Country, cover or protection: what shapes the distribution of red deer and roe deer in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem?

PubMed

Heurich, Marco; Brand, Tom T G; Kaandorp, Manon Y; Šustr, Pavel; Müller, Jörg; Reineking, Björn

2015-01-01

The Bohemian Forest Ecosystem encompasses various wildlife management systems. Two large, contiguous national parks (one in Germany and one in the Czech Republic) form the centre of the area, are surrounded by private hunting grounds, and hunting regulations in each country differ. Here we aimed at unravelling the influence of management-related and environmental factors on the distribution of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in this ecosystem. We used the standing crop method based on counts of pellet groups, with point counts every 100 m along 218 randomly distributed transects. Our analysis, which accounted for overdispersion as well as zero inflation and spatial autocorrelation, corroborated the view that both human management and the physical and biological environment drive ungulate distribution in mountainous areas in Central Europe. In contrast to our expectations, protection by national parks was the least important variable for red deer and the third important out of four variables for roe deer; protection negatively influenced roe deer distribution in both parks and positively influenced red deer distribution in Germany. Country was the most influential variable for both red and roe deer, with higher counts of pellet groups in the Czech Republic than in Germany. Elevation, which indicates increasing environmental harshness, was the second most important variable for both species. Forest cover was the least important variable for roe deer and the third important variable for red deer; the relationship for roe deer was positive and linear, and optimal forest cover for red deer was about 70% within a 500 m radius. Our results have direct implications for the future conservation management of deer in protected areas in Central Europe and show in particular that large non-intervention zones may not cause agglomerations of deer that could lead to conflicts along the border of protected, mountainous areas.

Prevalence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in large game animals intended for consumption: relationship with management practices and livestock influence.

PubMed

Díaz-Sánchez, S; Sánchez, S; Herrera-León, S; Porrero, C; Blanco, J; Dahbi, G; Blanco, J E; Mora, A; Mateo, R; Hanning, I; Vidal, D

2013-05-03

Although wild ruminants have been identified as reservoirs of Shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC), little information is available concerning the role of Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. in large game species. We evaluated the presence of these pathogens in faeces (N=574) and carcasses (N=585) sampled from red deer (N=295), wild boar (N=333) and other ungulates (fallow deer, mouflon) (N=9). Animal sampling was done in situ from 33 hunting estates during two hunting seasons. Salmonella spp. and Campylobacter spp. strains associated with human campylobacteriosis were infrequently detected indicating that both pathogens had a limited zoonotic risk in our study area. The overall STEC prevalence in animals was 21% (134/637), being significantly higher in faeces from red deer (90 out of 264). A total of 58 isolates were serotyped. Serotypes O146:H- and O27:H30 were the most frequent in red deer and the majority of isolates from red deer and wild boar were from serotypes previously found in STEC strains associated with human infection, including the serotype O157:H7. The STEC prevalence in red deer faeces was significantly higher with the presence of livestock (p<0, 01) where high densities of red deer (p<0.001) were present. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting the occurrence of Salmonella spp. and STEC in carcasses of large game animals. Furthermore, this study confirmed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) that cross contamination of STEC during carcass dressing occurred, implying the likelihood of these pathogens entering into the food chain. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Two-Years' Survey on the Prevalence of Tuberculosis Caused by Mycobacterium caprae in Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Tyrol, Austria

PubMed Central

Schoepf, Karl; Prodinger, Wolfgang M.; Glawischnig, Walter; Hofer, Erwin; Revilla-Fernandez, Sandra; Hofrichter, Johannes; Fritz, Johannes; Köfer, Josef; Schmoll, Friedrich

2012-01-01

A survey of 143 hunter-harvested red deer for tuberculosis was conducted in an Alpine area in Western Austria over two subsequent years. There, single tuberculosis cases caused by Mycobacterium caprae had been detected in cattle and red deer over the preceding decade. The area under investigation covered approximately 500 km2, divided into five different hunting plots. Lymph nodes of red deer were examined grossly and microscopically for typical tuberculosis-like lesions and additionally by microbiological culturing. Executing a detailed hunting plan, nine M. caprae isolates were obtained. Six out of nine originated from one single hunting plot with the highest estimated prevalence of tuberculosis, that is, 23.1%. All isolates were genotyped by mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit—variable number of tandem repeat (MIRU-VNTR) typing of 24 standard loci plus VNTR 1982. All nine isolates belonged to a single cluster termed “Lechtal” which had been found in cattle and red deer in the region, demonstrating a remarkable dominance and stability over ten years. This is the first report on a systematic prospective study investigating the prevalence and strain variability of M. caprae infection in red deer in Austria and in the Alpine countries. PMID:23762580

Positioning the red deer (Cervus elaphus) hunted by the Tyrolean Iceman into a mitochondrial DNA phylogeny.

PubMed

Olivieri, Cristina; Marota, Isolina; Rizzi, Ermanno; Ermini, Luca; Fusco, Letizia; Pietrelli, Alessandro; De Bellis, Gianluca; Rollo, Franco; Luciani, Stefania

2014-01-01

In the last years several phylogeographic studies of both extant and extinct red deer populations have been conducted. Three distinct mitochondrial lineages (western, eastern and North-African/Sardinian) have been identified reflecting different glacial refugia and postglacial recolonisation processes. However, little is known about the genetics of the Alpine populations and no mitochondrial DNA sequences from Alpine archaeological specimens are available. Here we provide the first mitochondrial sequences of an Alpine Copper Age Cervus elaphus. DNA was extracted from hair shafts which were part of the remains of the clothes of the glacier mummy known as the Tyrolean Iceman or Ötzi (5,350-5,100 years before present). A 2,297 base pairs long fragment was sequenced using a mixed sequencing procedure based on PCR amplifications and 454 sequencing of pooled amplification products. We analyzed the phylogenetic relationships of the Alpine Copper Age red deer's haplotype with haplotypes of modern and ancient European red deer. The phylogenetic analyses showed that the haplotype of the Alpine Copper Age red deer falls within the western European mitochondrial lineage in contrast with the current populations from the Italian Alps belonging to the eastern lineage. We also discussed the phylogenetic relationships of the Alpine Copper Age red deer with the populations from Mesola Wood (northern Italy) and Sardinia.

Vocal anatomy, tongue protrusion behaviour and the acoustics of rutting roars in free-ranging Iberian red deer stags (Cervus elaphus hispanicus)

PubMed Central

Frey, Roland; Volodin, Ilya; Volodina, Elena; Carranza, Juan; Torres-Porras, Jerónimo

2012-01-01

Roaring in rutting Iberian red deer stags Cervus elaphus hispanicus is unusual compared to other subspecies of red deer, which radiated from the Iberian refugium after the last glacial maximum. In all red deer stags, the larynx occupies a permanent low mid-neck resting position and is momentarily retracted almost down to the rostral end of the sternum during the production of rutting calls. Simultaneous with the retraction of the larynx, male Iberian red deer pronouncedly protrude the tongue during most of their rutting roars. This poses a mechanical challenge for the vocal tract (vt) and for the hyoid apparatus, as tongue and larynx are strongly pulled in opposite directions. This study (i) examines the vocal anatomy and the acoustics of the rutting roars in free-ranging male C. e. hispanicus; (ii) establishes a potential mechanism of simultaneous tongue protrusion and larynx retraction by applying a two-dimensional model based on graphic reconstructions in single video frames of unrestrained animals; and (iii) advances a hypothesis of evaporative cooling by tongue protrusion in the males of a subspecies of red deer constrained to perform all of the exhausting rutting activities, including acoustic display, in a hot and arid season. PMID:22257361

Management of deer for experimental studies with foor-and-mouth disease virus.

PubMed

Gibbs, E P; McDiarmid, A; Rowe, J J

1975-06-07

Red, sika, fallow, roe and muntjac deer adapted to captivity in experimental units designed for working with foot-and-mouth disease. The red, sika and fallow deer readily accepted rolled oats and hay as their staple diet. This diet was replaced for the roe and muntjac deer with flaked maize, calf starter pellets and green browse. Etorphine/acepromazine ans xylazine were found to be suitable sedatives for detailed examination of the tongue and oral cavity of the various species of deer and gave adequate analgesia for the inoculation and collection of virus samples.

Molecular Survey of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia of Red Deer and Sika Deer in Gansu, China in 2013.

PubMed

Li, Y; Chen, Z; Liu, Z; Liu, J; Yang, J; Li, Q; Li, Y; Luo, J; Yin, H

2016-12-01

Anaplasma and Ehrlichia are important emerging tick-borne pathogens in both humans and animals. Here, we conducted a molecular surveillance study in Gansu, China to assess the prevalence of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. in red deer and sika deer based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis and sequencing of 16S rRNA or msp genes. PCR revealed that the prevalence of Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma bovis and Anaplasma platys of the Qilian Mountain samples was 32%, 9% and 9%, respectively; the prevalence of Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma platys was 20%, 15% and 15% among the Long Mountain samples, respectively. Of the Long Mountain samples, two (5%) of the 40 samples were positive for Ehrlichia canis, but all 44 of the Qilian Mountain samples were negative for E. canis, and no other Anaplasma or Ehrlichia spp. were found in the samples. The phylogenetic tree showed that the newly isolated Anaplasma and Ehrlichia spp. could be classified as belonging to four clades, including an A. bovis cluster, A. ovis cluster, A. platys cluster and E. canis cluster. In addition, Bartonella schoenbuchensis was firstly identified in blood samples from red deer in Gansu, China. Our results provide important data to increase the understanding of the epidemiology of anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis of red deer and sika deer and will assist with the implementation of measures to control anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis transmission to red deer, sika deer and other animals in Gansu, China. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Lead, cadmium and organochlorine pesticide residues in hunted red deer and wild boar from northern Italy.

PubMed

Chiari, Mario; Cortinovis, Cristina; Bertoletti, Marco; Alborali, Loris; Zanoni, Mariagrazia; Ferretti, Enrica; Caloni, Francesca

2015-01-01

The objectives of the present study were to assess heavy metal cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb) and organochlorine pesticide concentrations in tissues of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) from nine hunting areas and to evaluate related risk factors for the host animal. Over a period of 2 years, a total of 1055 and 210 masseters, 424 and 201 livers, 642 and 152 kidneys were collected from wild boar and red deer, respectively, and concentrations of Cd, Pb and organochlorine pesticides were determined. Comparing the two species, Cd concentration in the kidney (3.72 mg/kg), liver (0.67 mg/kg) and muscle (0.02 mg/kg) of wild boar was found to be significantly higher than in the organs of red deer (1.02 mg/kg in the kidneys, 0.07 mg/kg in the liver and 0.006 mg/kg in muscle). Mean Pb concentrations were found to be similar in both animals, with 0.39, 0.52 and 2.60 mg/kg detected in the wild boar kidney, liver and muscle, respectively, and 0.24, 0.21 and 2.04 mg/kg in the respective organs of the red deer. No difference in concentrations were found based on age class, location of tissue sample or contaminant in the case of wild boar. By contrast, a significantly lower Cd concentration was found in the kidney of the young red deer. The search for organochlorine pesticides in both red deer and wild boar produced negative results with values below the limits of detection. Due to the high levels of renal Cd and muscle Pb detected in wild boar and red deer, further research needs to be carried out in an effort to identify the source of contamination and preserve the health of animals and humans.

First description of Onchocerca jakutensis (Nematoda: Filarioidea) in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Switzerland.

PubMed

Bosch, Felix; Manzanell, Ralph; Mathis, Alexander

2016-08-01

Twenty-seven species of the genus Onchocerca (Nematoda; Filarioidea) can cause a vector-borne parasitic disease called onchocercosis. Most Onchocerca species infect wild and domestic ungulates or the dog, and one species causes river blindness in humans mainly in tropical Africa. The European red deer (Cervus e. elaphus) is host to four species, which are transmitted by blackflies (simuliids) or biting midges (ceratopogonids). Two species, Onchocerca flexuosa and Onchocerca jakutensis, produce subcutaneous nodules, whereas Onchocerca skrjabini and Onchocerca garmsi live free in the hypodermal serous membranes. During the hunting season, September 2013, red deer (n = 25), roe deer (Capreolus c. capreolus, n = 6) and chamois (Rupicapra r. rupicapra, n = 7), all shot in the Grisons Region (Switzerland) were investigated for the presence of subcutaneous nodules which were enzymatically digested, and the contained Onchocerca worms were identified to species by light and scanning electron microscopy as well as by PCR/sequencing. In addition, microfilariae from skin samples were collected and genetically characterized. Neither nodules nor microfilariae were discovered in the roe deer and chamois. Adult worms were found in 24% of red deer, and all of them were identified as O. jakutensis. Two morphologically different microfilariae were obtained from five red deer, and genetic analysis of a skin sample of one red deer indicated the presence of another Onchocerca species. This is the first report of O. jakutensis in Switzerland with a prevalence in red deer similar to that in neighbouring Germany.

Sarcoptic mange in red deer from Spain: improved surveillance or disease emergence?

PubMed

Oleaga, A; Casais, R; González-Quirós, P; Prieto, M; Gortázar, C

2008-06-14

Concern about emerging diseases has risen in recent years, and multihost situations have become increasingly relevant for wildlife management and conservation. We present data on Asturias, northern Spain, where 80 mangy red deer (Cervus elaphus) have been found since the beginning of the epizootic in chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica parva) in 1993. We combine field and necropsy data with the results of a serosurvey using an in-house ELISA test to evaluate if deer mange due to Sarcoptes scabiei is an emerging disease in this area. The mean number of deer mange cases per year was 5, with a maximum of 16. No significant relationship was detected between monthly temperatures, rainfall or number of days with snow cover and the annual number of sarcoptic mange cases in red deer. Only 4 mangy red deer (5%) were detected outside the limits of scabietic chamois distribution during the same year, and all were less than 2500 m away from that limit. The longest distance reported between two consecutive mangy deer locations was 18 km. Mange cases were significantly more frequent in stags than in hinds and in adults than in juvenile deer. The time of the first mange detection in chamois in each sector, year with minimum number of chamois recorded, year with maximum chamois population decline rate and chamois density offered no significant correlation with red deer mange cases appearance moment and frequency. In the mange affected area, ELISA testing of 327 blood samples from hunter-harvested deer without obvious mange-compatible lesions revealed only 4 seropositive animals. All 83 sera from hunting preserves without clinical cases yielded negative ELISA results. According to these epidemiological data mange does not seem to threaten red deer populations in Asturias. However, continued monitoring of deer health and ELISA testing for sarcoptic mange is advisable.

Vocal anatomy, tongue protrusion behaviour and the acoustics of rutting roars in free-ranging Iberian red deer stags (Cervus elaphus hispanicus).

PubMed

Frey, Roland; Volodin, Ilya; Volodina, Elena; Carranza, Juan; Torres-Porras, Jerónimo

2012-03-01

Roaring in rutting Iberian red deer stags Cervus elaphus hispanicus is unusual compared to other subspecies of red deer, which radiated from the Iberian refugium after the last glacial maximum. In all red deer stags, the larynx occupies a permanent low mid-neck resting position and is momentarily retracted almost down to the rostral end of the sternum during the production of rutting calls. Simultaneous with the retraction of the larynx, male Iberian red deer pronouncedly protrude the tongue during most of their rutting roars. This poses a mechanical challenge for the vocal tract (vt) and for the hyoid apparatus, as tongue and larynx are strongly pulled in opposite directions. This study (i) examines the vocal anatomy and the acoustics of the rutting roars in free-ranging male C. e. hispanicus; (ii) establishes a potential mechanism of simultaneous tongue protrusion and larynx retraction by applying a two-dimensional model based on graphic reconstructions in single video frames of unrestrained animals; and (iii) advances a hypothesis of evaporative cooling by tongue protrusion in the males of a subspecies of red deer constrained to perform all of the exhausting rutting activities, including acoustic display, in a hot and arid season. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Anatomy © 2012 Anatomical Society.

Positioning the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Hunted by the Tyrolean Iceman into a Mitochondrial DNA Phylogeny

PubMed Central

Olivieri, Cristina; Marota, Isolina; Rizzi, Ermanno; Ermini, Luca; Fusco, Letizia; Pietrelli, Alessandro; De Bellis, Gianluca; Rollo, Franco; Luciani, Stefania

2014-01-01

In the last years several phylogeographic studies of both extant and extinct red deer populations have been conducted. Three distinct mitochondrial lineages (western, eastern and North-African/Sardinian) have been identified reflecting different glacial refugia and postglacial recolonisation processes. However, little is known about the genetics of the Alpine populations and no mitochondrial DNA sequences from Alpine archaeological specimens are available. Here we provide the first mitochondrial sequences of an Alpine Copper Age Cervus elaphus. DNA was extracted from hair shafts which were part of the remains of the clothes of the glacier mummy known as the Tyrolean Iceman or Ötzi (5,350–5,100 years before present). A 2,297 base pairs long fragment was sequenced using a mixed sequencing procedure based on PCR amplifications and 454 sequencing of pooled amplification products. We analyzed the phylogenetic relationships of the Alpine Copper Age red deer's haplotype with haplotypes of modern and ancient European red deer. The phylogenetic analyses showed that the haplotype of the Alpine Copper Age red deer falls within the western European mitochondrial lineage in contrast with the current populations from the Italian Alps belonging to the eastern lineage. We also discussed the phylogenetic relationships of the Alpine Copper Age red deer with the populations from Mesola Wood (northern Italy) and Sardinia. PMID:24988290

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild boars, red deer and roe deer in Poland

PubMed Central

Witkowski, Lucjan; Czopowicz, Michał; Nagy, Dan Alexandru; Potarniche, Adrian Valentin; Aoanei, Monica Adriana; Imomov, Nuriddin; Mickiewicz, Marcin; Welz, Mirosław; Szaluś-Jordanow, Olga; Kaba, Jarosław

2015-01-01

Little is known about the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild life, particularly game animals in Poland. Meat juice collected during the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 hunting seasons from 552 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 367 wild boars (Sus scrofa) and 92 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) was tested for T. gondii antibodies using the multi-species ID Screen Toxoplasmosis Indirect kit (IDvet, Montpellier, France). Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 24.1% of red deer (95% CI: 20.7%, 27.8%), 37.6% of wild boar (95% CI: 32.8%, 42.7%) and 30.4% of roe deer (95% CI: 22.0%, 40.5%). To the authors’ best knowledge, this is the first epidemiological report of T. gondii prevalence in red deer, roe deer and wild boars in Poland. T. gondii is present in wildlife animal tissues and consumption of the game may be a potential source of infection for humans. PMID:25993468

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild boars, red deer and roe deer in Poland.

PubMed

Witkowski, Lucjan; Czopowicz, Michał; Nagy, Dan Alexandru; Potarniche, Adrian Valentin; Aoanei, Monica Adriana; Imomov, Nuriddin; Mickiewicz, Marcin; Welz, Mirosław; Szaluś-Jordanow, Olga; Kaba, Jarosław

2015-01-01

Little is known about the prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii in wild life, particularly game animals in Poland. Meat juice collected during the 2009/2010 and 2010/2011 hunting seasons from 552 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 367 wild boars (Sus scrofa) and 92 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) was tested for T. gondii antibodies using the multi-species ID Screen Toxoplasmosis Indirect kit (IDvet, Montpellier, France). Antibodies to T. gondii were detected in 24.1% of red deer (95% CI: 20.7%, 27.8%), 37.6% of wild boar (95% CI: 32.8%, 42.7%) and 30.4% of roe deer (95% CI: 22.0%, 40.5%). To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first epidemiological report of T. gondii prevalence in red deer, roe deer and wild boars in Poland. T. gondii is present in wildlife animal tissues and consumption of the game may be a potential source of infection for humans. © L. Witkowski et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2015.

