das onças e os carrapatos que as parasitavam no momento das capturas foram testados por reação em cadeia pela polimerase para a família Anaplasmataceae e os gêneros Rickettsia, Borrelia, Coxiella, Hepatozoon e Babesia. Este é o primeiro estudo a relatar os valores de hemograma e perfil bioquímico de uma população de onças-pintadas de vida livre. Dois animais, assintomáticos, apresentaram baixo título sorológico para o vírus da raiva, sugerindo contato da espécie com este patógeno. Todas as onças capturadas foram consideradas soropositivas para Rickettsia spp., e Rickettsia parkeri foi sequenciada a partir de um Amblyomma triste que estava parasitando um dos animais. Foi descoberta uma possível nova espécie do gênero Ehrlichia através do sequenciamento de DNA obtido de um Amblyomma triste e um Amblyomma cajenense que estavam parasitando onças. Quatro onças-pintadas foram consideradas soropositivas para Ehrlichia canis, possivelmente uma reação cruzada com esta outra espécie. Todas as onças-pintadas avaliadas neste estudo apresentaram DNA de Cytauxzoon sp., com 98% de similaridade a C. felis, em amostras sanguíneas. Todas as onças avaliadas neste estudo apresentaram DNA de Hepatozoon sp., com 98% de similaridade a H. felis, em amostras sanguíneas. As onças apresentavam boas condições de saúde geral.Few studies have been conducted to investigate the health of free-ranging jaguars. In order to obtain better parameters for clinical evaluation of this endangered species, clinical exams, hemogram, biochemical tests and ecological monitoring were done for 10 jaguars in the Pantanal region - Corumbá City, Mato Grosso do Sul State. This project also evaluated the possible role of this species as susceptible, host or sentinel for pathogens of public and/or animal health importance, testing samples from these animals by serological methods to rabies virus, Rickettsia spp. and Ehrlichia canis. All samples and all ticks collected from the jaguars were also tested by polymerase chain reaction to the Anaplasmataceae family and the genera Rickettsia, Borrelia, Coxiella, Hepatozoon and Babesia. This is the first report of hemograms and biochemical profile of a free-ranging jaguar population. Two asymptomatic animals presented low seropositivity for rabies virus, suggesting contact with this pathogen. All jaguars were considered seropositive for Rickettsia spp., and Rickettsia parkeri was sequenced from an Amblyomma triste that was parasitizing one of the animals. A possible new species of the genus Ehrlichia has been identified by DNA sequencing obtained from an Amblyomma triste and an Amblyomma cajenense that were parasitizing jaguars. Four jaguars were considered seropositive for Ehrlichia canis, possibly a cross-reaction with this other species. All jaguars evaluated in this study presented DNA fragments of Cytauxzoon sp., 98% similarity to C. felis in blood samples. In addition, all jaguars presented DNA fragments of Hepatozoon sp., 98% similarity to H. felis in blood samples. In general, these jaguars presented good health

Health assessment of ocelots (Leopardus pardalis) from Rio Doce State Park, Minas Gerais, Brazil

Felinos selvagens são importantes reguladores de ecossistema, porém estes animais vem sofrendo uma série de ameaças, entre as quais estão as doenças, o que vem tornando imprescindível o monitoramento da saúde de populações selvagens para compreender a relação natural entre hospedeiros e parasitas e, além disso, para identificar, prevenir e manejar potenciais patógenos e fatores ambientais que possam representar uma ameaça à saúde destes animais. A partir de dados obtidos de nove jaguatiricas saudáveis e três doentes capturadas no Parque Estadual do Rio Doce nos anos de 2012 e 2013, proponho em um dos artigos apresentados nesta tese que, para obter dados mais robustos sobre a saúde de carnívoros neotropicais, sejam avaliados dados clínicos, hematológicos e bioquímicos de animais capturados. Entretanto, para que os animais possam ser avaliados, a captura dos mesmos é imprescindível. Baseada nos resultados e dificuldades obtidos com a captura das jaguatiricas, proponho, no primeiro artigo aqui apresentado, que os métodos de captura de carnívoros neotropicais sejam avaliados e comparados, buscando atender os seguintes critérios: (i) alta eficiência de captura; (ii) alta seletividade; (iii) baixa taxa de lesões; (iv) alta adequabilidade da imobilização; e (v) baixo custo.Despite the fact that wild felids are considered important ecosystem regulators, these animals have been facing many threats, including diseases. Therefore, the monitoring of wild populations health is crucial to understand the natural relationship between hosts and parasites and, moreover, to identify, prevent and manage potential pathogens and environmental factors that may threat these felids´ health. Based on results from nine healthy ocelots and three ill ocelots captured at Rio Doce State Park in 2012 and 2013, I propose in one of the articles presented in this thesis that, to obtain consistent data on Neotropical carnivores health, the animals should be evaluated through clinical, hematological and serum chemistry data. From the difficulties and results found when capturing the ocelots, I propose, in the first article, that capture methods targeting Neotropical carnivores should be evaluated and compared, aiming the following criteria: (i) High capture efficiency; (ii) High selectivity; (iii) Low injury rate; (iv) High immobilization suitability (safe for the animal, suitable to time to procedures, fast recovery and predictable effects); and (v) Low costs

