Retention and loss of PIT tags and surgically implanted devices in the Eurasian beaver

Background Passive integrated transponder devices (PIT tags) are a valuable tool for individual identification of animals. Similarly, the surgical implantation of transmitters and bio-loggers can provide useful data on animal location, physiology and behavior. However, to avoid unnecessary recapture and related stress of study animals, PIT tags and bio-loggers should function reliably for long periods of time. Here, we evaluated the retention of PIT tags, and of very high frequency (VHF) transmitters and bio-loggers that were either implanted subcutaneously or into the peritoneal cavity of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber). Results Over a 21-year period, we implanted PIT tags in 456 individuals and failed to detect a PIT tag at recapture in 30 cases, consisting of 26 individuals (6% of individuals). In all instances, we were still able to identify the individual due to the presence of unique ear tag numbers and tail scars. Moreover, we implanted 6 VHFs, 36 body temperature loggers and 21 heart rate loggers in 28 individuals, and experienced frequent loss of temperature loggers (at least 6 of 23 recaptured beavers) and heart rate loggers (10 of 18 recaptured beavers). No VHFs were lost in 2 recaptured beavers. Conclusions Possible causes for PIT tag loss (or non-detection) were incorrect implantation, migration of the tag within the body, a foreign body reaction leading to ejection, or malfunctioning of the tag. We speculate that logger loss was related to a foreign body reaction, and that loggers were either rejected through the incision wound or, in the case of temperature loggers, possibly adhered and encapsulated to intestines, and then engulfed by the gastro-intestinal tract and ejected. We discuss animal welfare implications and give recommendations for future studies implanting bio-loggers into wildlife

Effect of immobilizations on female moose (Alces alces) activity and space use

This is the postprint version of the article published in Canadian Journal of ZoologyStudies of free-ranging wildlife often involve animal capture and fitting of tracking devices. Capturing wildlife may result in behavioral alterations. Thus, there is a need to evaluate the effects of capture on study animals to identify potential biases influencing the research. We assessed the short-term response of 15 GPS/GSM-collared adult female moose (Alces alces L., 1758) and immobilization and handling by comparing moose rates of movement and net square displacement before and after re-capture. Moose were more active up to seven hours and increased their spatial displacement for 4.5 days after re-capture compared to movement patterns before re-capture. Opposing to our predictions, moose did not reduced their rates of movement after their initial displacement following capture and recovery, i.e., moose did not show any indication for a residual effect. We recommend using individuals as their own controls in analyses of capture impacts to account adequately for individual behavioral differences. We recommend omitting data of at least the first five days following capture for analyses of moose movement and distribution

Landscape of fear or landscape of food? Moose hunting triggers an antipredator response in brown bears

Hunters can affect the behavior of wildlife by inducing a landscape of fear, selecting individuals with specific traits, or altering resource availability across the landscape. Most research investigating the influence of hunting on wildlife resource selection has focused on target species and less attention has been devoted to nontarget species, such as scavengers that can be both attracted or repelled by hunting activities. We used resource selection functions to identify areas where hunters were most likely to kill moose (Alces alces) in southcentral Sweden during the fall. Then, we used step-selection functions to determine whether female brown bears (Ursus arctos) selected or avoided these areas and specific resources during the moose hunting season. We found that, during both day and nighttime, female brown bears avoided areas where hunters were more likely to kill moose. We found evidence that resource selection by brown bears varied substantially during the fall and that some behavioral changes were consistent with disturbance associated with moose hunters. Brown bears were more likely to select concealed locations in young (i.e., regenerating) and coniferous forests and areas further away from roads during the moose hunting season. Our results suggest that brown bears react to both spatial and temporal variations in apparent risk during the fall: moose hunters create a landscape of fear and trigger an antipredator response in a large carnivore even if bears are not specifically targeted during the moose hunting season. Such antipredator responses might lead to indirect habitat loss and lower foraging efficiency and the resulting consequences should be considered when planning hunting seasonsacceptedVersio