Piroplasmosis in wildlife: Babesia and Theileria affecting free-ranging ungulates and carnivores in the Italian Alps

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Piroplasmosis are among the most relevant diseases of domestic animals. Babesia is emerging as cause of tick-borne zoonosis worldwide and free-living animals are reservoir hosts of several zoonotic Babesia species. We investigated the epidemiology of Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. in wild ungulates and carnivores from Northern Italy to determine which of these apicomplexan species circulate in wildlife and their prevalence of infection. Methods PCR amplification of the V4 hyper-variable region of the 18S rDNA of Babesia sp./Theileria sp was carried out on spleen samples of 1036 wild animals: Roe deer Capreolus capreolus (n = 462), Red deer Cervus elaphus (n = 52), Alpine Chamois Rupicapra rupicapra (n = 36), Fallow deer Dama dama (n = 17), Wild boar Sus scrofa (n = 257), Red fox Vulpes vulpes (n = 205) and Wolf Canis lupus (n = 7). Selected positive samples were sequenced to determine the species of amplified Babesia/Theileria DNA. Results Babesia/Theileria DNA was found with a mean prevalence of 9.94% (IC95% 8.27-11.91). The only piroplasms found in carnivores was Theileria annae, which was detected in two foxes (0.98%; IC95% 0.27-3.49). Red deer showed the highest prevalence of infection (44.23%; IC95% 31.6-57.66), followed by Alpine chamois (22.22%; IC95% 11.71-38.08), Roe deer (12.55%; IC95% 9.84-15.89), and Wild boar (4.67%; IC95% 2.69-7.98). Genetic analysis identified Babesia capreoli as the most prevalent piroplasmid found in Alpine chamois, Roe deer and Red deer, followed by Babesia bigemina (found in Roe deer, Red deer and Wild boar), and the zoonotic Babesia venatorum (formerly Babesia sp. EU1) isolated from 2 Roe deer. Piroplasmids of the genus Theileria were identified in Wild boar and Red deer. Conclusions The present study offers novel insights into the role of wildlife in Babesia/Theileria epidemiology, as well as relevant information on genetic variability of piroplasmids infecting wild ungulates and carnivores. PMID:24533742

Piroplasmosis in wildlife: Babesia and Theileria affecting free-ranging ungulates and carnivores in the Italian Alps.

PubMed

Zanet, Stefania; Trisciuoglio, Anna; Bottero, Elisa; de Mera, Isabel Garcia Fernández; Gortazar, Christian; Carpignano, Maria Grazia; Ferroglio, Ezio

2014-02-17

Piroplasmosis are among the most relevant diseases of domestic animals. Babesia is emerging as cause of tick-borne zoonosis worldwide and free-living animals are reservoir hosts of several zoonotic Babesia species. We investigated the epidemiology of Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. in wild ungulates and carnivores from Northern Italy to determine which of these apicomplexan species circulate in wildlife and their prevalence of infection. PCR amplification of the V4 hyper-variable region of the 18S rDNA of Babesia sp./Theileria sp was carried out on spleen samples of 1036 wild animals: Roe deer Capreolus capreolus (n = 462), Red deer Cervus elaphus (n = 52), Alpine Chamois Rupicapra rupicapra (n = 36), Fallow deer Dama dama (n = 17), Wild boar Sus scrofa (n = 257), Red fox Vulpes vulpes (n = 205) and Wolf Canis lupus (n = 7). Selected positive samples were sequenced to determine the species of amplified Babesia/Theileria DNA. Babesia/Theileria DNA was found with a mean prevalence of 9.94% (IC95% 8.27-11.91). The only piroplasms found in carnivores was Theileria annae, which was detected in two foxes (0.98%; IC95% 0.27-3.49). Red deer showed the highest prevalence of infection (44.23%; IC95% 31.6-57.66), followed by Alpine chamois (22.22%; IC95% 11.71-38.08), Roe deer (12.55%; IC95% 9.84-15.89), and Wild boar (4.67%; IC95% 2.69-7.98). Genetic analysis identified Babesia capreoli as the most prevalent piroplasmid found in Alpine chamois, Roe deer and Red deer, followed by Babesia bigemina (found in Roe deer, Red deer and Wild boar), and the zoonotic Babesia venatorum (formerly Babesia sp. EU1) isolated from 2 Roe deer. Piroplasmids of the genus Theileria were identified in Wild boar and Red deer. The present study offers novel insights into the role of wildlife in Babesia/Theileria epidemiology, as well as relevant information on genetic variability of piroplasmids infecting wild ungulates and carnivores.

Genetic diversity, genetic structure and diet of ancient and contemporary red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) from north-eastern France

PubMed Central

Granado, José; Putelat, Olivier; Arbogast, Rose-Marie; Drucker, Dorothée; Eberhard, Anna; Schmutz, Anja; Klaefiger, Yuri; Lang, Gérard; Salzburger, Walter; Schibler, Joerg; Schlumbaum, Angela; Bocherens, Hervé

2018-01-01

In north-eastern France, red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) populations were rebuilt from a few hundred individuals, which have subsisted in remote valleys of the Vosges mountains, and to a lesser extent from individuals escaped from private enclosures; at present times, this species occupies large areas, mainly in the Vosges Mountains. In this study, we examined the population dynamics of red deer in the Vosges Mountains using ancient and contemporary mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) from 140 samples (23 ancient + 117 modern) spanning the last 7’000 years. In addition, we reconstructed the feeding habits and the habitat of red deer since the beginning of agriculture applying isotopic analyses in order to establish a basis for current environmental management strategies. We show that past and present red deer in the Vosges Mountains belong to mtDNA haplogroup A, suggesting that they originated from the Iberian refugium after the last glacial maximum (LGM). Palaeogenetic analysis of ancient bone material revealed the presence of two distinct haplotypes with different temporal distributions. Individuals belonging to the two haplotype groups apparently occupied two different habitats over at least 7’000 years. AM6 correlates with an ecological type that feeds in densely forested mountain landscapes, while AM235 correlates with feeding in lowland landscapes, composed of a mixture of meadows and riverine, herb-rich woodlands. Our results suggest that red deer of north-eastern France was able to adapt, over the long term, to these different habitat types, possibly due to efficient ethological barriers. Modern haplotype patterns support the historical record that red deer has been exposed to strong anthropogenic influences as a major game species. PMID:29304165

Establishment rate of cattle gastrointestinal nematodes in farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Ten Doesschate, S J; Pomroy, W E; Tapia-Escárate, D; Scott, I; Wilson, P R

2017-08-30

Red deer can be infected with some gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) of cattle but it is unknown to what extent. An indoor study was conducted to determine the establishment rate of cattle GIN in young deer. Five young calves and 5 young red deer were used. They were effectively treated with anthelmintics when housed and then infected 2 weeks later. After four weeks they were killed for total worm counts. Establishment rates were assessed comparing worm counts to the infective dose which were identified morphologically, and to the relative establishment rate of different species. The establishment rates (%) in cattle and deer respectively were H. contortus (8.0, 18.7, p=0.18), Ostertagia ostertagi (30.8, 0.7, p<0.001), Cooperia spp. (72.3, 2.3, p<0.001) and Trichostrongylus spp. (19.0, 25.3, p=0.12). The majority (>98%) of Trichostrongylus spp. were Trichostrongylus axei in both hosts and there were no differences between hosts for this species (p=0.11). In cattle >98% of Cooperia were Cooperia oncophora and the mean burden was much higher than in deer (p<0.01) where there were similar proportions of Cooperia oncophora, Cooperia punctata and C. curticei. Small numbers of Oesophagostomum venulosum were also present with 3X as many found in deer as in cattle (p<0.05). This study has shown that some cattle-origin GIN can establish in red deer. In particular, the establishment of H. contortus and T. axei could allow sufficient burdens to build up to be clinically significant. Importantly, almost no cattle Ostertagia species or small intestinal species established in deer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial-temporal Trends and Factors Associated with the Bluetongue Virus Seropositivity in Large Game Hunting Areas from Southern Spain.

PubMed

Arenas-Montes, A; Paniagua, J; Arenas, A; Lorca-Oró, C; Carbonero, A; Cano-Terriza, D; García-Bocanegra, I

2016-10-01

An epidemiological study was carried out to determine the spatial-temporal trends and risk factors potentially involved in the seropositivity to bluetongue virus (BTV) in hunting areas with presence of red deer (Cervus elaphus). A total of 60 of 98 (61.2%; CI95% : 51.6-70.9) hunting areas sampled presented at least one seropositive red deer. Antibodies against BTV were detected in juvenile animals during the hunting seasons 2007/2008 to 2013/2014 in 15 of 98 (15.3%) hunting areas, which indicates an uninterrupted circulation of BTV in this period. A multivariate logistic regression model showed that the red deer density at hunting area level (>22 individuals/km(2) ), the annual abundance of Culicoides imicola (>1.4 mosquitoes/sampling) and the goat density at municipality level (>24.1 individuals/km(2) ) were factors significantly associated with BTV seropositivity in hunting areas. Control measures against BTV in the studied area include vaccination programmes in wild and domestic ruminants, movement control in areas with high densities and abundance of red deer and C. imicola, respectively. Considering the potential risk of BTV re-emergence, red deer should be included in the BT surveillance programmes in regions where these species share habitats with livestock. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Correlation of TBE Incidence with Red Deer and Roe Deer Abundance in Slovenia

PubMed Central

Knap, Nataša; Avšič-Županc, Tatjana

2013-01-01

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a virus infection which sometimes causes human disease. The TBE virus is found in ticks and certain vertebrate tick hosts in restricted endemic localities termed TBE foci. The formation of natural foci is a combination of several factors: the vectors, a suitable and numerous enough number of hosts and in a habitat with suitable vegetation and climate. The present study investigated the influence of deer on the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis. We were able to obtain data from deer culls. Using this data, the abundance of deer was estimated and temporal and spatial analysis was performed. The abundance of deer has increased in the past decades, as well as the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis. Temporal analysis confirmed a correlation between red deer abundance and tick-borne encephalitis occurrence. Additionally, spatial analysis established, that in areas with high incidence of tick-borne encephalitis red deer density is higher, compared to areas with no or few human cases of tick-borne encephalitis. However, such correlation could not be confirmed between roe deer density and the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis. This is presumably due to roe deer density being above a certain threshold so that availability of tick reproduction hosts has no apparent effect on ticks' host finding and consequently may not be possible to correlate with incidence of human TBE. PMID:23776668

Report of Theileria luwenshuni and Theileria sp. RSR from cervids in Gansu, China.

PubMed

Li, Youquan; Liu, Junlong; Liu, Zhijie; Yang, Jifei; Li, Yaqiong; Li, Qian; Qin, Gege; Chen, Ze; Guan, Guiquan; Luo, Jianxun; Yin, Hong

2015-05-01

Theileria parasites are important tick-borne pathogens of animals and cause huge economic losses worldwide. Here, we undertook to assess the prevalence of Theileria spp. in cervids in Gansu, China, based on PCR analysis and sequencing of the 18S rRNA genes. Molecular survey showed that Theileria luwenshuni and Theileria sp. RSR were frequently found in Gansu cervids, and the prevalence of T. luwenshuni was 66.7% (n = 9, 6/9) in roe deer in Zhengning County, 58.3% (n = 12, 7/12) in sika deer in Ningxian County, 50% (n = 10, 5/10) in sika deer and 42.9% (n = 14, 6/14) in red deer in Weiyuan County. The prevalence of Theileria sp. RSR was 77.8% (n = 9, 7/9) in roe deer in Zhengning County, 75% (n = 12, 9/12) in sika deer in Ningxian County, 60.0% (n = 10, 6/10) in sika deer, and 50.0% (n = 14, 7/14) in red deer in Weiyuan County. The co-prevalence of the two T. luwenshuni and Theileria sp. RSR was 55.6% (n = 5, 5/9) in roe deer in Zhengning County, 50% (n = 12, 6/12) in sika deer in Ningxian county, 50% (n = 10, 5/10) in sika deer and 35.7% (n = 14, 5/14) in red deer in Weiyuan County, respectively. No other Theileria species was found in these samples. T. luwenshuni and Theileria sp. RSR were detected for the first time in cervids in Gansu, China. Animal experiments showed that four sheep were inoculated with roe deer blood from Zhengning, sika deer blood from Ningxian, sika deer blood, and red deer blood from Weiyuan, respectively, and the Theileria isolated from these inoculated sheep was identified as T. luwenshuni, but Theileria sp. RSR was not detected in these sheep. Our results extend our understanding of the epidemiology of cervine theileriosis in Gansu, China, and will facilitate the implementation of measures to control theileriosis in cervids and small ruminants. This was the first report to demonstrate the occurrence of T. luwenshuni from roe deer, sika deer, and red deer worldwide.

Solar Radiation Determines Site Occupancy of Coexisting Tropical and Temperate Deer Species Introduced to New Zealand Forests

PubMed Central

Allen, Robert B.; Forsyth, David M.; Allen, Roy K. J.; Affeld, Kathrin; MacKenzie, Darryl I.

2015-01-01

Assemblages of introduced taxa provide an opportunity to understand how abiotic and biotic factors shape habitat use by coexisting species. We tested hypotheses about habitat selection by two deer species recently introduced to New Zealand’s temperate rainforests. We hypothesised that, due to different thermoregulatory abilities, rusa deer (Cervus timorensis; a tropical species) would prefer warmer locations in winter than red deer (Cervus elaphus scoticus; a temperate species). Since adult male rusa deer are aggressive in winter (the rut), we also hypothesised that rusa deer and red deer would not use the same winter locations. Finally, we hypothesised that in summer both species would prefer locations with fertile soils that supported more plant species preferred as food. We used a 250 × 250 m grid of 25 remote cameras to collect images in a 100-ha montane study area over two winters and summers. Plant composition, solar radiation, and soil fertility were also determined for each camera location. Multiseason occupancy models revealed that direct solar radiation was the best predictor of occupancy and detection probabilities for rusa deer in winter. Multistate, multiseason occupancy models provided strong evidence that the detection probability of adult male rusa deer was greater in winter and when other rusa deer were present at a location. Red deer mostly vacated the study area in winter. For the one season that had sufficient camera images of both species (summer 2011) to allow two-species occupancy models to be fitted, the detection probability of rusa deer also increased with solar radiation. Detection probability also varied with plant composition for both deer species. We conclude that habitat use by coexisting tropical and temperate deer species in New Zealand likely depends on the interplay between the thermoregulatory and behavioural traits of the deer and the abiotic and biotic features of the habitat. PMID:26061426

Increasing Contact with Hepatitis E Virus in Red Deer, Spain

PubMed Central

Casas, Maribel; Martín, Marga; Vicente, Joaquín; Segalés, Joaquim; de la Fuente, José; Gortázar, Christian

2010-01-01

To describe the epidemiology of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in red deer in mainland Spain, we tested red deer for HEV RNA and antibodies. Overall, 10.4% and 13.6% of serum samples were positive by ELISA and reverse transcription–PCR, respectively. The increasing prevalence suggests a potential risk for humans. PMID:21122241

Admixture of Eastern and Western European Red Deer Lineages as a Result of Postglacial Recolonization of the Czech Republic (Central Europe).

PubMed

Krojerová-Prokešová, Jarmila; Barančeková, Miroslava; Koubek, Petr

2015-01-01

Due to a restriction of the distributional range of European red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) during the Quaternary and subsequent recolonization of Europe from different refugia, a clear phylogeographical pattern in genetic structure has been revealed using mitochondrial DNA markers. In Central Europe, 2 distinct, eastern and western, lineages of European red deer are present; however, admixture between them has not yet been studied in detail. We used mitochondrial DNA (control region and cytochrome b gene) sequences and 22 microsatellite loci from 522 individuals to investigate the genetic diversity of red deer in what might be expected to be an intermediate zone. We discovered a high number of unique mtDNA haplotypes belonging to each lineage and high levels of genetic diversity (cyt b H = 0.867, D-loop H = 0.914). The same structuring of red deer populations was also revealed by microsatellite analysis, with results from both analyses thus suggesting a suture zone between the 2 lineages. Despite the fact that postglacial recolonization of Central Europe by red deer occurred more than 10000 years ago, the degree of admixture between the 2 lineages is relatively small, with only 10.8% admixed individuals detected. Direct translocations of animals by humans have slightly blurred the pattern in this region; however, this blurring was more apparent when using maternally inherited markers than nuclear markers. © The American Genetic Association 2015. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Red deer as maintenance host for bovine tuberculosis, Alpine region.

PubMed

Fink, Maria; Schleicher, Corina; Gonano, Monika; Prodinger, Wolfgang M; Pacciarini, Maria; Glawischnig, Walter; Ryser-Degiorgis, Marie-Pierre; Walzer, Chris; Stalder, Gabrielle L; Lombardo, Dorotea; Schobesberger, Hermann; Winter, Petra; Büttner, Mathias

2015-03-01

To estimate the prevalence of bovine tuberculosis in the Alpine region, we studied the epidemiology of Mycobacterium caprae in wildlife during the 2009-2012 hunting seasons. Free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus) were a maintenance host in a hot-spot area, mainly located in Austria.

Dominance of the Enterocytozoon bieneusi genotype BEB6 in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) in China and a brief literature review

PubMed Central

Zhao, Wei; Wang, Jianguang; Yang, Ziyin; Liu, Aiqin

2017-01-01

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is the most frequently diagnosed microsporidian species in humans and is also found in a wide range of animals. It is considered to be an important but neglected zoonotic pathogen. With the development of deer bred in captivity, the number of deer has been increasing in recent years in China and there are more people involved in this work. The aims of this study were to determine prevalence and genotypes of E. bieneusi in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and Siberian roe deer (Capreolus pygargus), and to assess their potential zoonotic transmission. A total of 122 fecal specimens were collected from 104 red deer and 18 roe deer from three deer farms in Heilongjiang and Jilin Provinces, China. Enterocytozoon bieneusi was detected and genotyped by PCR and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA gene. The average infection rate was 8.2% (10/122), with 7.7% (8/104) for red deer and 11.1% (2/18) for roe deer. Two genotypes were identified: a known genotype BEB6 (n = 9) and a novel genotype named HLJD-VI (n = 1). This is the first report of E. bieneusi infection in Siberian roe deer. The fact that genotype BEB6 was detected previously in one human case of microsporidiosis, and that genotype HLJD-VI fell into zoonotic group 1, suggest the possibility of transmission to humans. A brief review of E. bieneusi genotypes in deer worldwide shows that 40 genotypes have been found in seven deer species, with genotype BEB6 being predominant. PMID:29267159

Patterns of Lynx Predation at the Interface between Protected Areas and Multi-Use Landscapes in Central Europe

PubMed Central

Belotti, Elisa; Weder, Nicole; Bufka, Luděk; Kaldhusdal, Arne; Küchenhoff, Helmut; Seibold, Heidi; Woelfing, Benno; Heurich, Marco

2015-01-01

In Central Europe, protected areas are too small to ensure survival of populations of large carnivores. In the surrounding areas, these species are often persecuted due to competition with game hunters. Therefore, understanding how predation intensity varies spatio-temporally across areas with different levels of protection is fundamental. We investigated the predation patterns of Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) on roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in both protected areas and multi-use landscapes of the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem. Based on 359 roe and red deer killed by 10 GPS-collared lynx, we calculated the species-specific annual kill rates and tested for effects of season and lynx age, sex and reproductive status. Because roe and red deer in the study area concentrate in unprotected lowlands during winter, we modeled spatial distribution of kills separately for summer and winter and calculated-the probability of a deer killed by lynx and-the expected number of kills for areas with different levels of protection. Significantly more roe deer (46.05–74.71/year/individual lynx) were killed than red deer (1.57–9.63/year/individual lynx), more deer were killed in winter than in summer, and lynx family groups had higher annual kill rates than adult male, single adult female and subadult female lynx. In winter the probability of a deer killed and the expected number of kills were higher outside the most protected part of the study area than inside; in summer, this probability did not differ between areas, and the expected number of kills was slightly larger inside than outside the most protected part of the study area. This indicates that the intensity of lynx predation in the unprotected part of the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem increases in winter, thus mitigation of conflicts in these areas should be included as a priority in the lynx conservation strategy. PMID:26379142

Listeria monocytogenes in Different Specimens from Healthy Red Deer and Wild Boars.

PubMed

Weindl, Lucia; Frank, Elisabeth; Ullrich, Ulrike; Heurich, Marco; Kleta, Sylvia; Ellerbroek, Lüppo; Gareis, Manfred

2016-07-01

In the past, Listeria monocytogenes has been isolated from game feces and meat. However, less information is available on the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in other specimens originating from game animals. Hence, the aim of this study was to get an overview of the occurrence and distribution of L. monocytogenes in game animals by characterization of isolates from different matrices. For that purpose, samples were collected from red deer (Cervus elaphus), wild boars (Sus scrofa), and feed during the hunting season 2011-2012 in three different regions of Germany and Austria. Six samples from each animal were examined: tonsils, content of the rumen or the stomach, liver, intestinal lymph nodes, cecum content, and feces. Nineteen of 45 red deer and 12 of 49 wild boars were found to be positive for L. monocytogenes as well as 4 of 22 pooled feed samples. L. monocytogenes was isolated most frequently from the rumen of red deer (14 of 19) and the tonsils of wild boars (7 of 12). Serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, 4a, and 4b were detected in samples of game animals and feed, and serotypes 1/2a and 4b were the most prevalent serotypes. The presence of L. monocytogenes serotype 4a had not yet been described in red deer. This might be due to the fact that it was only isolated from the content of rumen and that no other study has yet examined ruminal content. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed a wide variety of strains. Some strains occurred in both species and feed samples, but one strain was dominant in one region. The results show that red deer and wild boars can be carriers of L. monocytogenes in different matrices, although the feces samples can be negative.