Differential detectability of rodents and birds in scats of ocelots, Leopardus pardalis (Mammalia: Felidae)

Scat analysis is a valuable tool for the description and quantification of mammal diets. However, estimating the number of prey eaten using prey remains found in feces is difficult mainly due to differential digestibility of prey. In this context, we performed feeding trials with captive ocelots, Leopardus pardalis (Linnaeus, 1785), to evaluate the time needed until complete elimination in feces of different prey such as rodents and birds. Rodents took up to five days and birds two days until complete elimination. Our results are consistent in showing that elimination time differs for different prey and some prey may take a long time to be expelled, inducing errors in dietary studies

Live-trapping Ocelots (Leopardus pardalis): traps, baits, injuries, immobilization and costs

The capture of wild animals can provide important information on community structure, population dynamics, home range size, activity patterns, habitat use, denning, social behavior and health status. The objective of this study was to describe the method of capture with details on baits, injuries, non-target captures, anesthesia and costs, to evaluate its success as part of a health evaluation program of ocelots in a Brazilian Atlantic Forest Reserve. From a total of 1,011 trap-night effort in 86 days, we had 68 capture events composed of ocelots (22%, n=15) and non-target species (78%, n = 53). We captured 10 individual ocelots in 15 capture events, corresponding to 5.7 days to capture one ocelot. Capture efficiency was 14.8 ocelots/1,000 trap-nights effort. We suggest capture methods should be selected and implemented based on the following criteria: (i) high capture efficiency; (ii) high selectivity; (iii) low injury rate; (iv) high immobilization suitability; and (v) low costs, in order to enable comparisons of studies from different research groups and from different study areas, allowing a deliberate choice of the best method.A captura de animais selvagens é capaz de proporcionar informações importantes acerca da estrutura da comunidade, dinâmica populacional, tamanho das áreas de vida, uso dos hábitats, locais de toca, comportamento social e estado de saúde. Este estudo teve como objetivo descrever o método de captura enfatizando as iscas utilizadas, ferimentos, capturas de espécies não-alvo, anestesia e custos, para avaliar o sucesso de captura como parte de um programa de avaliação de saúde de jaguatiricas numa reserva de Mata Atlântica no Brasil. De um de esforço total de 1.011 armadilhas-noite em 86 dias, nós tivemos 68 eventos de captura compostos de jaguatiricas (22%, n= 15) e espécies não-alvo (78%, n= 53). Nós capturamos 10 indivíduos diferentes em 15 eventos de captura, correspondendo a 5,7 dias para capturar uma jaguatirica. A eficiência de captura foi de 14,8 jaguatiricas/1.000 armadilhas-noite. Nós sugerimos que os métodos de captura deveriam ser selecionados e implementados com base nos seguintes critérios: (i) alta eficiência de captura; (ii) alta seletividade; (iii) baixa taxa de ferimentos; (iv) alta adequação de imobilização; e (v) baixos custos, de forma a viabilizar comparações de estudos de diferentes grupos e diferentes áreas, permitindo a escolha do melhor método

NEOTROPICAL XENARTHRANS: a data set of occurrence of xenarthran species in the Neotropics

Xenarthrans—anteaters, sloths, and armadillos—have essential functions for ecosystem maintenance, such as insect control and nutrient cycling, playing key roles as ecosystem engineers. Because of habitat loss and fragmentation, hunting pressure, and conflicts with domestic dogs, these species have been threatened locally, regionally, or even across their full distribution ranges. The Neotropics harbor 21 species of armadillos, 10 anteaters, and 6 sloths. Our data set includes the families Chlamyphoridae (13), Dasypodidae (7), Myrmecophagidae (3), Bradypodidae (4), and Megalonychidae (2). We have no occurrence data on Dasypus pilosus (Dasypodidae). Regarding Cyclopedidae, until recently, only one species was recognized, but new genetic studies have revealed that the group is represented by seven species. In this data paper, we compiled a total of 42,528 records of 31 species, represented by occurrence and quantitative data, totaling 24,847 unique georeferenced records. The geographic range is from the southern United States, Mexico, and Caribbean countries at the northern portion of the Neotropics, to the austral distribution in Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Uruguay. Regarding anteaters, Myrmecophaga tridactyla has the most records (n = 5,941), and Cyclopes sp. have the fewest (n = 240). The armadillo species with the most data is Dasypus novemcinctus (n = 11,588), and the fewest data are recorded for Calyptophractus retusus (n = 33). With regard to sloth species, Bradypus variegatus has the most records (n = 962), and Bradypus pygmaeus has the fewest (n = 12). Our main objective with Neotropical Xenarthrans is to make occurrence and quantitative data available to facilitate more ecological research, particularly if we integrate the xenarthran data with other data sets of Neotropical Series that will become available very soon (i.e., Neotropical Carnivores, Neotropical Invasive Mammals, and Neotropical Hunters and Dogs). Therefore, studies on trophic cascades, hunting pressure, habitat loss, fragmentation effects, species invasion, and climate change effects will be possible with the Neotropical Xenarthrans data set. Please cite this data paper when using its data in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using these data