Lead contamination in Australian game meat

Lead-based ammunition (gunshot and bullets) frequently leaves small lead fragments embedded in the meat of wild-shot game animals. Australia produces several commercial game meat products from wild animals harvested with lead-based ammunition and has a growing population of recreational hunters. However, no studies have previously investigated the frequency of lead fragments or lead concentrations in Australian game meat. We examined 133 Australian minced game meat items of four types for evidence of lead contamination. Samples were meat from kangaroos (Macropus and Osphranter spp.; n=36) and Bennett’s wallabies (Notamacropus rufogriseus; n=28) sold for human consumption, and deer (‘venison’; multiple spp.; n=32) and stubble quail (Coturnix pectoralis; n=37) harvested for private consumption by recreational hunters. All packages were studied by digital radiography to detect the presence of radio-dense fragments, assumed to be lead fragments from ammunition. Visible fragments were absent in commercially available kangaroo products, but were present in 4%, 28% and 35% of wallaby, venison and quail, respectively. Mean meat lead concentrations (mg/kg wet weight) were 0.01 ± 0.01 for kangaroo, 0.02 ± 0.01 for wallaby, 0.12 ± 0.07 for venison, and 1.76 ± 3.76 for quail. The Australian food standards threshold for livestock meat (0.1 mg/kg w.w.) was not exceeded by any kangaroo or wallaby products but was exceeded by 53% and 86% of venison and quail, respectively. Radiography only detected 35% of samples that were above the food safety threshold. While average lead concentrations in commercially available macropod (kangaroo and wallaby) meat were low, those in recreationally harvested game meat may pose health risks for hunters and associated consumers.publishedVersio

Oxygen supplementation in anesthetized brown bears (Ursus Arctos) : how low can you go?

Hypoxemia is anticipated during wildlife anesthesia and thus should be prevented. We evaluated the efficacy of low flow rates of supplemental oxygen for improvement of arterial oxygenation in anesthetized brown bears (Ursus arctos). The study included 32 free-ranging brown bears (yearlings, subadults, and adults; body mass 12–250 kg) that were darted with medetomidine-zolazepam-tiletamine (MZT) from a helicopter in Sweden. During anesthesia, oxygen was administered intranasally from portable oxygen cylinders at different flow rates (0.5–3 L/min). Arterial blood samples were collected before (pre-O2), during, and after oxygen therapy and immediately processed with a portable analyzer. Rectal temperature, respiratory rate, heart rate, and pulse oximetry-derived hemoglobin oxygen saturation were recorded. Intranasal oxygen supplementation at the evaluated flow rates significantly increased the partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) from pre-O2 values of 9.1±1.3 (6.3–10.9) kPa to 20.4±6.8 (11.1–38.7) kPa during oxygen therapy. When oxygen therapy was discontinued, the PaO2 decreased to values not significantly different from the pre-O2 values. In relation to the body mass of the bears, the following oxygen flow rates are recommended: 0.5 L/min to bears <51 kg, 1 L/min to bears 51–100 kg, 2 L/min to bears 101–200 kg, and 3 L/min to bears 201–250 kg. In conclusion, low flow rates of intranasal oxygen were sufficient to improve arterial oxygenation in brown bears anesthetized with MZT. Because hypoxemia quickly recurred when oxygen was discontinued, oxygen supplementation should be provided continuously throughout anesthesia

Effects of reproduction and environmental factors on body temperature and activity patterns of wolverines

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Lead exposure in brown bears is linked to environmental levels and the distribution of moose kills

Lead (Pb) is heterogeneously distributed in the environment and multiple sources like Pb ammunition and fossil fuel combustion can increase the risk of exposure in wildlife. Brown bears (Ursus arctos) in Sweden have higher blood Pb levels compared to bears from other populations, but the sources and routes of exposure are unknown. The objective of this study was to quantify the contribution of two potential sources of Pb exposure in female brown bears (n = 34 individuals; n = 61 samples). We used multiple linear regressions to determine the contribution of both environmental Pb levels estimated from plant roots and moose (Alces alces) kills to blood Pb concentrations in female brown bears. We found positive relationships between blood Pb concentrations in bears and both the distribution of moose kills by hunters and environmental Pb levels around capture locations. Our results suggest that the consumption of slaughter remains discarded by moose hunters is a likely significant pathway of Pb exposure and this exposure is additive to environmental Pb exposure in female brown bears in Sweden. We suggest that spatially explicit models, incorporating habitat selection analyses of harvest data, may prove useful in predicting Pb exposure in scavengers. Ursus arctos Pb Scavenger Slaughter remain Resource selection functionacceptedVersio