Malignant Catarrhal Fever-Like Disease in Barbary Red Deer (Cervus elaphus barbarus) Naturally Infected with a Virus Resembling Alcelaphine Herpesvirus 2†

PubMed Central

Klieforth, Robert; Maalouf, Gabriel; Stalis, Ilse; Terio, Karen; Janssen, Donald; Schrenzel, Mark

2002-01-01

Eight Barbary red deer (Cervus elaphus barbarus) developed clinical signs suggestive of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) over a 28-day period. These animals were housed outdoors with four other species of ruminants. Affected red deer had lethargy, ocular signs, and nasal discharge and were euthanatized within 48 h. Lesions included ulcers of the muzzle, lips, and oral cavity associated with infiltrates of neutrophils and lymphocytes. Serologically, six of seven red deer tested during the outbreak were positive by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies to a shared MCF virus antigen. PCR using oligonucleotide primers designed for a conserved protein of alcelaphine herpesviruses 1 (AlHV-1) and 2 (AlHV-2) and for conserved regions of a herpesvirus DNA polymerase gene was positive for tissues from all eight clinically affected animals and negative for eight out of eight red deer without clinical signs of MCF. DNA sequencing of PCR amplicons from the diseased red deer indicated that they were infected with a novel herpesvirus closely related to AlHV-2; immunohistochemistry using polyclonal anti-AlHV-2 serum and in situ hybridization demonstrated the presence of virus within salivary glands adjacent to oral lesions of affected animals. A survey of other ruminants near the outbreak subsequently showed that normal Jackson's hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus jacksoni) that were cohoused with the diseased red deer were infected with the same virus and were shedding the virus in nasal excretions. These findings suggest that a herpesvirus closely related to AlHV-2 caused the MCF-like disease epizootic in Barbary red deer and that the virus may have originated from Jackson's hartebeest. PMID:12202582

Lungworm (Nematoda: Protostrongylidae) infection in wild and domestic ruminants from Małopolska region of Poland.

PubMed

Kowal, Jerzy; Kornaś, Sławomir; Nosal, Paweł; Basiaga, Marta; Wajdzik, Marek; Skalska, Marta; Wyrobisz, Anna

2016-01-01

The conducted study has focused on domestic, as well as wild ruminant species. The post mortem examination was carried out on 68 animals, including three wild species: roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) (25 indyviduals), red deer (Cervus elaphus) (6), fallow deer (Dama dama) (5) and two domestic: sheep (Ovis aries) (14) and cattle (Bos taurus) (18). Some of the species have also been investigated in the field by the coproscopical analyses. The faecal samples from roe deer (27), fallow deer (20), red deer (36) and moose (Alces alces) (10) were collected from the environment, while from sheep (10) and goat (Capra hircus) (10)--per rectum. Based on the obtained results the following values were calculated: prevalence, mean intensity and intensity range. The post mortem examination did not reveal pulmonary nematodes neither in domestic nor in wild ungulates, however, the larvae of aforementioned parasites were often stated in the stool samples taken from the environment. All wild species, except fallow deer were infected. Consequently, six species of lungworms have been identified. The first stage larvae of Varestrongylus capreoli occurred in 11 samples of roe deer and Varestrongylus alces in one moose. The larvae of Elaphostrongylus cervi were found in 19 red deer and Varestrongylus sagittatus in 3. Furthermore, Elaphostrongylus alces larvae were noted in 6 moose. Within domestic ruminants only one sheep and two goats were infected by Muellerius capillaris.

Red urine from red deer grazed on pure red clover swards.

PubMed

Niezen, J H; Barry, T N; Wilson, P R; Lane, G

1992-12-01

Twenty-four red deer hinds with their calves were released on to a newly established pure red clover sward and, 2 days later, red staining of the tail, perineum and hocks was observed. This was presumed to be of urinary origin. Observation of micturition showed that when urine was passed, it was a normal straw colour but it turned scarlet-red about 1 hour after exposure to air. Midstream urine remained the normal colour when held under a pure nitrogen atmosphere immediately after micturition, but it turned red when held in air in the dark, suggesting that the colour change was due to an oxidative rather than a photosensitive reaction. All deer grazing red clover were affected but this did not occur in deer grazing ryegrass/white clover swards. No adverse effects were observed in the deer grazing the red clover, and calf growth was significantly higher than on ryegrass/white clover, suggesting that the red urine had no effect on health or productivity. Blood and urine analyses showed no signs of haemolysis, haematuria or haemoglobinuria. Preliminary chemical analyses suggest that the compounds involved are not those found in the urine of sheep grazing oestrogenic clover. The nature of the compounds have yet to be determined.

Heterogeneity in Primary Productivity Influences Competitive Interactions between Red Deer and Alpine Chamois

PubMed Central

Anderwald, Pia; Haller, Rudolf M.; Filli, Flurin

2016-01-01

Habitat heterogeneity can promote coexistence between herbivores of different body size limited to different extents by resource quantity and quality. Red deer (Cervus elaphus) are known as superior competitors to smaller species with similar diets. We compared competitive interactions and habitat use between red deer and Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) in two adjacent valleys in a strictly protected area in the Central Alps. Red deer density was higher in the valley with higher primary productivity. Only here was horn growth in kid and yearling chamois (as a measure for body condition) negatively correlated with red deer population size, suggesting interspecific competition, and chamois selected meadows with steeper slopes and lower productivity than available on average. Conversely, red deer selected meadows of high productivity, particularly in the poorer area. As these were located mainly at lower elevations, this led to strong altitudinal segregation between the two species here. Local differences in interspecific competition thus coincided with differences in habitat preference and–segregation between areas. This suggests that spatial habitat and resource heterogeneity at the scale of adjacent valleys can provide competition refuges for competitively inferior mountain ungulates which differ from their superior competitor in their metabolic requirements. PMID:26824867

Multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis potentially reveals the existence of two groups of Anaplasma phagocytophilum circulating in cattle in France with different wild reservoirs.

PubMed

Dugat, Thibaud; Zanella, Gina; Véran, Luc; Lesage, Céline; Girault, Guillaume; Durand, Benoît; Lagrée, Anne-Claire; Boulouis, Henri-Jean; Haddad, Nadia

2016-11-22

Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of tick-borne fever, a disease with high economic impact for domestic ruminants in Europe. Epidemiological cycles of this species are complex, and involve different ecotypes circulating in various host species. To date, these epidemiological cycles are poorly understood, especially in Europe, as European reservoir hosts (i.e. vertebrate hosts enabling long-term maintenance of the bacterium in the ecosystem), of the bacterium have not yet been clearly identified. In this study, our objective was to explore the presence, the prevalence, and the genetic diversity of A. phagocytophilum in wild animals, in order to better understand their implications as reservoir hosts of this pathogen. The spleens of 101 wild animals were collected from central France and tested for the presence of A. phagocytophilum DNA by msp2 qPCR. Positive samples were then typed by multi-locus variable-number tandem repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA), and compared to 179 previously typed A. phagocytophilum samples. Anaplasma phagocytophilum DNA was detected in 82/101 (81.2%) animals including 48/49 red deer (98%), 20/21 roe deer (95.2%), 13/29 wild boars (44.8%), and 1/1 red fox. MLVA enabled the discrimination of two A. phagocytophilum groups: group A contained the majority of A. phagocytophilum from red deer and two thirds of those from cattle, while group B included a human strain and variants from diverse animal species, i.e. sheep, dogs, a horse, the majority of variants from roe deer, and the remaining variants from cattle and red deer. Our results suggest that red deer and roe deer are promising A. phagocytophilum reservoir host candidates. Moreover, we also showed that A. phagocytophilum potentially circulates in at least two epidemiological cycles in French cattle. The first cycle may involve red deer as reservoir hosts and cattle as accidental hosts for Group A strains, whereas the second cycle could involve roe deer as reservoir hosts and at least domestic ruminants, dogs, horses, and humans as accidental hosts for Group B strains.

Constructing STR multiplexes for individual identification of Hungarian red deer.

PubMed

Szabolcsi, Zoltan; Egyed, Balazs; Zenke, Petra; Padar, Zsolt; Borsy, Adrienn; Steger, Viktor; Pasztor, Erzsebet; Csanyi, Sandor; Buzas, Zsuzsanna; Orosz, Laszlo

2014-07-01

Red deer is the most valuable game of the fauna in Hungary, and there is a strong need for genetic identification of individuals. For this purpose, 10 tetranucleotide STR markers were developed and amplified in two 5-plex systems. The study presented here includes the flanking region sequence analysis and the allele nomenclature of the 10 loci as well as the PCR optimization of the DeerPlex I and II. LD pairwise tests and cross-species similarity analyses showed the 10 loci to be independently inherited. Considerable levels of genetic differences between two subpopulations were recorded, and F(ST) was 0.034 using AMOVA. The average probability of identity (PI(ave)) was at the value of 2.6736 × 10(-15). This low value for PI(ave) nearly eliminates false identification. An illegal hunting case solved by DeerPlex is described herein. The calculated likelihood ratio (LR) illustrates the potential of the 10 red deer microsatellite markers for forensic investigations. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Low Copper Levels Associated with Low Carcass Weight in Wild Red Deer ( Cervus elaphus ) in Norway.

PubMed

Handeland, Kjell; Viljugrein, Hildegunn; Lierhagen, Syverin; Opland, Marthe; Tarpai, Attila; Vikøren, Turid

2017-01-01

Copper (Cu) deficiency is associated with several disease syndromes, including poor growth, in farmed red deer ( Cervus elaphus ), but little is known of the consequences of low Cu levels in free-ranging populations. Low hepatic Cu levels have been documented in several wild red deer populations along the west coast of Norway, with the lowest values found on the island of Hitra. We studied the relationship between liver Cu concentration and slaughter weight in 63 red deer calves and 69 yearlings shot on Hitra during the autumn hunting season of 2009. Less than half of each age class had adequate Cu levels (>20 μg/g dry weight) and 14% of the calves and 28% of the yearlings had levels indicating deficiency (<13 μg/g). For yearlings, but not calves, there was a significant increase in slaughter weight with increasing hepatic Cu level. The differences between yearlings and calves could be linked to differences in physiologic Cu status of the two age classes, in that red deer calves are born with much higher levels of hepatic Cu than are their mothers. Our data demonstrate an association between low levels of Cu and reduced growth rate in a free-ranging cervid population.

Immunohistochemical and biochemical characteristics of BSE and CWD in experimentally infected European red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus)

PubMed Central

Martin, Stuart; Jeffrey, Martin; González, Lorenzo; Sisó, Sílvia; Reid, Hugh W; Steele, Philip; Dagleish, Mark P; Stack, Michael J; Chaplin, Melanie J; Balachandran, Aru

2009-01-01

Background The cause of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) epidemic in the United Kingdom (UK) was the inclusion of contaminated meat and bone meal in the protein rations fed to cattle. Those rations were not restricted to cattle but were also fed to other livestock including farmed and free living deer. Although there are no reported cases to date of natural BSE in European deer, BSE has been shown to be naturally or experimentally transmissible to a wide range of different ungulate species. Moreover, several species of North America's cervids are highly susceptible to chronic wasting disease (CWD), a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) that has become endemic. Should BSE infection have been introduced into the UK deer population, the CWD precedent could suggest that there is a danger for spread and maintenance of the disease in both free living and captive UK deer populations. This study compares the immunohistochemical and biochemical characteristics of BSE and CWD in experimentally-infected European red deer (Cervus elpahus elaphus). Results After intracerebral or alimentary challenge, BSE in red deer more closely resembled natural infection in cattle rather than experimental BSE in small ruminants, due to the lack of accumulation of abnormal PrP in lymphoid tissues. In this respect it was different from CWD, and although the neuropathological features of both diseases were similar, BSE could be clearly differentiated from CWD by immunohistochemical and Western blotting methods currently in routine use. Conclusion Red deer are susceptible to both BSE and CWD infection, but the resulting disease phenotypes are distinct and clearly distinguishable. PMID:19635142

Patterns of lesions of bovine tuberculosis in wild red deer and wild boar.

PubMed

Zanella, G; Duvauchelle, A; Hars, J; Moutou, F; Boschiroli, M L; Durand, B

2008-07-12

The data obtained from a survey of Mycobacterium bovis infection in wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) conducted in France in the 2005/06 hunting season were used to describe and quantify the pathological findings in the two species. The red deer had caseous abscessed lesions in their organs and lymph nodes, whereas in the wild boar the lesions were predominantly caseocalcareous and occurred mainly in the lymph nodes. The severity of the gross tuberculosis-like lesions was estimated on the basis of a numerical score. The significant difference between the distribution of the scores in the two species indicated that the disease was more serious in the red deer than in the wild boar. Unlike the red deer, the wild boar did not show a generalised pattern of disease. Among the lymph nodes examined systematically, gross lesions were most frequently observed in the mesenteric lymph nodes in the red deer and in the retropharyngeal lymph nodes in the wild boar. In both species, the presence of gross lesions showed the closest agreement with the isolation of M bovis from the same lymph nodes. The different patterns of the lesions of tuberculosis in the two species suggest that red deer might play an important role in the intraspecies and interspecies dissemination of the infection, whereas in wild boar the spread of the infection would be more likely to be restricted to other wild boar.

Evidence for BTV-4 circulation in free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Cabañeros National Park, Spain.

PubMed

Falconi, Caterina; López-Olvera, Jorge Ramón; Boadella, Mariana; Camarena, Javier; Rosell, Rosa; Alcaide, Vicente; Vicente, Joaquín; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, José Manuel; Pujols, Joan; Gortázar, Christian

2012-09-14

Bluetongue (BT) is an infectious disease of wild and domestic ruminants caused by bluetongue virus (BTV). BTV-4 spread through southern Spain from 2004 to 2006, whereas a BTV-1 outbreak that started in southern Spain in 2007 is still ongoing. Vaccination and movement restriction regulations are applied to domestic ruminants to control BT, but the potential reservoir role of wild European ungulates has not been clarified so far. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of BTV in the wild free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus) population of Cabañeros National Park (CNP) in central Spain during the BTV-4 and BTV-1 epizootics, assessing the potential role of this deer population as a BTV reservoir. Blood samples from 2885 (2542 adults, 208 calves and 135 undetermined) wild red deer were collected from 2005 to 2010 in CNP and surrounding hunting estates. All sera were tested for antibodies against the BTV VP7 protein by ELISA. Ninety-four of the ELISA-positive samples were analysed by serum neutralization to detect BTV-4 and BTV-1 specific antibodies, and 142 blood samples were analysed by RT-PCR for BTV RNA. A total of 371 (12.9%) out of the 2,885 deer (35/208 calves, 307/2,542 adults, and 29/135 undetermined) were positive for antibodies against BTV. Prevalence increased in adult deer from 2005-2006 to 2008-2009, declining thereafter. No positive samples for BTV-1 were found by serum neutralization, whereas 43 deer (38 adults, four calves and one undetermined) were positive for BTV-4 specific antibodies. No BTV RNA positive deer were found by RT-PCR. Antibody detection throughout the study period suggests a maintained circulation of BTV in red deer. However, the lack of BTV RNA detection suggests a minor transmission risk to livestock. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Glutathione in combination with trehalose has supplementary beneficial effects on cryopreserved red deer (cervus elaphus) sperm.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Dong, Shude

2017-01-01

In this study, we evaluated the effects of glutathione in combination with trehalose addition to semen extenders on the quality parameters of frozen-thawed red deer (cervus elaphus) spermatozoa. The semen samples collected from six mature red deer once a week were diluted with Tris-egg yolk-based extenders. The diluted semen samples were supplemented with glutathione (8 mmol L -1 ) and or trehalose (5%, w/v), cryopreserved, thawed and then subjected to sperm quality parameter evaluation. Both glutathione and trehalose addition to the extender significantly improved progressive motility, acrosome integrity, membrane integrity, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity and decreased percentage abnormality and sperm malondialdehyde level compared with the control group (P<.05). Moreover, glutathione in combination with trehalose addition to semen extenders had higher efficiency compared with the glutathione or trehalose addition alone (P<.05). Therefore, glutathione in combination with trehalose could be a promising cryoprotectant for red deer sperm. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Host and Environmental Factors Modulate the Exposure of Free-Ranging and Farmed Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) to Coxiella burnetii

PubMed Central

Velasco Ávila, Ana Luisa; Boadella, Mariana; Beltrán-Beck, Beatriz; Barasona, José Ángel; Santos, João P. V.; Queirós, João; García-Pérez, Ana L.; Barral, Marta; Ruiz-Fons, Francisco

2015-01-01

The control of multihost pathogens, such as Coxiella burnetii, should rely on accurate information about the roles played by the main hosts. We aimed to determine the involvement of the red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the ecology of C. burnetii. We predicted that red deer populations from broad geographic areas within a European context would be exposed to C. burnetii, and therefore, we hypothesized that a series of factors would modulate the exposure of red deer to C. burnetii. To test this hypothesis, we designed a retrospective survey of 47 Iberian red deer populations from which 1,751 serum samples and 489 spleen samples were collected. Sera were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in order to estimate exposure to C. burnetii, and spleen samples were analyzed by PCR in order to estimate the prevalence of systemic infections. Thereafter, we gathered 23 variables—within environmental, host, and management factors—potentially modulating the risk of exposure of deer to C. burnetii, and we performed multivariate statistical analyses to identify the main risk factors. Twenty-three populations were seropositive (48.9%), and C. burnetii DNA in the spleen was detected in 50% of the populations analyzed. The statistical analyses reflect the complexity of C. burnetii ecology and suggest that although red deer may maintain the circulation of C. burnetii without third species, the most frequent scenario probably includes other wild and domestic host species. These findings, taken together with previous evidence of C. burnetii shedding by naturally infected red deer, point at this wild ungulate as a true reservoir for C. burnetii and an important node in the life cycle of C. burnetii, at least in the Iberian Peninsula. PMID:26150466

Seasonal variations in red deer (Cervus elaphus) hematology related to antler growth and biometrics measurements.

PubMed

Gaspar-López, Enrique; Landete-Castillejos, Tomás; Estevez, Jose Antonio; Ceacero, Francisco; Gallego, Laureano; García, Andrés Jose

2011-04-01

The aim of the study was to relate seasonal hematology changes with the rest of physiological variations suffered by red deer, such as antler and biometrics cycle, and to assess the relationship between hematology and the effort performed in antler development. Blood samples were taken from 21 male red deer every 4 weeks during 18 months. Samples were analyzed for the main hematological parameters. Simultaneously, biometrics measurements were taken, such as antler length, body weight, body condition score, testicular diameter (TD), and thoracic and neck girth. All the blood cell types (erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets) showed seasonal variations, increasing as antler cleaning approached, as did hematocrit and hemoglobin. The final size of antlers was negatively related to leukocyte count, nonlymphoid leukocyte count, red cell distribution width, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean platelet volume, and TD, whereas it was positively related to body condition during antler growth. Huge seasonal variations in some hematological values have been found to be related to changes in antler and biometrics measurements. Since these variations are even greater than the caused by deer handling, they should be taken into account when evaluating hematology in deer populations. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company.

Liver enzymes and blood metabolites in a population of free-ranging red deer (Cervus elaphus) naturally infected with Fascioloides magna.

PubMed

Severin, K; Mašek, T; Janicki, Z; Konjević, D; Slavica, A; Marinculić, A; Martinković, F; Vengušt, G; Džaja, P

2012-06-01

We investigated the effects of Fascioloides magna infection on the serum biochemistry values of the naturally infected red deer population in eastern Croatia. The investigation was performed on 47 red deer with F. magna infection confirmed patho-anatomically in 27 animals (57.4%). Fibrous capsules and migratory lesions were found in 14 deer while only fibrous capsules without migratory lesions were found in 13 deer. In 13 deer both immature and mature flukes were found, in 5 deer only immature flukes were found and in 9 deer only mature flukes were found. Fascioloides magna infected deer with fibrous capsules and migratory lesions had significantly higher values for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) and globulin, and lower values for albumin/globulin ratio and glucose compared to uninfected deer. Fascioloides magna infected deer with fibrous capsules without the presence of migratory lesions had higher values for alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and globulin, and lower values for albumin/globulin ratio and glucose, than the uninfected deer. The number of immature flukes was positively correlated with values of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), LDH, GLDH, urea and triglycerides. The number of migratory lesions was positively correlated with GGT, GLDH, globulin and urea values. The creatinine value was positively correlated with the number of mature flukes. The trial showed that F. magna infection causes significant changes in serum biochemistry. Moreover, these changes do not completely resemble changes following F. hepatica infection. Further investigation of changes in liver enzymes and other serum metabolites in controlled, experimentally induced fascioloidosis in red deer is needed to better understand the pathogenesis of F. magna.

Blood-feeding patterns of horse flies in the French Pyrenees.

PubMed

Baldacchino, F; Gardès, L; De Stordeur, E; Jay-Robert, P; Garros, C

2014-01-31

Horse flies can mechanically transmit Besnoitia besnoiti, the agent of bovine besnoitiosis. Although previously limited to enzootic areas, especially the French Pyrenees Mountains, bovine besnoitiosis is now considered a re-emerging disease in western Europe. To improve understanding of the role of horse flies as mechanical vectors, this study investigated their blood-feeding ecology in the eastern French Pyrenees, in two high-altitude summer pastures whose main domestic ungulates were cattle, and in a wildlife park with native fauna. Species-specific PCR assays were conducted to identify the sources of blood meals: wild boar, horse, cattle (or bison), sheep (or mouflon), goat, red deer, roe deer and izard (or Pyrenean chamois). In La Mouline pasture, tabanids (N=20) fed on red deer (70%) and cattle (30%). In Mantet pasture, tabanids (N=24) fed on cattle (52%), red deer (20%), wild boar (16%), horse (8%) and sheep (4%). In the wildlife park, Tabanus bromius (N=32), the most abundant species collected, fed on red deer (85%), bison (9%) and wild boar (6%). Despite relatively high densities in both the pastures and in the wildlife park, small wild ungulates (izard, mouflon and roe deer) were not detected as a source of blood meals. Only two mixed blood meals were identified in two specimens of T. bromius: cattle/horse for the specimen collected in the pastures, and bison/wild boar for the specimen collected in the wildlife park. Our findings showed that tabanids display a level of opportunistic feeding behaviour, in addition to a preference for red deer, the latter being particularly true for Philipomyia aprica, the most abundant species collected in the pastures. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Foot-and-mouth disease in British deer: transmission of virus to cattle, sheep and deer.

PubMed

Gibbs, E P; Herniman, K A; Lawman, M J; Sellers, R F

1975-06-28

After exposure for two hours to cattle with foot-and-mouth disease, each of the five species of deer found in the British countryside became infected. Clinical disease was typical and severe in the roe and muntjac deer, with some animals dying, less severe in the sika deer and usually subclinical in the fallow and red deer. Each species transmitted disease to its own species and to cattle and sheep. The amounts of virus present in the blood, and in oesophageal/pharyngeal samples and excreted as an aerosol during the course of the infection in the deer were similar to those recorded for the sheep and cattle in the same experiment. The fallow and sika deer commonly carried virus in the pharynx beyond 28 days after exposure; some red deer also became carriers. In epidemics of foot-and-mouth disease in the UK, it is likely that deer would have such intimate contact with farm animals as occurred in this study. The natural behavior of free-living deer in the UK suggests that, although the five species are susceptible to foot-and-mouth disease, they are unlikely to be an important factor in the maintenance and transmission of the virus during an epidemic of foot-and-mouth disease in domestic livestock.

Bioserotypes and virulence markers of Y. enterocolitica strains isolated from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Bancerz-Kisiel, A; Szczerba-Turek, A; Platt-Samoraj, A; Socha, P; Szweda, W

2014-01-01

Free-living animals are an important environmental reservoir of pathogens dangerous for other animal species and humans. One of those is Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica, the causative agent of yersiniosis--foodborne, enzootic disease, significant for public health. The purpose of the study was to identify bioserotypes and virulence markers of Y enterocolitica strains isolated from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) obtained during the 2010/2011 hunting season in north-eastern Poland. From among 48 rectal swabs obtained from 24 roe deer, two strains of Y enterocolitica from one animal were isolated. Although both belonged to biotype 1A they were identified as different serotypes. The strain obtained from cold culture (PSB) belonged to serotype 0:5, while the strain isolated from warm culture (ITC) was regarded as nonidentified (NI), what may suggest mixed infection in that animal. The presence of ystB gene, coding for YstB enterotoxin, directly related to Y enterocolitica pathogenicity was detected in both strains using triplex PCR. The effect of the examination of 32 swabs obtained from 16 red deer was the isolation of two Y enterocolitica strains from two different animals. Both belonged to biotype 1A with NI serotype, but were originated from different types of culture. They gave positive results in case of products of a size corresponding to the ystB gene. No amplicons corresponding to ail and ystA genes were found. Roe deer and red deer may carry and shed Y. enterocolitica, what seems to be important in aspect of an environmental reservoir of this pathogen. The Y enterocolitica strains isolated from wild ruminants had the amplicons of the ystB gene, what suggest they can be potential source of Y enterocolitica infection for humans.

Using diets of Canis breeding pairs to assess resource partitioning between sympatric red wolves and coyotes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinton, Joseph W.; Ashley, Annaliese K.; Dellinger, Justin A.; Gittleman, John L.; van Manen, Frank T.; Chamberlain, Michael J.

2017-01-01

Foraging behaviors of red wolves (Canis rufus) and coyotes (Canis latrans) are complex and their ability to form congeneric breeding pairs and hybridize further complicates our understanding of factors influencing their diets. Through scat analysis, we assessed prey selection of red wolf, coyote, and congeneric breeding pairs formed by red wolves and coyotes, and found that all 3 had similar diets. However, red wolf and congeneric pairs consumed more white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) than coyote pairs. Coyotes forming breeding pairs with red wolves had 12% more white-tailed deer in their diet than conspecifics paired with coyotes. Contrary to many studies on coyotes in the southeastern United States, we found coyotes in eastern North Carolina to be primarily carnivorous with increased consumption of deer during winter. Although prey selection was generally similar among the 3 groups, differences in diet among different breeding pairs were strongly associated with body mass. Larger breeding pairs consumed more white-tailed deer, and fewer rabbits (Sylvilagus spp.) and other small mammals. Partitioning of food resources by sympatric red wolves and coyotes is likely via differences in the proportions of similar prey consumed, rather than differences in types of prey exploited. Consequently, our results suggest coexistence of red wolves and coyotes in the southeastern United States may not be possible because there are limited opportunities for niche partitioning to reduce competitive interactions.

Chemical composition and deer browsing of red alder foliage

Treesearch

M.A. Radwan; W.D. Ellis; G.L. Crouch

1978-01-01

Chemical factors suspected of influencing seasonal change in deer preference for red alder leaves were investigated. There were many differences in the leaves between seasons. It is postulated, however, that changes in contents of crude fat and total phenols were the important factors in increasing deer preference for the species from June to September.

Responses of northern red oak seedlings to lime and deer exclosure fencing in Pennsylvania

Treesearch

Robert P. Long; Patrick H. Brose; Stephen B. Horsley

2012-01-01

In Pennsylvania, two hypotheses compete to explain the chronic oak (Quercus spp.) regeneration problem: excessive deer browsing and soil cation depletion. We tested these hypotheses by evaluating the effect of forest liming and deer exclosure fencing on northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedling growth and nutrition in five...

Long term study of ixodid ticks feeding on red deer (Cervus elaphus) in a meso-Mediterranean climate.

PubMed

Valcárcel, F; González, J; Tercero Jaime, J M; Olmeda, A S

2016-05-01

Red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) are very valuable in trophy-hunting but also contribute to the preservation of natural areas. They are affected by many parasites and pathogens, including hard ticks that are not only important parasites themselves but can also act as vectors and/or reservoirs of pathogens. Tick phenology is complex insofar as population dynamics depend on environmental conditions, vegetation, host availability and their own intrinsic characteristic. Ticks were collected monthly from January 2007 to December 2014 from red deer on a natural reserve located in a meso-Mediterranean environment in Central Spain. A total of 8978 specimens of ixodid ticks were recovered with a mean Parasitization Index of 65.06 ticks/deer. Red deer were infected the whole year round with a summer-spring pattern and two secondary peaks in February and October. The main species was Hyalomma lusitanicum Koch followed by Rhipicephalus bursa Canestrini and Fanzago, Rhipicephalus pusillus Gil Collado, Dermacentor marginatus Sulzer and Ixodes ricinus L. Hyalomma lusitanicum has a complex life cycle in which several generations initiate their cycle at different times throughout the year, most probably lasting more than 1 year. We also describe the ability of nymphs to feed on large ungulates even though their habitual host is wild rabbit.

Levels of infection, pathology and nodule size of Onchocerca flexuosa (Nematoda: Onchocercidae) in red deer (Cervus elaphus) from northern Spain.

PubMed

Hidalgo, M R; Martínez, A; Carreño, R A; González, S; Ferreras, M C; Díez, N

2015-05-01

Between 2005 and 2007, the presence of Onchocerca flexuosa (Wedl, 1856) was discovered and investigated in 110 red deer (Cervus elaphus) shot in the Riaño Regional Hunting Reserve, in the province of León (north-western Spain). Nodules containing O. flexuosa were located in the dorsal region and flanks of the deer. These were collected and measured, and some adult parasites were extracted from the nodules and identified by morphology and by obtaining mitochondrial 12S rDNA sequences, which were identical to those of previously published sequences for O. flexuosa. Some nodules were prepared for histology, embedded in paraffin, sectioned and stained with haematoxylin-eosin. Histologically, the worms were found in several compartments separated by an infiltrated fibrous tissue. These compartments were inhabited by several females and males, surrounded by a fibrous capsule. A total of 85.45% (95% confidence interval (CI): 78.86-92.04%) of red deer were parasitized, with a mean intensity of 9.53 ± 12.27 nodules/host, ranging between 1 and 74 nodules/deer. Significant differences in prevalence and intensity of infection were found between young and adult red deer, and also between seasons. However, no significant differences between males and females were observed. Five hundred and ninety-seven nodules were measured (15.81 ± 3.94 mm) and classified by sizes into small ( < 10 mm), medium (10-20 mm) and large (>20 mm). No relation was found between the size of the nodules and the time of infection. The high values found in the studied parameters show that northern Spain is an area of high-intensity infection for deer.

Wolf reintroduction to Scotland: public attitudes and consequences for red deer management.

PubMed

Nilsen, Erlend B; Milner-Gulland, E J; Schofield, Lee; Mysterud, Atle; Stenseth, Nils Chr; Coulson, Tim

2007-04-07

Reintroductions are important tools for the conservation of individual species, but recently more attention has been paid to the restoration of ecosystem function, and to the importance of carrying out a full risk assessment prior to any reintroduction programme. In much of the Highlands of Scotland, wolves (Canis lupus) were eradicated by 1769, but there are currently proposals for them to be reintroduced. Their main wild prey if reintroduced would be red deer (Cervus elaphus). Red deer are themselves a contentious component of the Scottish landscape. They support a trophy hunting industry but are thought to be close to carrying capacity, and are believed to have a considerable economic and ecological impact. High deer densities hamper attempts to reforest, reduce bird densities and compete with livestock for grazing. Here, we examine the probable consequences for the red deer population of reintroducing wolves into the Scottish Highlands using a structured Markov predator-prey model. Our simulations suggest that reintroducing wolves is likely to generate conservation benefits by lowering deer densities. It would also free deer estates from the financial burden of costly hind culls, which are required in order to achieve the Deer Commission for Scotland's target deer densities. However, a reintroduced wolf population would also carry costs, particularly through increased livestock mortality. We investigated perceptions of the costs and benefits of wolf reintroductions among rural and urban communities in Scotland and found that the public are generally positive to the idea. Farmers hold more negative attitudes, but far less negative than the organizations that represent them.

Wolf reintroduction to Scotland: public attitudes and consequences for red deer management

PubMed Central

Nilsen, Erlend B; Milner-Gulland, E.J; Schofield, Lee; Mysterud, Atle; Stenseth, Nils Chr; Coulson, Tim

2007-01-01

Reintroductions are important tools for the conservation of individual species, but recently more attention has been paid to the restoration of ecosystem function, and to the importance of carrying out a full risk assessment prior to any reintroduction programme. In much of the Highlands of Scotland, wolves (Canis lupus) were eradicated by 1769, but there are currently proposals for them to be reintroduced. Their main wild prey if reintroduced would be red deer (Cervus elaphus). Red deer are themselves a contentious component of the Scottish landscape. They support a trophy hunting industry but are thought to be close to carrying capacity, and are believed to have a considerable economic and ecological impact. High deer densities hamper attempts to reforest, reduce bird densities and compete with livestock for grazing. Here, we examine the probable consequences for the red deer population of reintroducing wolves into the Scottish Highlands using a structured Markov predator–prey model. Our simulations suggest that reintroducing wolves is likely to generate conservation benefits by lowering deer densities. It would also free deer estates from the financial burden of costly hind culls, which are required in order to achieve the Deer Commission for Scotland's target deer densities. However, a reintroduced wolf population would also carry costs, particularly through increased livestock mortality. We investigated perceptions of the costs and benefits of wolf reintroductions among rural and urban communities in Scotland and found that the public are generally positive to the idea. Farmers hold more negative attitudes, but far less negative than the organizations that represent them. PMID:17264063

Enterocytozoon bieneusi in sika deer (Cervus nippon) and red deer (Cervus elaphus): deer specificity and zoonotic potential of ITS genotypes.

PubMed

Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Weizhe; Wang, Rongjun; Liu, Weishi; Liu, Aiqin; Yang, Dong; Yang, Fengkun; Karim, Md Robiul; Zhang, Longxian

2014-11-01

As the most common cause of the human microsporidiosis, Enterocytozoon bieneusi has been found in a wide variety of animal hosts. Deers are the ruminant mammals living in a variety of biomes, and the distribution of deer species differ by geography. To understand the prevalence of natural infection of E. bieneusi in deer and to assess their epidemiological role in the transmission of microsporidiosis caused by E. bieneusi, 91 fecal specimens were collected from 86 sika deers and five red deers in the northeast of China. By PCR and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene of E. bieneusi, an average infection rate of 31.9% (29/91) was observed in deer, with 32.6% (28/86) for sika deer, and 20% (1/5) for red deer. Six ITS genotypes were identified: one known genotype BEB6 (n = 20) and five novel genotypes HLJD-I to HLJD-IV (one each) and HLJD-V (n = 5). A phylogenetic analysis based on a neighbor-joining tree of the ITS gene sequences of E. bieneusi indicated that genotypes HLJD-II and HLJD-III fell into group 1 of zoonotic potential, while the other genotypes (BEB6, HLJD-I, HLJD-IV, HLJD-V) were clustered into so-called bovine-specific group 2. This is the first report of E. bieneusi in deer in China. The observation of genotype BEB6 in humans previously and in deer here and also the findings of the two novel genotypes (HLJD-II to HLJ-III) belonging to potential zoonotic group 1 suggested the possibility of deer in the transmission of E. bieneusi to humans.

Seroprevalence of Leptospirosis, Brucellosis, and Q Fever in a Wild Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Population Kept in a Fenced Reserve in Absence of Contact with Livestock.

PubMed

San-Miguel Ayanz, Jose María; Garcia-Peña, Francisco Javier; García-Lunar, Paula; Ortega-Mora, Luis Miguel; Ruano, María José; Álvarez-García, Gema; Collantes-Fernández, Esther

2017-10-01

Wildlife health is of interest for public and animal health because wild animals have been identified as important sentinels for the surveillance for zoonotic pathogens. This work investigated Brucella spp., Coxiella burnetii, and Leptospira spp. infection seroprevalence in a free-ranging red deer population. The study was conducted in a fenced reserve with controlled hunting activity in central Spain with animals that did not have any contact with livestock. Sampling was performed at two time points before and 5 years after the implementation of new management measures, including a reduction in the red deer population in the reserve. In addition, the presence of Leptospira DNA was tested in placental and fetal samples from seropositive pregnant animals. Antibodies against Brucella and Coxiella were not detected in any sample. The seroprevalence of Leptospira was 9.4% (13/137) in the first sampling for serovars Canicola and Panama. Five years later, the prevalence rose to 38.5% (97/252) with Pomona, the only serovar detected. Animals older than 2 years (50%; 70/140) were more likely to be Pomona seropositive than animals ≤2 years old (25.2%; 27/107; p < 0.001). Leptospira DNA was not detected in any sample tested. In conclusion, wild red deer in this area without contact with livestock seem not to play an important role in Brucella spp. and C. burnetii maintenance. The high seroprevalence of Leptospira spp. serogroup Pomona could indicate a risk for people with narrow contact with these animals, but the carrier status was not assessed. Consequently, it is unknown if red deer would represent a risk for human infection. Considering that wild boar could be the source of infection to red deer, the role of wild boar in the spread of leptospirosis and the risk for human infection should be investigated.

Detection and impact of BVDV in wild ruminants

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

While BVDV is most commonly associated with cattle there is evidence, based on virus isolation and/or serology, that BVDV replicates in a wide variety of domesticated and wild ruminants including cervidae such as white tail deer, mule deer, fallow deer, elk, red deer, roe deer, and mousedeer and cap...

Antimicrobial resistance and production of toxins in Escherichia coli strains from wild ruminants and the alpine marmot.

PubMed

Caprioli, A; Donelli, G; Falbo, V; Passi, C; Pagano, A; Mantovani, A

1991-04-01

Escherichia coli strains isolated from 81 fecal samples from red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreoulus capreoulus), chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) and alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) living in the Stelvio National Park, Italy, were examined for antimicrobial resistance and production of toxic factors. Direct plating of specimens on media containing antimicrobial drugs allowed us to isolate resistant strains of E. coli from 10 of 59 (17%) specimens examined by this technique. Nine of 31 specimens from red deer (29%) contained resistant strains. Different animals were likely colonized by the same resistant strain of E. coli. Conjugative R plasmids were found in four strains isolated from the marmot, roe deer and chamois. A strain from red deer produced heat-stable enterotoxin and another strain produced both hemolysin and cytotoxic necrotizing factor. A marmot isolate produced hemolysin alone. No strains were found to produce heat-labile enterotoxin or verotoxins.

Late-glacial recolonization and phylogeography of European red deer (Cervus elaphus L.).

PubMed

Meiri, Meirav; Lister, Adrian M; Higham, Thomas F G; Stewart, John R; Straus, Lawrence G; Obermaier, Henriette; González Morales, Manuel R; Marín-Arroyo, Ana B; Barnes, Ian

2013-09-01

The Pleistocene was an epoch of extreme climatic and environmental changes. How individual species responded to the repeated cycles of warm and cold stages is a major topic of debate. For the European fauna and flora, an expansion-contraction model has been suggested, whereby temperate species were restricted to southern refugia during glacial times and expanded northwards during interglacials, including the present interglacial (Holocene). Here, we test this model on the red deer (Cervus elaphus) a large and highly mobile herbivore, using both modern and ancient mitochondrial DNA from the entire European range of the species over the last c. 40,000 years. Our results indicate that this species was sensitive to the effects of climate change. Prior to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) haplogroups restricted today to South-East Europe and Western Asia reached as far west as the UK. During the LGM, red deer was mainly restricted to southern refugia, in Iberia, the Balkans and possibly in Italy and South-Western Asia. At the end of the LGM, red deer expanded from the Iberian refugium, to Central and Northern Europe, including the UK, Belgium, Scandinavia, Germany, Poland and Belarus. Ancient DNA data cannot rule out refugial survival of red deer in North-West Europe through the LGM. Had such deer survived, though, they were replaced by deer migrating from Iberia at the end of the glacial. The Balkans served as a separate LGM refugium and were probably connected to Western Asia with genetic exchange between the two areas. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Long-term occurrence of Trichuris species in wild ruminants in the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Nechybová, Stanislava; Vejl, Pavel; Hart, Vlastimil; Melounová, Martina; Čílová, Daniela; Vašek, Jakub; Jankovská, Ivana; Vadlejch, Jaroslav; Langrová, Iva

2018-05-02

The aim of this study was to identify Trichuris species in wild ruminants from 32 localities in the Czech Republic using morphological and molecular methods (ITS1-5.8S RNA-ITS2 region polymorphisms). Trichurids were obtained from 176 wild ruminants (roe deer, sika deer, red deer, fallow deer and mouflons) that were culled between 2009 and 2017. Trichuris discolor is the predominant trichurid of all of the above-mentioned wild ruminants, whereas Trichuris ovis was identified less frequently in roe deer, fallow deer, sika deer and mouflons. Red deer were parasitised exclusively by T. discolor. Young hosts under 1 year of age were more intensively infected by trichurids than were adults (χ 2  = 32.02, p = 0.00). Trichurid prevalence results obtained through coprological methods and those based on parasitological dissections differed significantly (χ 2  = 16.26, p = 0.00). The regression analysis indicated that the eggs per gram (EPG) threshold (20 EPG) was exceeded only if the host was parasitised by more than 7 trichurid females. Full concordance between the positive results obtained by the coprological methods and those obtained via direct dissections was achieved when the number of trichurid females per host exceeded 51.

Wild deer as potential vectors of anthelmintic-resistant abomasal nematodes between cattle and sheep farms.