PENGEMBANGAN PROGRAM PEMBELAJARAN KETERAMPILAN OTOMOTIF PADA SISWA TUNAGRAHITA KELAS XII DI SKhN 02 LEBAK

Pembelajaran keterampilan otomotif pada siswa tunagrahita tingkat SMAKh telah dilaksanakan dengan baik di SKh Negeri 02 Lebak, akan tetapi masih terdapat beberapa hal yang perlu dikembangkan. Program pembelajaran yang selama ini digunakan diadopsi dari kurikulum yang belum disesuaikan dengan kemampuan siswa. Sehingga berbagai kesulitan dialami oleh siswa tunagrahita dalam mengikuti pelaksanaan pembelajaran dan kompetensi yang dicapai tidak optimal. Untuk itu penulis melakukan ekplorasi dan analisis terhadap pelaksanaan pembelajaran keterampilan otomotif pada siwa kelas XII di SKhN 02 Lebak. Kemudian merumuskan dan melaksanakan program pembelajaran keterampilan otomotif pada siswa tunagrahita di SKhN 02 Lebak. Diharapkan dapat membantu guru dalam pelaksanaan pembelajaran keterampilan otomotif pada siswa tunagrahita kelas XII di SKhN 02 Lebak dan kompetensi yang dicapai siswa lebih optimal. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah researchand development, dengan dua tahapan penelitian. Tahap pertama perumusan program dan tahap kedua pelaksanaan program. Hasil implementasi program yang telah dilaksanakan menunjukan bahwa program tersebut dapat bermanfaat dan berguna bagi guru dan siswa tunagrahita kelas XII di SKhN 02 Lebak. Adapun manfaat bagi guru antara lain: program ini dapat digunaan sebagai acuan dalam proses pembelajaran; program ini dapat membantu guru dalam perencanaan, pelaksanaan, dan evaluasi pembelajaran; dan program ini dapat membantu guru dalam merencanakan tindak lanjut setelah pelaksanaan pembelajaran. Sedangkan dari sisi siswa, setelahmengikuti pelaksanaan program keterampilan otomotif inisiswa memperoleh bekal keterampilan dalam: mencuci motor, tambal ban, dan mengganti ban sepeda motor. Hasil penelitian ini diharapkan dapat menjadi acuan dan bahan pertimbangan bagi guru dalam memberikan pembelajaran keterampilan otomotif pada siswa tunagrahita. --- Automotive skills learning process on students with mental disability has been implemented well at SKhN 02 Lebak but there are several issues that needs to be developed. Learning program that has been utilized, adopted from the curriculum that has not been adjusted to students’ capacity. Hence, there are some difficulties, which students with mental disability have to face in conducting the learning process and the targeted competency is cannot be reached optimally. For this reason, the writer conducted exploration and analysis towards the implementation of automotive skill learning process on twelfth grader students with mental disability at SKhN 02 Lebak. The writer formulated and conducted automotive skill learning process on twelfth grader students with mental disability at SKhN 02 Lebak. It is expected that this research can help the teachers in implementing automotive skill learning process on twelfth grader students with mental disability at SKhN 02 Lebak and the students’ competency can be reached optimally. The method used on this research is research and development with two steps of research. The first step is program formulation and the second step is the implementation of the research. The result of program implementation that has been conducted has proven useful and helpful for students with mental disability at SKhN 02 Lebak. The advantage of this program for the teachers is helping them to plan, implement, and evaluate the learning process. For the students, this program helps them to achieve the skill in washing the motorbike, patch tires (tambal ban), change motorbike’s tire. The result of this research is expected to be a benchmark and consideration for the teachers in giving automotive skill learning process on students with mental disability