PubMed

Chintoan-Uta, C; Morgan, E R; Skuce, P J; Coles, G C

2014-04-07

Gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes are among the most important causes of production loss in farmed ruminants, and anthelmintic resistance is emerging globally. We hypothesized that wild deer could potentially act as reservoirs of anthelmintic-resistant GI nematodes between livestock farms. Adult abomasal nematodes and faecal samples were collected from fallow (n = 24), red (n = 14) and roe deer (n = 10) from venison farms and areas of extensive or intensive livestock farming. Principal components analysis of abomasal nematode species composition revealed differences between wild roe deer grazing in the areas of intensive livestock farming, and fallow and red deer in all environments. Alleles for benzimidazole (BZ) resistance were identified in β-tubulin of Haemonchus contortus of roe deer and phenotypic resistance confirmed in vitro by an egg hatch test (EC50 = 0.149 µg ml(-1) ± 0.13 µg ml(-1)) on H. contortus eggs from experimentally infected sheep. This BZ-resistant H. contortus isolate also infected a calf experimentally. We present the first account of in vitro BZ resistance in wild roe deer, but further experiments should firmly establish the presence of phenotypic BZ resistance in vivo. Comprehensive in-field studies should assess whether nematode cross-transmission between deer and livestock occurs and contributes, in any way, to the development of resistance on livestock farms.

Tick- and fly-borne bacteria in ungulates: the prevalence of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, haemoplasmas and rickettsiae in water buffalo and deer species in Central Europe, Hungary.

PubMed

Hornok, Sándor; Sugár, László; Fernández de Mera, Isabel G; de la Fuente, José; Horváth, Gábor; Kovács, Tibor; Micsutka, Attila; Gönczi, Enikő; Flaisz, Barbara; Takács, Nóra; Farkas, Róbert; Meli, Marina L; Hofmann-Lehmann, Regina

2018-03-20

Hunting constitutes an important industry in Europe. However, data on the prevalence of vector-borne bacteria in large game animal species are lacking from several countries. Blood or spleen samples (239 and 270, respectively) were taken from red, fallow and roe deer, as well as from water buffaloes, mouflons and wild boars in Hungary, followed by DNA extraction and molecular analyses for Anaplasma phagocytophilum, haemoplasmas and rickettsiae. Based on blood samples, the prevalence rate of A. phagocytophilum infection was significantly higher in red deer (97.9%) than in fallow deer (72.7%) and roe deer (60%), and in all these compared to mouflons (6.3%). In addition, 39.2% of the spleen samples from wild boars were PCR positive for A. phagocytophilum, but none of the buffalos. Based on blood samples, the prevalence rates of both Mycoplasma wenyonii (Mw) and 'Candidatus M. haemobos' (CMh) infections were significantly higher in buffaloes (Mw: 91.2%; CMh: 73.3%) than in red deer (Mw: 64.6%; CMh: 45.8%), and in both of them compared to fallow deer (Mw: 30.3%; CMh: 9.1%) and roe deer (Mw: 20%; CMh: 1.5%). The prevalence of Mw and CMh infection significantly correlated with the body sizes of these hosts. Furthermore, Mw was significantly more prevalent than CMh in buffaloes, red and roe deer. Mycoplasma ovis was detected in mouflons, M. suis in wild boars, R. helvetica in one fallow deer and one mouflon, and an unidentified Rickettsia sp. in a fallow deer. Forest-dwelling game animal species were found to be important carriers of A. phagocytophilum. In contrast, animals grazing grassland (i.e. buffaloes) were less likely to get infected with this Ixodes ricinus-borne pathogen. Water buffaloes, deer species, mouflons and wild boars harbored haemoplasmas that may affect domestic ungulates. Evaluated animals with larger body size had significantly higher prevalence of infection with haemoplasmas compared to smaller deer species. The above host species rarely carried rickettsiae.

The bioaccumulation of lead in the organs of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.), red deer (Cervus elaphus L.), and wild boar (Sus scrofa L.) from Poland.

PubMed

Bąkowska, Małgorzata; Pilarczyk, Bogumiła; Tomza-Marciniak, Agnieszka; Udała, Jan; Pilarczyk, Renata

2016-07-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of lead (Pb) in the livers and kidneys of free-living animals from Poland, with regard to the differences in tissue Pb content between the species. The research material consisted of liver and kidney samples collected from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus), and wild boar (Sus scrofa) that had been hunted in 16 voivodeships of Poland. The concentration of lead had been measured using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) method. The results show that differences in lead concentration in the organs depended on the geographic location. In roe deer and red deer, the highest mean lead concentrations in the livers and kidneys, observed in the central region of Poland, were twice as high as the lowest concentration of Pb in these animals from the northeastern region of the country. In wild boar, the highest mean concentration of Pb was noted in the livers of animals from the central region of Poland and in the kidneys of animals from the northwestern region, while the lowest lead concentrations in both organs were typical for wild boar from the southeast part of the country. Our results show that areas located in the center and in the north of Poland carry most of the burden of lead bioaccumulation.

The role of landscape characteristics for forage maturation and nutritional benefits of migration in red deer.

PubMed

Mysterud, Atle; Vike, Brit Karen; Meisingset, Erling L; Rivrud, Inger Maren

2017-06-01

Large herbivores gain nutritional benefits from following the sequential flush of newly emergent, high-quality forage along environmental gradients in the landscape, termed green wave surfing. Which landscape characteristics underlie the environmental gradient causing the green wave and to what extent landscape characteristics alone explain individual variation in nutritional benefits remain unresolved questions. Here, we combine GPS data from 346 red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) from four partially migratory populations in Norway with the satellite-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), an index of plant phenology. We quantify whether migratory deer had access to higher quality forage than resident deer, how landscape characteristics within summer home ranges affected nutritional benefits, and whether differences in landscape characteristics could explain differences in nutritional gain between migratory and resident deer. We found that migratory red deer gained access to higher quality forage than resident deer but that this difference persisted even after controlling for landscape characteristics within the summer home ranges. There was a positive effect of elevation on access to high-quality forage, but only for migratory deer. We discuss how the landscape an ungulate inhabits may determine its responses to plant phenology and also highlight how individual behavior may influence nutritional gain beyond the effect of landscape.

Reconstructing the history of a fragmented and heavily exploited red deer population using ancient and contemporary DNA.

PubMed

Rosvold, Jørgen; Røed, Knut H; Hufthammer, Anne Karin; Andersen, Reidar; Stenøien, Hans K

2012-09-26

Red deer (Cervus elaphus) have been an important human resource for millennia, experiencing intensive human influence through habitat alterations, hunting and translocation of animals. In this study we investigate a time series of ancient and contemporary DNA from Norwegian red deer spanning about 7,000 years. Our main aim was to investigate how increasing agricultural land use, hunting pressure and possibly human mediated translocation of animals have affected the genetic diversity on a long-term scale. We obtained mtDNA (D-loop) sequences from 73 ancient specimens. These show higher genetic diversity in ancient compared to extant samples, with the highest diversity preceding the onset of agricultural intensification in the Early Iron Age. Using standard diversity indices, Bayesian skyline plot and approximate Bayesian computation, we detected a population reduction which was more prolonged than, but not as severe as, historic documents indicate. There are signs of substantial changes in haplotype frequencies primarily due to loss of haplotypes through genetic drift. There is no indication of human mediated translocations into the Norwegian population. All the Norwegian sequences show a western European origin, from which the Norwegian lineage diverged approximately 15,000 years ago. Our results provide direct insight into the effects of increasing habitat fragmentation and human hunting pressure on genetic diversity and structure of red deer populations. They also shed light on the northward post-glacial colonisation process of red deer in Europe and suggest increased precision in inferring past demographic events when including both ancient and contemporary DNA.

Challenges in identifying and determining the impacts of infection with pestiviruses on the herd health of free ranging cervid populations

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Although most commonly associated with the infection of domestic livestock, the replication of pestiviruses, in particular bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), occurs in a wide range of free ranging cervids including white-tailed deer, mule deer, fallow deer, elk, red deer, roe deer, eland and moused...

Gastrointestinal parasites in an isolated Norwegian population of wild red deer (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Davidson, Rebecca K; Kutz, Susan J; Madslien, Knut; Hoberg, Eric; Handeland, Kjell

2014-10-08

Thirteen red deer (Cervus elaphus), culled from the isolated population at the Mongstad Oil Refinery, Norway, were investigated for gastrointestinal helminths. These animals, enclosed by the refinery fence, do not have contact with other ruminants and have a high population density considering the available browsing area (1 km(2)) within the refinery site (3 km(2)). The population was estimated to be 110-130 at the time of culling. The helminth fauna among these sampled red deer was enumerated and species were identified based on morphology. Ostertagia leptospicularis/O. kolchida was detected in 83% [CI 55 - 95%], Spiculopteragia spiculoptera/S. mathevossiani in 92% [CI 65 - 99%] and Trichostrongylus axei in 42%, [CI 19 - 68%] of the abomasa examined. Characterisation of the intestinal parasite fauna revealed Capillaria bovis, Cooperia oncophora, Oesophagostomum venulosum, Trichuris globulosa and tapeworm fragments (presumed anoplocephalids) in seven individuals. Only one calf had an infection with more than one intestinal helminth (tapeworm fragment and Trichuris globulosa). The remaining six deer had single species intestinal infections. No significant age related trends were seen, with the exception of higher intensity of infection of T. axei in yearlings relative to other age classes. Assessment of abomasal parasite burden and body condition revealed no significant trends. In calves, statistically non-significant correlation was seen between increased parasite burden and decreased slaughter weight, whilst the opposite was seen in adults with the heaviest adults exhibiting the higher burdens. Given the small sample size the trends that were seen need further investigation. The parasite burden was aggregated with three adult red deer harbouring 75% of the total abomasal parasite count. This isolated population was parasitised by a reduced subset of gastrointestinal nematodes typical of this cervid across an extensive geographic range in Eurasia. The intensity and abundance of abomasal nematodes was higher in this isolated population than reported in similar studies of red deer populations across Europe.

Molecular analysis of Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Babesia divergens in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Western Austria.

PubMed

Cézanne, Rita; Mrowietz, Naike; Eigner, Barbara; Duscher, Georg Gerhard; Glawischnig, Walter; Fuehrer, Hans-Peter

2017-02-01

Wild ungulates may act as reservoirs of various vector borne pathogens that can infect humans and domestic animals. In the present study, blood samples from 196 red deer (Cervus elaphus) from Western Austria (Vorarlberg, Tyrol and Salzburg) were collected on filter paper and tested for Anaplasmataceae, Piroplasmida, Rickettsia and filarioid helminths using molecular tools. Babesia divergens was detected in ten (5.1%) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in three (1.5%) of the 196 samples. Filarioid helminths, Rickettsia spp. and Theileria spp. were not detected. These findings indicate that red deer may serve as reservoirs of Babesia divergens and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Western Austria. Further investigations are needed to assess the presence of these pathogens in ticks in this geographical region, and the significance of these pathogens in both animals and humans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wild deer as potential vectors of anthelmintic-resistant abomasal nematodes between cattle and sheep farms

PubMed Central

Chintoan-Uta, C.; Morgan, E. R.; Skuce, P. J.; Coles, G. C.

2014-01-01

Gastrointestinal (GI) nematodes are among the most important causes of production loss in farmed ruminants, and anthelmintic resistance is emerging globally. We hypothesized that wild deer could potentially act as reservoirs of anthelmintic-resistant GI nematodes between livestock farms. Adult abomasal nematodes and faecal samples were collected from fallow (n = 24), red (n = 14) and roe deer (n = 10) from venison farms and areas of extensive or intensive livestock farming. Principal components analysis of abomasal nematode species composition revealed differences between wild roe deer grazing in the areas of intensive livestock farming, and fallow and red deer in all environments. Alleles for benzimidazole (BZ) resistance were identified in β-tubulin of Haemonchus contortus of roe deer and phenotypic resistance confirmed in vitro by an egg hatch test (EC50 = 0.149 µg ml−1 ± 0.13 µg ml−1) on H. contortus eggs from experimentally infected sheep. This BZ-resistant H. contortus isolate also infected a calf experimentally. We present the first account of in vitro BZ resistance in wild roe deer, but further experiments should firmly establish the presence of phenotypic BZ resistance in vivo. Comprehensive in-field studies should assess whether nematode cross-transmission between deer and livestock occurs and contributes, in any way, to the development of resistance on livestock farms. PMID:24552838

Constant Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Circulation in Wild Boar and Red Deer in Spain: An Increasing Concern Source of HEV Zoonotic Transmission.

PubMed

Kukielka, D; Rodriguez-Prieto, V; Vicente, J; Sánchez-Vizcaíno, J M

2016-10-01

Hepatitis E is a viral zoonosis that affects multiple hosts. The complete dynamics of infection in wildlife are still unknown, but the previous fact facilitates the maintenance and circulation of the virus, posing a risk to human health in the case of meat consumption from susceptible animals. In Spain, it has been shown how domestic pigs, cattle and wildlife (i.e. wild boar and red deer) clearly interact in hunting farms, generating a complex epidemiological situation in terms of interspecies pathogen transmission. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to (i) evaluate the circulation of the virus in geographically close domestic (Iberian pigs) and wild animals (wild boar and deer) living in hunting areas from central Spain over an 8-year period (2003-2010) and (ii) to determine whether HEV could be used as a marker of domestic-wildlife contact. For these purposes, a longitudinal analysis of Iberian pig, wild boar and red deer samples (n = 287) through virological and serological tests was conducted to shed light upon the circulation events of HEV. Regarding HEV RNA detection by real-time RT-PCR, 10.12% samples (95% CI: 5.44-14.8) from wild boar and 16.05% samples (95% CI: 8.06-24.04) from red deer were positive. As for the Iberian pigs, none of the 48 samples was positive for HEV RNA detection. In the serological analysis, 43.75% (95% CI: 29.75-57.75) from Iberian pig, 57.40% (95% CI: 48.10-66.70) from wild boar and 12.85% (95% CI: 5.01-20.69) samples from red deer presented anti-HEV antibodies. Positive samples were distributed among all study years (2003-2010). These results depict the urgent need to improve the inspection and surveillance of these species and their products. In the case of HEV, it is clear that the stable and constant presence of the virus in wildlife and its contact with Iberian pigs pose a risk for human health as they are all destined for human consumption. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

What Cues Do Ungulates Use to Assess Predation Risk in Dense Temperate Forests?

PubMed Central

Kuijper, Dries P. J.; Verwijmeren, Mart; Churski, Marcin; Zbyryt, Adam; Schmidt, Krzysztof; Jędrzejewska, Bogumiła; Smit, Chris

2014-01-01

Anti-predator responses by ungulates can be based on habitat features or on the near-imminent threat of predators. In dense forest, cues that ungulates use to assess predation risk likely differ from half-open landscapes, as scent relative to sight is predicted to be more important. We studied, in the Białowieża Primeval Forest (Poland), whether perceived predation risk in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) is related to habitat visibility or olfactory cues of a predator. We used camera traps in two different set-ups to record undisturbed ungulate behavior and fresh wolf (Canis lupus) scats as olfactory cue. Habitat visibility at fixed locations in deciduous old growth forest affected neither vigilance levels nor visitation rate and cumulative visitation time of both ungulate species. However, red deer showed a more than two-fold increase of vigilance level from 22% of the time present on control plots to 46% on experimental plots containing one wolf scat. Higher vigilance came at the expense of time spent foraging, which decreased from 32% to 12% while exposed to the wolf scat. These behavioral changes were most pronounced during the first week of the experiment but continuous monitoring of the plots suggested that they might last for several weeks. Wild boar did not show behavioral responses indicating higher perceived predation risk. Visitation rate and cumulative visitation time were not affected by the presence of a wolf scat in both ungulate species. The current study showed that perceived predation risk in red deer and wild boar is not related to habitat visibility in a dense forest ecosystem. However, olfactory cues of wolves affected foraging behavior of their preferred prey species red deer. We showed that odor of wolves in an ecologically equivalent dose is sufficient to create fine-scale risk factors for red deer. PMID:24404177

The isolation of Yersinia sp. from feral and farmed deer faeces.

PubMed

Henderson, T G

1984-06-01

Faecal samples from clinically normal farmed red deer, wapiti, fallow deer; and feral red deer and white tail deer were examined for members of the genus Yersinia. From 922 samples 176 strains of Y.enterocolitica, 56 strains of Y.frederiksenii, 29 strains of Y.kristensenii, eight strains of Y.intermedia, and seven strains of Y.pseudotuberculosis were isolated. High isolation rates of Yersinia sp. were recorded from some farms. Two herds had isolation rates of 33.3% and 36.8%. Sixteen strains of Yersinia sp. in addition to strains of Y.psuedotuberculosis were found to be Hela cell invasive. The majority of these strains were confined to a single herd and represented Y.enterocolitica biotypes I, II and III, Y.intermedia, Y. fredericksenii, and Y.kristensenii.

Gastrointestinal parasites in an isolated Norwegian population of wild red deer (Cervus elaphus)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Thirteen red deer, culled from the isolated population at the Mongstad Oil Refinery, were investigated for gastrointestinal helminths. These animals, enclosed by the refinery fence, do not have contact with other ruminants and have a high population density considering the available browsing area (1...

main_title.html

Science.gov Websites

Poison Ivy Prairie Insects in Winter Red-tailed Hawk West Nile Virus Woodchuck Prairie Resources Deer and Beaver Bird Nests Buffalo Canada Geese Deer Fungi Grass Insects Lichens Math Patterns in Nature ;, Educational Images Ltd., Elmira, NY, used with permission. Red-tailed hawk: Original artwork: Louis Agassiz

A natural focus of the blood fluke Orientobilharzia turkestanica (Skrjabin, 1913) (Trematoda: Schistosomatidae) in red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Hungary.

PubMed

Majoros, Gábor; Dán, Adám; Erdélyi, Károly

2010-06-24

The large American liver fluke, Fascioloides magna - introduced to Europe before 1875 - was the first non-indigenous trematode to be detected in Hungarian cervids in 1995. As the most precious deer population became infected in the Gemenc game reserve a study has been launched to assess the extent and the effect of F. magna infections and to examine the options for the treatment of infected deer populations. Livers of red deer shot during regular hunting were submitted for the survey and were investigated by necropsy for the presence of F. magna and other liver dwelling trematodes. Recovered parasites were counted, sorted and stored in 70% ethanol. Unexpectedly, blood flukes were found in liver blood vessels at necropsy. They were identified as Orientobilharzia turkestanica (Skrjabin, 1913) by their morphological features as well as by molecular methods. This parasite is widespread in the middle belt of Asia from Korea to the eastern part of Turkey and infects mainly bovids. It was never found in red deer until now and this is the first report of its occurrence in Hungary and Europe. A subsequent search for the local intermediate host of O. turkestanica in the Gemenc area identified only the pulmonate snail Radix auricularia (Linnaeus, 1758) [syn: Lymnaea auricularia] as a vector capable of producing cercariae of this trematode. Cercariae of O. turkestanica were examined morphologically and were confirmed to be the larvae of this trematode by PCR. O. turkestanica appears to be fairly common in red deer of the Gemenc area. No clinical or pathological effect of the infection could be identified in this study. A form of cercarial dermatitis locally called "water mange" was formerly attributed to the larvae of avian shistosomes. It regularly occurred among fishermen fishing in shallow ponds remaining after floods along the Danube in the Gemenc area. This isolated habitat of O. turkestanica presents an exceptional opportunity to study epidemical situations of typical mammalian schistosomosis under temperate climatic conditions. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Evidence for host specificity of Theileria capreoli genotypes in cervids.

PubMed

Hornok, Sándor; Sugár, László; Horváth, Gábor; Kovács, Tibor; Micsutka, Attila; Gönczi, Enikő; Flaisz, Barbara; Takács, Nóra; Farkas, Róbert; Meli, Marina L; Hofmann-Lehmann, Regina

2017-10-10

Data on the prevalence of piroplasms in buffaloes and large game animal species are lacking from several central European countries. Therefore, to investigate the presence of Babesia/Theileria DNA in these hosts, 239 blood and 270 spleen samples were taken from cervids (red, fallow, and roe deer), as well as from water buffaloes, mouflons, and wild boars in southwestern Hungary, followed by DNA extraction and molecular analysis for piroplasms. All samples from buffaloes and wild boars were PCR negative. Based on spleen samples, the prevalence of piroplasms was significantly higher in red deer (41.7%) than in fallow deer (23.5%). Two genotypes of Theileria capreoli were identified, which showed significant association with their host species (i.e. genotype "capreoli-CE1" was exclusively found in roe deer, whereas red and fallow deer harbored only genotype "elaphi-CE1"). Genotype "elaphi-CE1" of T. capreoli was also detected in one mouflon. No Babesia spp. were identified. In conclusion, in the evaluated region, genotypes of T. capreoli show host-associations among cervids, and at least one of these genotypes may infect mouflons.

Utility of wire cages, tree shelters, and repellants to minimize herbivory to oak by white-tailed deer

Treesearch

James N. Kochenderfer; W.Mark Ford

2008-01-01

We evaluated the efficacy of exclusion cages and commercially available repellants in deterring white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) herbivory on northern red oak (Quercus rubra) and chestnut oak (Q. montana) stump sprouts and planted red oak seedlings following a commercial clearcut harvest in West...

Molecular detection of Theileria sp. ZS TO4 in red deer (Cervus elaphus) and questing Haemaphysalis concinna ticks in Eastern Austria.

PubMed

Fuehrer, Hans-Peter; Biro, Nora; Harl, Josef; Worliczek, Hanna L; Beiglböck, Christoph; Farkas, Robert; Joachim, Anja; Duscher, Georg G

2013-11-08

Theileria spp. are intracellular protozoa transmitted by ixodid ticks. T. parva and T. annulata are highly pathogenic and responsible for serious disease in domestic ruminants in tropical and subtropical countries. However, asymptomatic findings of Theileria sp. in wild ungulates lead to the suggestion that wild ruminants play a role as reservoirs for these piroplasms. In a game enclosure in Eastern Austria (Federal county of Burgenland), piroplasms were detected with molecular analysis in blood samples of all 80 examined asymptomatic red deer (Cervus elaphus). Furthermore, piroplasms were detected in four out of 12 questing nymphs of Haemaphysalis concinna. In 32 Ixodes ticks sampled on-site, no Theileria DNA was detected. Sequence analysis identified these samples from both red deer and ticks as Theileria sp. ZS TO4. Our findings indicate that farmed red deer serve as asymptomatic carriers and adapted intermediate hosts of Theileria sp. in Central Europe and H. concinna was identified as a possible vector species of Theileria sp. ZS TO4. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rumen microbiota for wild boreal cervids living in the same habitat.

PubMed

Østbye, Kjartan; Wilson, Robert; Rudi, Knut

2016-10-01

Knowledge about the factors shaping the rumen microbiota in wild animals is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the microbiota from the three cervid species moose (Alces alces, n = 5), red deer (Cervus elaphus, n = 4) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus, n = 12), sharing the same habitat. Using deep 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we found that the largest species moose had the highest number of unique operational taxonomic units. Furthermore, red deer and moose shared more of the microbiota, compared with the smallest species, roe deer, with Firmicutes and Euryarchaeota being significantly overrepresented for the shared microbiota. These differences could not be explained by diet or range. The animals largely shared the same range, and there are no systematic differences in diet. We therefore believe rumen physiology can be one of the main contributing factors to the observed distribution of the rumen microbiota in cervid species. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Management of hunting waste as control measure for tuberculosis in wild ungulates in south-central Spain.

PubMed

Cano-Terriza, D; Risalde, M A; Jiménez-Ruiz, S; Vicente, J; Isla, J; Paniagua, J; Moreno, I; Gortázar, C; Infantes-Lorenzo, J A; García-Bocanegra, I

2018-03-13

In recent decades, habitat change and the intensive management of wild ungulates for hunting have led to an increase in their populations in south-central Spain. This implies a higher generation of hunting waste, which can favour the transmission of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis (TB). The aim of this study was to assess the usefulness of the proper disposal of hunting waste as TB control measure in wild boar (Sus scrofa) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) during the 2008/2009 to 2016/2017 hunting seasons. Blood samples from 664 wild boar and 934 red deer were obtained in 14 game estates in two provinces in Andalusia (Area 1), where the disposal of hunting waste was implemented since the 2012/2013 hunting season. Besides, six game estates in the province of Ciudad Real, in Castilla-La Mancha (Area 2), an adjacent region where this management measure was not implemented during the studied period, were used as controls, sampling 277 wild boar and 427 red deer sera. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTC), seroprevalence detected in wild boar from Area 1, was significantly higher before the disposal of big game hunting by-products (82.8%; 2008/2009-2012/2013) compared to the second period (61.8%; 2013/2014-2016/2017) (p < .001), after this control measure became established. By contrast, no significant differences between periods were found in wild boar (41.3% versus 44.8%; p = .33) and red deer (14.9% versus 11.6%; p = .19) from Area 2 as well as in red deer (10.8% versus 10.5%; p = .48) from Area 1. The proper disposal of hunting waste contributed to achieve a 25% reduction in MTC seroprevalence in wild boar. These results are of particular relevance regarding wild boar in the current context of re-emerging and emerging diseases such as TB and African Swine Fever in Europe. Further studies are needed to assess the effect of this measure on the health status of livestock and other wildlife species. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Carcass and meat characteristics from farm-raised and wild fallow deer (Dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus): A review.

PubMed

Kudrnáčová, Eva; Bartoň, Luděk; Bureš, Daniel; Hoffman, Louwrens C

2018-07-01

Deer species are utilised for food, hunting and other products throughout the world. Consumers are typically exposed to venison derived predominantly from both farm-raised or wild fallow (Dama dama) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). The production of venison under farm conditions, compared to the meat of deer hunted in the wild, allows for a regular supply of a consistently good meat. It is lean, tasty, and rich in proteins and minerals, with a low content of fat and cholesterol. Overall, the worldwide demand for meat is still growing, and both the potential of farming deer species and their use as meat producers have led to an increased interest in venison. The current knowledge about various factors (e.g. nutrition, age, sex, condition, season) affecting venison and game meat has significantly increased during past decades but information regarding the interaction between production system or pre- and post-slaughter handling and ultimate deer meat quality are still very limited. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiocaesium levels in game in the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Škrkal, Jan; Rulík, Petr; Fantínová, Karin; Mihalík, Ján; Timková, Jana

2015-01-01

The paper summarizes results of monitoring of (137)Cs activities in game species roaming in the woods over the territory of the Czech Republic for the time interval of 1986-2012. Geometric means and other statistical characteristics were estimated from the data sets on the assumption of log-normal distribution of the data from the time interval 2004-2012 where the character of data distribution had displayed no significant change. Geometric means (in Bq/kg) in meat were: wild boar 5.1, red deer 1.9, roe deer 0.77 and feathered game 0.14. The mean value in the less frequent game amounted to 0.36 Bq/kg. The geometrical standard deviation (GSD) widely varied from 1.6 to 21 for the studied species. Based on mass activity dependence on time, we assessed the effective and environmental half-lives of activity decline. For red deer and roe deer, the effective (137)Cs half-life was 2.9 and 3.2 years, and environmental half-life 3.2 and 3.6 years respectively. The effective half-life of (137)Cs in wild boar of 38 years was determined with large uncertainty and it shows constant influx of (137)Cs activity to the digestive tract of wild boars. A statistically significant season-based (137)Cs level was found in red deer and wild boar. Higher winter and spring activities of (137)Cs in wild boar are linked with decreasing access to naturally occurring food with lower (137)Cs content (chestnuts, acorns, and beech nuts), making boar grub around for ground-deposited food (often for mushrooms with higher activity). Higher winter activities of (137)Cs in red deer meat, most probably, are due to lower access to green diet in winter. The average annual committed effective dose for Czech population based on estimates of game species meat consumption between 2004 and 2012 was insignificant, only 0.03 μSv. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of winter fasting and refeeding on white-tailed deer blood profiles

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Mech, L.D.; Seal, U.S.; Karns, P.D.

1987-01-01

This study examined the effects of dietary protein, fasting, and refeeding on blood characteristics of 9 nonpregnant, female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in captivity from 23 February to 3 May 1984. Percent weight loss was greater in fasted deer than in deer fed diets of 2 crude protein levels. Fasting effects were also observed for hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC) counts, packed cell volume (PCV), cholesterol, triglycerides, serum urea nitrogen (SUN), potassium (K), glucose, phosphorus (P), insulin, thyroxine (T4), and total protein (TP). Refeeding influenced cholesterol, sodium (Na), and calcium (Ca). Hemoglobin, PCV, Ca, P, and albumin varied with time in fasted deer. Changes over time in the fed deer occurred for several hematological and serum characteristics. Data are presented to serve as reference values for better understanding of data collected from free-ranging deer under less known conditions.

Human recreation affects spatio-temporal habitat use patterns in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

PubMed Central

Coppes, Joy; Burghardt, Friedrich; Hagen, Robert; Suchant, Rudi; Braunisch, Veronika

2017-01-01

The rapid spread and diversification of outdoor recreation can impact on wildlife in various ways, often leading to the avoidance of disturbed habitats. To mitigate human-wildlife conflicts, spatial zonation schemes can be implemented to separate human activities from key wildlife habitats, e.g., by designating undisturbed wildlife refuges or areas with some level of restriction to human recreation and land use. However, mitigation practice rarely considers temporal differences in human-wildlife interactions. We used GPS telemetry data from 15 red deer to study the seasonal (winter vs. summer) and diurnal (day vs. night) variation in recreation effects on habitat use in a study region in south-western Germany where a spatial zonation scheme has been established. Our study aimed to determine if recreation infrastructure and spatial zonation affected red deer habitat use and whether these effects varied daily or seasonally. Recreation infrastructure did not affect home range selection in the study area, but strongly determined habitat use within the home range. The spatial zonation scheme was reflected in both of these two levels of habitat selection, with refuges and core areas being more frequently used than the border zones. Habitat use differed significantly between day and night in both seasons. Both summer and winter recreation trails, and nearby foraging habitats, were avoided during day, whereas a positive association was found during night. We conclude that human recreation has an effect on red deer habitat use, and when designing mitigation measures daily and seasonal variation in human-wildlife interactions should be taken into account. We advocate using spatial zonation in conjunction with temporal restrictions (i.e., banning nocturnal recreation activities) and the creation of suitable foraging habitats away from recreation trails. PMID:28467429

Response of northern red oak, black walnut, and white ash seedlings to various levels of simulated summer deer browsing

Treesearch

Robert C. Morrissey; Douglass F. Jacobs; John R. Seifert

2008-01-01

Understanding the response of tree seedlings to browsing by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimmerman) is critical to the management of high value hardwood plantations in the Central Hardwood Forest Region. One-year-old black walnut (Juglans nigra L.), northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.), and white ash...

The taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis) and the red brocket deer (Mazama americana) as intermediate hosts of Taenia hydatigena in Peru, morphological and molecular evidence.

PubMed

Gomez-Puerta, Luis A; Pacheco, Joel; Gonzales-Viera, Omar; Lopez-Urbina, Maria T; Gonzalez, Armando E

2015-09-15

In the present report metacestodes were collected from the mesentery of a taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis) and from the omentum of a red brocket deer (Mazama americana) in Peru. Various metacestodes parameters, including rostellar hook characteristics, were measured. Molecular analysis was performed to amplify the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene from metacestode isolates. Metacestodes were identified as T. hydatigena by morphology and molecular methods. This constitutes the first molecular detection of T. hydatigena metacestodes in the taruca and the red brocket deer and demonstrates that these animal species are natural intermediate hosts for this parasite. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characteristics of air quality and sources affecting fine particulate matter (PM2.5) levels in the City of Red Deer, Canada.

PubMed

Bari, Md Aynul; Kindzierski, Warren B

2017-02-01

With concern about levels and exceedances of Canadian and provincial standards and objectives for fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) in recent years, an investigation of air quality characteristics and potential local and long-range sources influencing PM 2.5 concentrations was undertaken in the City of Red Deer, Alberta. The study covered the period May 2009 to December 2015. Comparatively higher concentrations of PM 2.5 were observed in winter (mean: 11.6 μg/m 3 , median: 10 μg/m 3 ) than in summer (mean: 9.0 μg/m 3 , median: 7.0 μg/m 3 ). Exceedances of the 1 h Alberta Ambient Air Quality objective (3-31 times per year > 80 μg/m 3 ) and the 24 h Canada-Wide Standard (2-11 times per year > 30 μg/m 3 ) were found at the Red Deer Riverside air monitoring station, particularly in 2010, 2011 and 2015. Positive matrix factorization (PMF) followed by multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis identified a mixed industry/agriculture factor as the dominant contributor to PM 2.5 (39.3%), followed by an O 3 -rich (biogenic) factor (26.4%), traffic (19.3%), biomass burning (10.5%) and a mixed urban factor (4.4%). In addition to local traffic, the mixed industry/agriculture factor - inferred as mostly upstream oil and gas emission sources surrounding Red Deer - was identified as another potentially important source contributing to wintertime high PM 2.5 pollution days. These findings offer useful preliminary information about current PM 2.5 sources and their potential contributions in Red Deer; and this information can support policy makers in the development of particulate matter control strategies if required. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis and Application of Antagonism Compound Prescription Compatibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Mengyan; Wang, Can; Bai, Ming; Miao, Mingsan

2018-01-01

Deer horn glue is deer family animals deer or red deer horn made of solid plastic animal medicine, according to Chinese medicine “seven emotions together” theory, the antler and other Chinese herbal medicines compatibility can be better play its Medicinal value. In this paper, the chemical composition, pharmacological effects, compatibility analysis, clinical application and classic ancient prescriptions of antler are reviewed in recent years.

Implications of large oak seedlings on problematic deer herbivory

Treesearch

Christopher M. Oswalt; Wayne K. Clatterbuck; Allan E. Houston; Scott E. Schlarbaum

2006-01-01

Seedling herbivory by whitetail deer [Odocoileus virginianus (Boddaert)] can be a significant problem where artificial regeneration is attempted. We examined the relationship between deer herbivory and morphological traits of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings for two growing seasons for both browsed and non-browsed seedlings. Logistic...

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in red deer from Central Italy.

PubMed

Rocchigiani, Guido; Nardoni, Simona; D'Ascenzi, Carlo; Nicoloso, Sandro; Picciolli, Federico; Papini, Roberto A; Mancianti, Francesca

2016-12-01

Neospora caninum and Toxoplasma gondii are cosmopolite protozoan parasites impacting on human and animal health. In particular, T. gondii commonly infects human beings and all warm-blooded animals, while N. caninum is responsible for bovine abortion and neuromuscular disease in dogs. The aim of the presented survey was to evaluate the occurrence and prevalence of these parasites in the most numerous Italian red deer population. The sera of 60 red deer (Cervus elaphus) inhabiting Central Italy (43°56'N 10°55'E) and killed by selective hunting were examined using an indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFAT) for both N. caninum and T. gondii antibodies. White blood cells (buffy coat) were also checked by PCR and T. gondii DNA was genotyped. Thirteen out of 60 sera (22%) scored positive for Toxoplasma, 17 samples (28%) were Neospora positive. Coinfection was recorded in 5 cases (8%). T. gondii (genotype II) and N. caninum DNA was detected in one and 3 samples of buffy coat, respectively. The presented study is the first to examine the occurrence of these parasites in the most numerous red deer Italian population, confirming this animal species as carrier of the investigated pathogens. These animals spread near human settlements, co-inhabiting with final hosts of T. gondii and N. caninum and could contribute to their transmission to domestic ruminants and humans. In particular, the seroprevalence value for N. caninum was the highest among European records.

A deer (subfamily Cervinae) genetic linkage map and the evolution of ruminant genomes.

PubMed Central

Slate, Jon; Van Stijn, Tracey C; Anderson, Rayna M; McEwan, K Mary; Maqbool, Nauman J; Mathias, Helen C; Bixley, Matthew J; Stevens, Deirdre R; Molenaar, Adrian J; Beever, Jonathan E; Galloway, Susan M; Tate, Michael L

2002-01-01

Comparative maps between ruminant species and humans are increasingly important tools for the discovery of genes underlying economically important traits. In this article we present a primary linkage map of the deer genome derived from an interspecies hybrid between red deer (Cervus elaphus) and Père David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus). The map is approximately 2500 cM long and contains >600 markers including both evolutionary conserved type I markers and highly polymorphic type II markers (microsatellites). Comparative mapping by annotation and sequence similarity (COMPASS) was demonstrated to be a useful tool for mapping bovine and ovine ESTs in deer. Using marker order as a phylogenetic character and comparative map information from human, mouse, deer, cattle, and sheep, we reconstructed the karyotype of the ancestral Pecoran mammal and identified the chromosome rearrangements that have occurred in the sheep, cattle, and deer lineages. The deer map and interspecies hybrid pedigrees described here are a valuable resource for (1) predicting the location of orthologs to human genes in ruminants, (2) mapping QTL in farmed and wild deer populations, and (3) ruminant phylogenetic studies. PMID:11973312

First Molecular Characterization of Hypoderma actaeon in Cattle and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) in Portugal.

PubMed

Ahmed, Haroon; Sousa, Sérgio Ramalho; Simsek, Sami; Anastácio, Sofia; Kilinc, Seyma Gunyakti

2017-12-01

Hypoderma spp. larvae cause subcutaneous myiasis in several animal species. The objective of the present investigation was to identify and characterize morphologically and molecularly the larvae of Hypoderma spp. collected from cattle (Bos taurus taurus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the district of Castelo Branco, Portugal. For this purpose, a total of 8 larvae were collected from cattle (n=2) and red deer (n=6). After morphological identification of Hypoderma spp. larvae, molecular characterization was based on PCR-RFLP and mitochondrial CO1 gene sequence analysis. All larvae were morphologically characterized as the third instar larvae (L3) of H. actaeon. Two restriction enzymes were used for molecular identification of the larvae. TaqI restriction enzyme was not able to cut H. actaeon. However, MboII restriction enzyme differentiated Hypoderma species showing 210 and 450 bp bands in H. actaeon. Furthermore, according to the alignment of the mt-CO1 gene sequences of Hypoderma species and to PCR-RFLP findings, all the identified Hypoderma larvae were confirmed as H. actaeon. This is the first report of identification of Hypoderma spp. (Diptera; Oestridae) from cattle and red deer in Portugal, based on morphological and molecular analyses.

Molecular detection of tick-borne bacteria and protozoa in cervids and wild boars from Portugal.

PubMed

Pereira, André; Parreira, Ricardo; Nunes, Mónica; Casadinho, Afonso; Vieira, Maria Luísa; Campino, Lenea; Maia, Carla

2016-05-10

Wildlife can act as reservoir of different tick-borne pathogens, such as bacteria, parasites and viruses. The aim of the present study was to assess the presence of tick-borne bacteria and protozoa with veterinary and zoonotic importance in cervids and wild boars from the Centre and South of Portugal. One hundred and forty one blood samples from free-ranging ungulates including 73 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 65 wild boars (Sus scrofa) and three fallow deer (Dama dama) were tested for the presence of Anaplasma marginale/A. ovis, A. phagocytophilum, Anaplasma/Ehrlichia spp., Babesia/Theileria spp., Borrelia burgdorferi (sensu lato) (s.l.), and Rickettsia spp. DNA by PCR. Anaplasma spp. DNA was detected in 33 (43.4 %) cervids (31 red deer and two fallow deer) and in two (3.1 %) wild boars while Theileria spp. were found in 34 (44.7 %) cervids (32 red deer and two fallow deer) and in three (4.6 %) wild boar blood samples. Sequence analysis of msp4 sequences identified A. marginale, A. ovis, while the analysis of rDNA sequence data disclosed the presence of A. platys and A. phagocytophilum and T. capreoli and Theileria sp. OT3. Anaplasma spp./Theileria spp. mixed infections were found in 17 cervids (22.4 %) and in two wild boars (3.1 %). All samples were negative for Babesia sp., B. burgdorferi (s.l.), Ehrlichia sp. or Rickettsia sp. This is the first detection of Anaplasma marginale, A. ovis, A. phagocytophilum, A. platys, Theileria capreoli and Theileria sp. OT3 in cervids and wild boars from Portugal. Further studies concerning the potential pathogenicity of the different species of  Anaplasma and Theileria infecting wild ungulates, the identification of their vector range, and their putative infectivity to domestic livestock and humans should be undertaken.

Selenium and 17 other largely essential and toxic metals in muscle and organ meats of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)--consequences to human health.

PubMed

Jarzyńska, Grażyna; Falandysz, Jerzy

2011-07-01

Concentrations, composition and interrelationships of selenium and metallic elements (Ag, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cs, Cu, Ga, Mn, Mo, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sr, Tl, V and Zn) have been examined in muscle and organ meats of Red Deer hunted in Poland. The analytical data obtained were also discussed in terms of Se supplementation and deficit to Deer as well as the benefits and risk to humans associated with the essential and toxic metals intake resulting from consumption of Deer meat and products. These elements were determined in 20 adult animals of both sexes that were obtained in the 2000/2001 hunting season from Warmia and Mazury in the north-eastern part of Poland. The whole kidneys contained Ba, Cd, Cr, Ga, Pb, Se, Sr and Tl at statistically greater concentrations than liver or muscle tissue from the same animal. Liver showed statistically greater concentrations of Ag, Co, Cu, Mn and Mo than kidneys or muscle tissue, and muscle tissue was richer in Zn, when compared to the kidneys or liver. Cs and Rb were similarly distributed between all three tissue types, while V was less abundant in liver than kidneys or muscle tissue. There were significant associations between some metallic elements retained in Red Deer demonstrated by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the data set. In organ and muscle meats (kidneys, liver and muscle tissue considered together) the first principal component (PC1) was strongly influenced by positively correlated variables describing Se, Ba and Cd and negatively correlated variables describing Ag, Co, Cs, Mn, Pb, Tl and V; PC2, respectively, by Cu, Mn and Mo (+) and Zn (-); PC3 by Ga (+) and PC4 by Sb (+). Selenium occurred in muscle tissue, liver and kidneys at median concentrations of 0.13, 0.19 and 4.0mg/g dry weight, respectively. These values can be defined as marginally deficient (< 0.6mg Se/kg liver dw) or satisfactory (≤ 3.0mg Se/kg kidneys dw) for the amount required to maintain the Deer's body condition and health, depending on the criterion for supplementation used. In terms of human nutritional needs, a relatively high selenium content of kidneys can be beneficial. The muscle meat, liver and kidneys of Red Deer can be considered as a very good source of essential Co, Cr, Cu, Mo, Mn, Se and Zn in the human diet. Lead is generally considered as toxic, and the concentrations found in Red Deer (via the food chain intake) were well below the European Union tolerance limit. Pb from the lead bullets can always create food hygienic problem, if not well recognized during sanitary inspection, and this was noted for one muscle meat sample in this study (5% surveyed). There is no tolerance limit of Cd in game animal meats. The median values of Cd noted in fresh muscle tissue, liver and whole kidneys were 0.07, 0.18, and 3.3mg/kg wet weight, respectively. Cd exists as a chemical element present at trace levels in plants and mushrooms in Deer's food chain in background (uncontaminated) areas. When these are consumed by the Deer, the amount of Cd sequestered with metallothioneins and retained in the organ and muscle meat in this study is low enough to be considered safe for human consumption. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Goats are a potential reservoir for the herpesvirus (MCFV-WTD),causing malignant catarrhal fever in deer

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the recent investigation of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) in a red brocket deer (Mazama americana) from a Texas zoo, the MCF viral DNA from the newly recognized herpesvirus causing disease in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) (termed MCFV-WTD) was detected. The epidemiology information...

Phosphorus translocation by red deer on a subalpine grassland in the central European Alps

Treesearch

Martin Schutz; Anita C. Risch; Gerald Achermann; Conny Thiel-Egenter; Deborah Page-Dumroese; Martin F. Jurgensen; Peter J. Edward

2006-01-01

We examined the role of red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) in translocating phosphorus (P) from their preferred grazing sites (short-grass vegetation on subalpine grasslands) to their wider home range in a subalpine grassland ecosystem in the Central European Alps. Phosphorus was used because it is the limiting nutrient in these grasslands. When we compared P removal of...

Sex, age, spleen size, and kidney fat of red deer relative to infection intensities of the lungworm Elaphostrongylus cervi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vicente, J.; Pérez-Rodríguez, L.; Gortazar, C.

2007-07-01

We analyzed the relationships among spleen size, body condition (measured as kidney fat), and larval counts of the nematode Elaphostrongylus cervi in red deer ( Cervus elaphus). The aim was to investigate the interaction between host body condition and intensity of infection with parasites. As red deer are highly polygynous, we also tested whether these relationships varied with sex and age of the hosts. Kidney fat and spleen size were positively correlated in subadults (2-3 years old) and adults (>3 years old), but not in calves (<1 year old) or yearlings (1-2 years old). Spleen size was negatively associated with nematode load in subadult females and in adult males. These two age classes are potentially the most nutritionally stressed, as subadult hinds are still growing and often engaging in rearing their first calf, and adult stags were sampled just after the rut, which is recognized as a substantial energy drain in this age-sex class, as they compete to hold females during the mating season. Body condition related negatively to parasite count only in adult males. In the context of red deer life history, these findings suggest that spleen size is dependent on body condition and that it could be affected by variation in resource partitioning among immune defense, growth, and reproductive effort in red deer. For the first time in a wild mammal, the spleen mass is shown to be positively related to body condition and negatively related to parasite infection. We conclude that elucidating whether spleen mass reflects immune defense investment or a measure of general body condition should contribute to understanding topical issues in mammal ecology.

Characterization of the first case of naturally occurring chronic wasting disease in a captive red deer (Cervus elaphus) in North America

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) affecting cervids that is caused by the accumulation of an abnormal prion protein. CWD has been diagnosed in captive and free-ranging elk (Cervus canadensis), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), white-tailed deer (Odocoile...

Experimental oral transmission of chronic wasting disease to red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus): Early detection and late stage distribution of protease-resistant prion protein

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chronic wasting disease CWD is the transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or prion disease of wild and farmed cervid ruminants, including Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni), white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), or moose (Alces alces). Reliable data ...

Role of wild ruminants in the epidemiology of bluetongue virus serotypes 1, 4 and 8 in Spain

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Although the importance of wild ruminants as potential reservoirs of bluetongue virus (BTV) has been suggested, the role played by these species in the epidemiology of BT in Europe is still unclear. We carried out a serologic and virologic survey to assess the role of wild ruminants in the transmission and maintenance of BTV in Andalusia (southern Spain) between 2006 and 2010. A total of 473 out of 1339 (35.3%) wild ruminants analyzed showed antibodies against BTV by both ELISA and serum neutralization test (SNT). The presence of neutralizing antibodies to BTV-1 and BTV-4 were detected in the four species analyzed (red deer, roe deer, fallow deer and mouflon), while seropositivity against BTV-8 was found in red deer, fallow deer and mouflon but not in roe deer. Statistically significant differences were found among species, ages and sampling regions. BTV RNA was detected in twenty-one out of 1013 wild ruminants (2.1%) tested. BTV-1 and BTV-4 RNA were confirmed in red deer and mouflon by specific rRT-PCR. BTV-1 and BTV-4 seropositive and RNA positive wild ruminants, including juveniles and sub-adults, were detected years after the last outbreak was reported in livestock. In addition, between the 2008/2009 and the 2010/2011 hunting seasons, the seroprevalence against BTV-1, BTV-4 and BTV-8 increased in the majority of provinces, and these serotypes were detected in many areas where BTV outbreaks were not reported in domestic ruminants. The results indicate that wild ruminants seem to be implicated in the dissemination and persistence of BTV in Spain. PMID:21781340

Effectiveness of electric deer fences to protect planted seedlings in Pennsylvania

Treesearch

D.W. George; T.W. Bowersox; L.H. McCormick

1991-01-01

Electric fences are used in Pennsylvania following a timber harvest to reduce deer browse on natural regeneration. In 1984, five-strand electric deer fences were constructed around two central Pennsylvania clearcuts. Northern red oak, white ash, white pine, and yellow-poplar seedlings were planted inside each fenced clearcut area in 1984 and 1985. One-half of the 1280...

Two-year survival and growth of artificial northern red oak regeneration at Gettysburg National Military Park

Treesearch

David S. Larrick; Todd W. Bowersox; Gerald L. Storm; Walter M. Tzilkowski

1997-01-01

Overstory competition and foraging by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and small mammals are cited as reasons for regeneration failure in mixed-oak stands of Pennsylvania. At Gettysburg National Military Park, deer densities are high (>0.6 deer/ha), and the mixed-oak woodlots were lacking in seedling- and sapling-sized natural oak...

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) predation on grassland songbird nestlings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pietz, Pamela J.; Granfors, Diane A.

2000-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were videotaped depredating four songbird nests in grassland habitats in southeastern and northcentral North Dakota, 1996-1999. Deer ate two Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), two grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), one clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), one red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and three brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) nestlings. Deer removed nestlings quickly (5-19 sec/nest) at night (22:00 to 05:17 Central Daylight Time) and left no evidence of predation. Although probably opportunistic, deer predations clearly were deliberate and likely are more common than generally believed.

Notes and Discussion: White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) predation on grassland songbird nestlings

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pietz, P.J.; Granfors, D.A.

2000-01-01

White-tailed deer (odocoileus virginianus) were videotaped depredating four songbird nests in grassland habitats in southeastern and northcentral North Dakota, 1996-1999. Deer ate two Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis), two grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum), one clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida), one red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) and three brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater) nestlings. Deer removed nestlings quickly (5-19 sec/nest) at night (22:00 to 05:17 Central Daylight Time) and left no evidence of predation. Although probably opportunistic, deer predations clearly were deliberate and likely are more common than generally believed.

Regulation of heart rate and rumen temperature in red deer: effects of season and food intake

PubMed Central

Turbill, Christopher; Ruf, Thomas; Mang, Thomas; Arnold, Walter

2012-01-01

SUMMARY Red deer, Cervus elaphus, like other temperate-zone animals, show a large seasonal fluctuation in energy intake and expenditure. Many seasonal phenotypic adjustments are coordinated by endogenous signals entrained to the photoperiod. The cues determining variation in the resting metabolism of ungulates remain equivocal, however, largely because of the confounding effects of food intake and thus the heat increment of feeding. To distinguish endogenous seasonal and environmental effects on metabolism, we subjected 15 female red deer to two feeding treatments, 80% food restriction and low/high protein content, over two winter seasons in a cross-over design experiment. We used rumen-located transmitters to measure heart rate and rumen temperature, which provided indices of metabolism and core body temperature, respectively. Our mixed model (R2=0.85) indicated a residual seasonal effect on mean daily heart rate that was unexplained by the pellet food treatments, activity, body mass or air temperature. In addition to an apparently endogenous down-regulation of heart rate in winter, the deer further reduced heart rate over about 8 days in response to food restriction. We found a strong correlation between rumen temperature and seasonal or periodic variation in heart rate. An effect of lowered rumen (and hence core body) temperature was enhanced during winter, perhaps owing to peripheral cooling, which is known to accompany bouts of hypometabolism. Our experimental results therefore support the hypothesis that a reduction in body temperature is a physiological mechanism employed even by large mammals, like red deer, to reduce their energy expenditure during periods of negative energy balance. PMID:21346124

High prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carrying the mecC gene in a semi-extensive red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) farm in Southern Spain.

PubMed

Gómez, Paula; Lozano, Carmen; González-Barrio, David; Zarazaga, Myriam; Ruiz-Fons, Francisco; Torres, Carmen

2015-06-12

The objective was to determine the prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage in red deer of a semi-extensive farm and in humans in contact with the estate animals, and to characterize obtained isolates. Nasal swabs of 65 deer and 15 humans were seeded on mannitol-salt-agar and oxacillin-resistance-screening-agar-base. Isolates were identified by microbiological and molecular methods. Antimicrobial susceptibility profile was determined for 16 antibiotics by disk-diffusion and the presence of eight antibiotic resistance genes, seven virulence genes and genes of immune-evasion-cluster (IEC) was analyzed by PCR. S. aureus was typed by PFGE-SmaI, spa, agr, SCCmec and MLST. Isolates were detected in 16 deer (24.6%). Eleven S. aureus isolates were methicillin-resistant (MRSA), and five were methicillin-susceptible (MSSA). All MRSA harbored mecC gene and were agr-III/SCCmecXI/ST1945 (four spa-t843 and seven spa-t1535). All mecC-MRSA carried blaZ-SCCmecXI and etd2, were IEC-type-E, and belonged to the same PFGE pattern. The five MSSA were typed as spa-t2420/agr-I/ST133. Regarding humans, S. aureus was recovered from six samples (40%). The isolates were MSSA and were typed as spa-t002/agr-II, spa-t012/agr-III or spa-t822/agr-III and showed different IEC types (A, B, D and F). blaZ and erm(A) genes were detected, as well as cna and tst genes. As conclusion, red deer analyzed in this study are frequent carriers of mecC-MRSA CC130 (16.9%), they are characterized by few resistance and virulence determinants, and by the presence of IEC type-E. Deer could be a source of mecC-MRSA which could potentially be transmitted to other animals, or even to humans. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mississippi River Headwaters Reservoirs. Minnesota Master Plan for Public Use Development and Resource Management.

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-12-06

Red Oak Woodchuck• ~~Paper BirchWodhc White Tailed Deer SHRUBS BIRDS Chokecherry Great Blue HeronAlwde Common Egret Dogwood Woodduck HERBS...SHRUBS BIRDS Hazelnut Eagle Chokecherry Hawks Juneberry Great Horned Owl Woodpeckers HERBS Chickadee Hepatica Wren Violet Warblers Solomons Seal Sparrows...Snowshoe Hare N. Red Oak Woodchuck Paper Birch White Tailed Deer SHRUBS BIRDS Chokecherry Great Blue Heron Alder Common Egret Dogwood Woodduck HERBS

Accumulation of polonium 210Po in tissues and organs of deer carvidae from Northern Poland.

PubMed

Skwarzec, Bogdan; Prucnal, Malgorzata

2007-01-01

This study was undertaken to provide information on accumulation of polonium in tissues and organs of deer carvidae in order to assess the potential transport of this element via food-chain to game meat consumers. Livers, kidneys and muscles of large herbivorous animals belonging to three species: roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and fallow deer (Dama dama), collected in Northern Poland, were the subject of the present investigation. Activities of (210)Po were determined by means of alpha spectrometry along with relevant radiochemical procedures. The concentration of (210)Po in analyzed animals decreased in the order kidney > liver > muscle tissue. The average activity concentrations of (210)Po ranged between 0.02 +/- 0.01 Bq. kg(- 1) w.w. in muscles and 7.15 +/- 0.12 Bq. kg(- 1) w.w. in kidneys. Levels of polonium were not influenced by sampling location, sex, age and species of animals.

Selectivity of harvesting differs between local and foreign roe deer hunters: trophy stalkers have the first shot at the right place

PubMed Central

Mysterud, Atle; Tryjanowski, Piotr; Panek, Marek

2006-01-01

Harvesting represents a major source of mortality in many deer populations. The extent to which harvesting is selective for specific traits is important in order to understand contemporary evolutionary processes. In addition, since such data are frequently used in life-history studies, it is important to know the pattern of selectivity as a source of bias. Recently, it was demonstrated that different hunting methods were selected for different weights in red deer (Cervus elaphus), but little insight was offered into why this occurs. In this study, we show that foreign trophy stalkers select for larger antlers when hunting roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) than local hunters, but that close to half of the difference in selectivity was due to foreigners hunting earlier in the season and in locations with larger males. The relationship between antler size and age was nevertheless fairly similar based on whether deer was shot by foreign or local hunters. PMID:17148307

Evaluation of deer warning reflectors in Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2003-01-01

A deer warning reflector consists of a red, double-sided reflector mounted on posts, similar to those used for roadside delineators along roadways. As vehicles approach and move through the road section, it is purported that the reflector reflects th...

An investigation of red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and Eurasian badger (Meles meles) scavenging, scattering, and removal of deer remains: forensic implications and applications.

PubMed

Young, Alexandria; Márquez-Grant, Nicholas; Stillman, Richard; Smith, Martin J; Korstjens, Amanda H

2015-01-01

Within northwest Europe, especially the United Kingdom, the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the Eurasian Badger (Meles meles) are the largest wild scavengers capable of modifying a set of remains through scavenging. Knowledge of region-specific and species-typical scavenging behaviors of scavengers within the crime scene area and surroundings can aid in more efficient and accurate interpretations. The scavenging behaviors of captive and wild foxes and badgers were recorded and compared through actualistic methods and direct observation. The scavenging by wild foxes and badgers of surface-deposited baits and whole deer (Cervus nippon; Capreolus capreolus) in a woodland was observed and analyzed. Wild foxes were found to scavenge deer more frequently than badgers. The scavenging of deer remains by foxes was also compared with forensic cases. The scavenging pattern and recovery distances of deer and human remains scavenged by foxes were similar but were potentially affected by the condition and deposition of a body, and the presence of clothing. © 2014 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Dentin abnormalities in cheek teeth of wild red deer and roe deer from a fluoride-polluted area in Central Europe.

PubMed

Richter, Heiko; Kierdorf, Uwe; Richards, Alan; Kierdorf, Horst

2010-04-20

This study analyses the severity and distribution of mineralization defects in the dentin of red and roe deer teeth (mandibular fourth premolars, first and third molars) obtained from individuals that had lived in a fluoride-polluted area along the Czech-German border. Mineralization defects presented as hypomineralized or interglobular dentin. In the P(4)s and M(3)s the entire dentin exhibited areas of defective mineralization, whereas in the M(1)s only the central and inner dentin portions were affected. This suggests that the early periods of dentin formation in the first molar, occurring during the late fetal and early postnatal (milk-feeding) periods of life, are protected against exposure to excess fluoride levels. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that certain protective mechanisms (partial placental diffusion barrier and blood-milk barrier to fluoride, clearance of fluoride from plasma by the rapidly growing skeleton) operate during these ontogenetic periods. Studying fluoride-induced dentin abnormalities in addition to enamel fluorosis broadens the time window during which fluoride effects on the developing dental hard tissues can be recorded. Including dentin in the analysis of dental fluorosis allows a more detailed reconstruction of lifetime fluoride exposure than would be possible by studying enamel fluorosis only, thereby adding to the significance of free-ranging deer as bioindicators of fluoride pollution. Copyright 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

GPS Based Daily Activity Patterns in European Red Deer and North American Elk (Cervus elaphus): Indication for a Weak Circadian Clock in Ungulates

PubMed Central

Ensing, Erik P.; Ciuti, Simone; de Wijs, Freek A. L. M.; Lentferink, Dennis H.; ten Hoedt, André; Boyce, Mark S.; Hut, Roelof A.

2014-01-01

Long-term tracking using global positioning systems (GPS) is widely used to study vertebrate movement ecology, including fine-scale habitat selection as well as large-scale migrations. These data have the potential to provide much more information about the behavior and ecology of wild vertebrates: here we explore the potential of using GPS datasets to assess timing of activity in a chronobiological context. We compared two different populations of deer (Cervus elaphus), one in the Netherlands (red deer), the other in Canada (elk). GPS tracking data were used to calculate the speed of the animals as a measure for activity to deduce unbiased daily activity rhythms over prolonged periods of time. Speed proved a valid measure for activity, this being validated by comparing GPS based activity data with head movements recorded by activity sensors, and the use of GPS locations was effective for generating long term chronobiological data. Deer showed crepuscular activity rhythms with activity peaks at sunrise (the Netherlands) or after sunrise (Canada) and at the end of civil twilight at dusk. The deer in Canada were mostly diurnal while the deer in the Netherlands were mostly nocturnal. On an annual scale, Canadian deer were more active during the summer months while deer in the Netherlands were more active during winter. We suggest that these differences were mainly driven by human disturbance (on a daily scale) and local weather (on an annual scale). In both populations, the crepuscular activity peaks in the morning and evening showed a stable timing relative to dawn and dusk twilight throughout the year, but marked periods of daily a-rhythmicity occurred in the individual records. We suggest that this might indicate that (changes in) light levels around twilight elicit a direct behavioral response while the contribution of an internal circadian timing mechanism might be weak or even absent. PMID:25208246

GPS based daily activity patterns in European red deer and North American elk (Cervus elaphus): indication for a weak circadian clock in ungulates.

PubMed

Ensing, Erik P; Ciuti, Simone; de Wijs, Freek A L M; Lentferink, Dennis H; Ten Hoedt, André; Boyce, Mark S; Hut, Roelof A

2014-01-01

Long-term tracking using global positioning systems (GPS) is widely used to study vertebrate movement ecology, including fine-scale habitat selection as well as large-scale migrations. These data have the potential to provide much more information about the behavior and ecology of wild vertebrates: here we explore the potential of using GPS datasets to assess timing of activity in a chronobiological context. We compared two different populations of deer (Cervus elaphus), one in the Netherlands (red deer), the other in Canada (elk). GPS tracking data were used to calculate the speed of the animals as a measure for activity to deduce unbiased daily activity rhythms over prolonged periods of time. Speed proved a valid measure for activity, this being validated by comparing GPS based activity data with head movements recorded by activity sensors, and the use of GPS locations was effective for generating long term chronobiological data. Deer showed crepuscular activity rhythms with activity peaks at sunrise (the Netherlands) or after sunrise (Canada) and at the end of civil twilight at dusk. The deer in Canada were mostly diurnal while the deer in the Netherlands were mostly nocturnal. On an annual scale, Canadian deer were more active during the summer months while deer in the Netherlands were more active during winter. We suggest that these differences were mainly driven by human disturbance (on a daily scale) and local weather (on an annual scale). In both populations, the crepuscular activity peaks in the morning and evening showed a stable timing relative to dawn and dusk twilight throughout the year, but marked periods of daily a-rhythmicity occurred in the individual records. We suggest that this might indicate that (changes in) light levels around twilight elicit a direct behavioral response while the contribution of an internal circadian timing mechanism might be weak or even absent.

Pragmatic perspective on conservation genetics and demographic history of the last surviving population of Kashmir red deer (Cervus elaphus hanglu) in India.

PubMed

Mukesh; Kumar, Ved P; Sharma, Lalit K; Shukla, Malay; Sathyakumar, Sambandam

2015-01-01

The hangul (Cervus elaphus hanglu) is of great conservation concern because it represents the easternmost and only hope for an Asiatic survivor of the red deer species in the Indian subcontinent. Despite the rigorous conservation efforts of the Department of Wildlife Protection in Jammu & Kashmir, the hangul population has experienced a severe decline in numbers and range contraction in the past few decades. The hangul population once abundant in the past has largely become confined to the Dachigam landscape, with a recent population estimate of 218 individuals. We investigated the genetic variability and demographic history of the hangul population and found that it has shown a relatively low diversity estimates when compared to other red deer populations of the world. Neutrality tests, which are used to evaluate demographic effects, did not support population expansion, and the multimodal pattern of mismatch distribution indicated that the hangul population is under demographic equilibrium. Furthermore, the hangul population did not exhibit any signature of bottleneck footprints in the past, and Coalescent Bayesian Skyline plot analysis revealed that the population had not experienced any dramatic changes in the effective population size over the last several thousand years. We observed a strong evidence of sub-structuring in the population, wherein the majority of individuals were assigned to different clusters in Bayesian cluster analysis. Population viability analysis demonstrated insignificant changes in the mean population size, with a positive growth rate projected for the next hundred years. We discuss the phylogenetic status of hangul for the first time among the other red deer subspecies of the world and strongly recommend to upgrade hangul conservation status under IUCN that should be discrete from the other red deer subspecies of the world to draw more conservation attention from national and international bodies.

Expression of regulatory neuropeptides in the hypothalamus of red deer (Cervus elaphus) reveals anomalous relationships in the seasonal control of appetite and reproduction.

PubMed

Barrell, G K; Ridgway, M J; Wellby, M; Pereira, A; Henry, B A; Clarke, I J

2016-04-01

Red deer are seasonal with respect to reproduction and food intake, so we tested the hypothesis that their brains would show seasonal changes in numbers of cells containing hypothalamic neuropeptides that regulate these functions. We examined the brains of male and female deer in non-breeding and breeding seasons to quantify the production of kisspeptin, gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH), neuropeptide Y (NPY) and γ-melanocyte stimulating hormone (γ-MSH - an index of pro-opiomelanocortin production), using immunohistochemistry. These neuropeptides are likely to be involved in the regulation of reproductive function and appetite. During the annual breeding season there were more cells producing kisspeptin in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus than during the non-breeding season in males and females whereas there was no seasonal difference in the expression of GnIH. There were more cells producing the appetite stimulating peptide, NPY, in the arcuate/median eminence regions of the hypothalamus of females during the non-breeding season whereas the levels of an appetite suppressing peptide, γ-MSH, were highest in the breeding season. Male deer brains exhibited the converse, with NPY cell numbers highest in the breeding season and γ-MSH levels highest in the non-breeding season. These results support a role for kisspeptin as an important stimulatory regulator of seasonal breeding in deer, as in other species, but suggest a lack of involvement of GnIH in the seasonality of reproduction in deer. In the case of appetite regulation, the pattern exhibited by females for NPY and γ-MSH was as expected for the breeding and non-breeding seasons, based on previous studies of these peptides in sheep and the seasonal cycle of appetite reported for various species of deer. An inverse result in male deer most probably reflects the response of appetite regulating cells to negative energy balance during the mating season. Differences between the sexes in the seasonal changes in appetite regulating peptide cells of the hypothalamus present an interesting model for future studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A comparison of food habits and prey preferences of Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica Temminck, 1844) at the southwest Primorskii Krai in Russia and Hunchun in China.

PubMed

Gu, Jiayin; Yu, Lan; Hua, Yan; Ning, Yao; Heng, Bao; Qi, Jinzhe; Long, Zexv; Yao, Mingyuan; Huang, Chong; Li, Zhilin; Lang, Jianming; Jiang, Guangshun; Ma, Jianzhang

2018-05-03

A small, isolated Amur tiger population is living at the southwest Primorskii Krai in Russia and Hunchun in China region. Many of them with "dual nationality" cross the border frequently. Formulating effective conservation strategies requires a clear understanding of tiger food requirements in both Russia and China sides, while Russia side already have clear results of it. We used scat analysis combined with data on the abundance of four prey species to estimate Amur tiger diet and prey preferences in Hunchun. We examined 53 tiger samples from 2011-2016 and found that tigers preyed on 12 species (11 species in winter), four of which were domestic animals with 33.58% biomass contribution, and got the first record that Amur tiger eat lynx in this area. Tigers showed a strong preference for wild boar (Jacobs index: +0.849), which were also the most frequently consumed prey, and a strong avoidance to roe deer (Jacobs index: -0.693). On the Russian side, domestic animals (just dog) were rarely found in tiger scat, and tiger did not show strong avoidance to roe deer, but to sika deer. We also found red deer footprints during winter surveys and that tigers ate red deer on the Chinese side, while there was no record of red deer on the Russian side. Reducing or eliminating human disturbance, such as grazing, is essential to recovering tiger prey and habitat in this area and the Sino-Russia joint ungulate annual survey is indispensable for prey estimates of this small, isolated Amur tiger population. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Wear Fast, Die Young: More Worn Teeth and Shorter Lives in Iberian Compared to Scottish Red Deer

PubMed Central

Pérez-Barbería, F. J.; Carranza, J.; Sánchez-Prieto, C.

2015-01-01

Teeth in Cervidae are permanent structures that are not replaceable or repairable; consequently their rate of wear, due to the grinding effect of food and dental attrition, affects their duration and can determine an animal's lifespan. Tooth wear is also a useful indicator of accumulative life energy investment in intake and mastication and their interactions with diet. Little is known regarding how natural and sexual selection operate on dental structures within a species in contrasting environments and how these relate to life history traits to explain differences in population rates of tooth wear and longevity. We hypothesised that populations under harsh environmental conditions should be selected for more hypsodont teeth while sexual selection may maintain similar sex differences within different populations. We investigated the patterns of tooth wear in males and females of Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) in Southern Spain and Scottish red deer (C. e. scoticus) across Scotland, that occur in very different environments, using 10343 samples from legal hunting activities. We found higher rates of both incisor and molar wear in the Spanish compared to Scottish populations. However, Scottish red deer had larger incisors at emergence than Iberian red deer, whilst molars emerged at a similar size in both populations and sexes. Iberian and Scottish males had earlier tooth depletion than females, in support of a similar sexual selection process in both populations. However, whilst average lifespan for Iberian males was 4 years shorter than that for Iberian females and Scottish males, Scottish males only showed a reduction of 1 year in average lifespan with respect to Scottish females. More worn molars were associated with larger mandibles in both populations, suggesting that higher intake and/or greater investment in food comminution may have favoured increased body growth, before later loss of tooth efficiency due to severe wear. These results illustrate how independent selection in both subspecies, that diverged 11,700 years BP, has resulted in the evolution of different longevity, although sexual selection has maintained a similar pattern of relative sex differences in tooth depletion. This study opens interesting questions on optimal allocation in life history trade-offs and the independent evolution of allopatric populations. PMID:26252380

Wear Fast, Die Young: More Worn Teeth and Shorter Lives in Iberian Compared to Scottish Red Deer.

PubMed

Pérez-Barbería, F J; Carranza, J; Sánchez-Prieto, C

2015-01-01

Teeth in Cervidae are permanent structures that are not replaceable or repairable; consequently their rate of wear, due to the grinding effect of food and dental attrition, affects their duration and can determine an animal's lifespan. Tooth wear is also a useful indicator of accumulative life energy investment in intake and mastication and their interactions with diet. Little is known regarding how natural and sexual selection operate on dental structures within a species in contrasting environments and how these relate to life history traits to explain differences in population rates of tooth wear and longevity. We hypothesised that populations under harsh environmental conditions should be selected for more hypsodont teeth while sexual selection may maintain similar sex differences within different populations. We investigated the patterns of tooth wear in males and females of Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) in Southern Spain and Scottish red deer (C. e. scoticus) across Scotland, that occur in very different environments, using 10343 samples from legal hunting activities. We found higher rates of both incisor and molar wear in the Spanish compared to Scottish populations. However, Scottish red deer had larger incisors at emergence than Iberian red deer, whilst molars emerged at a similar size in both populations and sexes. Iberian and Scottish males had earlier tooth depletion than females, in support of a similar sexual selection process in both populations. However, whilst average lifespan for Iberian males was 4 years shorter than that for Iberian females and Scottish males, Scottish males only showed a reduction of 1 year in average lifespan with respect to Scottish females. More worn molars were associated with larger mandibles in both populations, suggesting that higher intake and/or greater investment in food comminution may have favoured increased body growth, before later loss of tooth efficiency due to severe wear. These results illustrate how independent selection in both subspecies, that diverged 11,700 years BP, has resulted in the evolution of different longevity, although sexual selection has maintained a similar pattern of relative sex differences in tooth depletion. This study opens interesting questions on optimal allocation in life history trade-offs and the independent evolution of allopatric populations.

Detection and genetic characterization of tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) derived from ticks removed from red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and isolated from spleen samples of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Croatia.

PubMed

Jemeršić, Lorena; Dežđek, Danko; Brnić, Dragan; Prpić, Jelena; Janicki, Zdravko; Keros, Tomislav; Roić, Besi; Slavica, Alen; Terzić, Svjetlana; Konjević, Dean; Beck, Relja

2014-02-01

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a growing public health concern in central and northern European countries. Even though TBE is a notifiable disease in Croatia, there is a significant lack of information in regard to vector tick identification, distribution as well as TBE virus prevalence in ticks or animals. The aim of our study was to identify and to investigate the viral prevalence of TBE virus in ticks removed from red fox (Vulpes vulpes) carcasses hunted in endemic areas in northern Croatia and to gain a better insight in the role of wild ungulates, especially red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the maintenance of the TBE virus in the natural cycle. We identified 5 tick species (Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes hexagonus, Haemaphysalis punctata, Dermacentor reticulatus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus) removed from 40 red foxes. However, TBE virus was isolated only from adult I. ricinus and I. hexagonus ticks showing a viral prevalence (1.6%) similar to or higher than reported in endemic areas of other European countries. Furthermore, 2 positive spleen samples from 182 red deer (1.1%) were found. Croatian TBE virus isolates were genetically analyzed, and they were shown to be closely related, all belonging to the European TBE virus subgroup. However, on the basis of nucleotide and amino acid sequence analysis, 2 clusters were identified. Our results show that further investigation is needed to understand the clustering of isolates and to identify the most common TBE virus reservoir hosts in Croatia. Sentinel surveys based on wild animal species would give a better insight in defining TBE virus-endemic and possible risk areas in Croatia. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

New Genotypes of Enterocytozoon bieneusi Isolated from Sika Deer and Red Deer in China.

PubMed

Huang, Jianying; Zhang, Zhenjie; Yang, Yong; Wang, Rongjun; Zhao, Jinfeng; Jian, Fuchun; Ning, Changshen; Zhang, Longxian

2017-01-01

To examine the occurrence and genotype distribution of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in cervids, 615 fecal samples were collected from red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) and sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) on 10 different farms in Henan and Jilin Province. Enterocytozoon bieneusi was identified and genotyped with a nested PCR analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the rRNA genes, showing an average infection rate of 35.9% (221/615). In this study, 25 ITS genotypes were identified including seven known genotypes (BEB6, EbpC, EbpA, D, HLJDI, HLJD-IV, and COS-I) and 18 novel genotypes (designated JLD-I to JLD-XIV, HND-I to HND-IV). Among these, BEB6 (131/221, 59.3%) was the predominant genotype ( P < 0.01), followed by HLJDI (18/221, 8.1%) and JLD-VIII (16/221, 7.2%). BEB6 has recently been detected in humans and nonhuman primates in China. The phylogenetic analysis showed that BEB6, HLJDI, HLJD-IV, COS-I, and 10 novel genotypes (JLD-VII to JLD-XIV, HND-III to HND-IV) clustered in group 2. Genotype D, EbpC, and EbpA, known to cause human microsporidiosis worldwide, clustered in group 1, the members of which have zoonotic potential, together with eight novel genotypes (JLD-I to JLD-VI, HND-I to HND-II). Therefore, deer may play a role in the transmission of E. bieneusi to humans.

Faecal bacteria of wild ruminants and the alpine marmot.

PubMed

Pagano, A; Nardi, G; Bonaccorso, C; Falbo, V; Passi, C; Sanguinetti, V; Mantovani, A

1985-07-01

Faecal samples from 60 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 13 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 7 chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), 41 alpine marmot (Marmota marmota) and soils mixed with deer faeces from the Stelvio National Park were examined for Campylobacter sp. and Salmonella sp. with negative results. The same material, especially deer faeces, was a habitat highly suitable for Yersinia sp.: Y. enterocolitica (two biotypes) was isolated twice, Y. kristensenii (two serotypes) was isolated 19 times, Y. frederiksenii and Y. intermedia were isolated once. Antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli were isolated from 16 specimens from wild ruminants, one from marmot and two from feeding places.

Mercury species accumulation and trophic transfer in biological systems using the Almadén mining district (Ciudad Real, Spain) as a case of study.

PubMed

Patiño Ropero, M J; Rodríguez Fariñas, N; Mateo, R; Berzas Nevado, J J; Rodríguez Martín-Doimeadios, R C

2016-04-01

The impact of mercury (Hg) pollution in the terrestrial environments and the terrestrial food chains including the impact on human food consumption is still greatly under-investigated. In particular, studies including Hg speciation and detoxification strategies in terrestrial animals are almost non-existing, but these are key information with important implications for human beings. Therefore, in this work, we report on Hg species (inorganic mercury, iHg, and monomethylmercury, MeHg) distribution among terrestrial animal tissues obtained from a real-world Hg exposure scenario (Almadén mining district, Spain). Thus, we studied Hg species (iHg and MeHg) and total selenium (Se) content in liver and kidney of red deer (Cervus elaphus; n = 41) and wild boar (Sus scrofa; n = 16). Similar mercury species distribution was found for both red deer and wild boar. Major differences were found between tissues; thus, in kidney, iHg was clearly the predominant species (more than 81%), while in liver, the species distribution was less homogeneous with a percentage of MeHg up to 46% in some cases. Therefore, Hg accumulation and MeHg transfer were evident in terrestrial ecosystems. The interaction between total Se and Hg species has been evaluated by tissue and by animal species. Similar relationships were found in kidney for both Hg species in red deer and wild boar. However, in liver, there were differences between animals. The possible underlying mechanisms are discussed.

The Role of Topography in the Distribution and Intensity of Damage Caused by Deer in Polish Mountain Forests

PubMed Central

Ciesielski, Mariusz; Stereńczak, Krzysztof; Borowski, Zbigniew

2016-01-01

The increase in the deer population observed in recent decades has strongly impacted forest regeneration and the forest itself. The reduction in the quality of raw wood material, as a consequence of deer-mediated damage, constitutes a significant burden on forest owners. The basis for the commencement of preventive actions in this setting is the understanding of the populations and behaviors of deer in their natural environment. Although multiple studies have been carried out regarding this subject, only a few suggested topography as an important factor that may influence the distribution and intensity of deer-mediated damage. The detailed terrain models based on LiDAR data as well as the data on damage caused by deer from the State Forests database enabled thorough analyses of the distribution and intensity of damage in relation to land form in this study. These analyses were performed on three mountain regions in Poland: the Western Sudety Mountains, the Eastern Sudety Mountains, and the Beskidy Mountains. Even though these three regions are located several dozen to several hundred kilometers apart from each other, not all evaluated factors appeared common among them, and therefore, these regions have been analyzed separately. The obtained results indicated that the forest damage caused by deer increased with increasing altitude above 1000 m ASL. However, much larger areas of damage by deer were observed at elevations ranging from 401 to 1000 m ASL than at elevations below 400 m ASL. Moreover, the locations of damage (forest thickets and old stands) indicated that red deer is the species that exerts the strongest pressure on forest ecosystems. Our results show the importance of deer foraging behavior to the structure of the environment. PMID:27851776

Sensitivity, specificity, and confounding factors of novel serological tests used for the rapid diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis in farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Buddle, Bryce M; Wilson, Tania; Denis, Michel; Greenwald, Rena; Esfandiari, Javan; Lyashchenko, Konstantin P; Liggett, Simon; Mackintosh, Colin G

2010-04-01

In this study, novel serological tests were used to detect tuberculosis (TB) in groups of farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus) varying in disease status or possible confounding factors. Groups of deer naturally or experimentally infected with Mycobacterium bovis and animals vaccinated against paratuberculosis were studied, as were uninfected animals and animals naturally or experimentally infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Sera were assayed using two rapid lateral-flow tests, Chembio's CervidTB STAT-PAK and DPP VetTB tests, and results were compared to those from tuberculin skin tests. Both serological tests had a high sensitivity, but specificity was adversely affected after animals had received a vaccine against paratuberculosis and were subsequently skin tested. The specificity of the DPP VetTB test was higher than that of the CervidTB STAT-PAK test, with natural infection with M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis adversely affecting the specificity of only the CervidTB STAT-PAK test. The sera from M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-infected deer that produced false-positive reactions in the CervidTB STAT-PAK test were retested with a multiantigen print immunoassay (MAPIA), and some of these sera were shown to react with the MPB83 antigen. Combining the results from the serological tests and the skin tests showed only a slight increase in the sensitivity of detection of M. bovis-infected animals. It is concluded that both the CervidTB STAT-PAK and DPP VetTB tests offer rapid, convenient, and easy detection of bovine tuberculosis in deer, albeit with significant interference from paratuberculosis vaccination status and subsequent skin testing. The latter finding illustrates one of the limitations of currently available vaccines against paratuberculosis.

Surveillance of Bovine Tuberculosis and Risk Estimation of a Future Reservoir Formation in Wildlife in Switzerland and Liechtenstein

PubMed Central

Schöning, Janne Marie; Cerny, Nadine; Prohaska, Sarah; Wittenbrink, Max M.; Smith, Noel H.; Bloemberg, Guido; Pewsner, Mirjam; Schiller, Irene; Origgi, Francesco C.; Ryser-Degiorgis, Marie-Pierre

2013-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) caused by Mycobacterium bovis or M. caprae has recently (re-) emerged in livestock and wildlife in all countries bordering Switzerland (CH) and the Principality of Liechtenstein (FL). Comprehensive data for Swiss and Liechtenstein wildlife are not available so far, although two native species, wild boar (Sus scrofa) and red deer (Cervus elaphus elaphus), act as bTB reservoirs elsewhere in continental Europe. Our aims were (1) to assess the occurrence of bTB in these wild ungulates in CH/FL and to reinforce scanning surveillance in all wild mammals; (2) to evaluate the risk of a future bTB reservoir formation in wild boar and red deer in CH/FL. Tissue samples collected from 2009 to 2011 from 434 hunted red deer and wild boar and from eight diseased ungulates with tuberculosis-like lesions were tested by direct real-time PCR and culture to detect mycobacteria of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). Identification of suspicious colonies was attempted by real-time PCR, genotyping and spoligotyping. Information on risk factors for bTB maintenance within wildlife populations was retrieved from the literature and the situation regarding identified factors was assessed for our study areas. Mycobacteria of the MTBC were detected in six out of 165 wild boar (3.6%; 95% CI: 1.4–7.8) but none of the 269 red deer (0%; 0–1.4). M. microti was identified in two MTBC-positive wild boar, while species identification remained unsuccessful in four cases. Main risk factors for bTB maintenance worldwide, including different causes of aggregation often resulting from intensive wildlife management, are largely absent in CH and FL. In conclusion, M. bovis and M. caprae were not detected but we report for the first time MTBC mycobacteria in Swiss wild boar. Present conditions seem unfavorable for a reservoir emergence, nevertheless increasing population numbers of wild ungulates and offal consumption may represent a risk. PMID:23349839

Effect of Pre-Harvest Shade Control and Fencing on Northern Red oak Seedling Development in the Central Appalachians

Treesearch

Gary W. Miller; James N. Kochenerfer; Kurt W. Gottschalk

2004-01-01

Successful oak regeneration is related to the size and number of advanced seedlings present when harvests occur. This study was installed to quantify the effect of microsite light availability and deer on the development of advanced northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) reproduction in mesic Appalachian hardwood stands. Microsite light was manipulated...

Technical note: preorbital gland opening in red deer (Cervus elaphus) calves as an indicator of stress.

PubMed

Bartosová-Víchová, J; Bartos, L; Svecová, L

2007-02-01

The opening of the preorbital gland of red deer (Cervus elaphus) calves has been previously associated with feeding and satiety. However, it has been suggested to be most likely affected by some other factor or factors, possibly by excitement of the calf. If so, a calf should open its preorbital gland while being exposed to any stressful procedure. The hypothesis was tested that the preorbital gland is closed in a relaxed calf, whereas it is opened in a stressed calf. Preorbital opening was observed in 41 newborn red deer farm calves during a regular daily routine consisting of a search for newborn calves, their inspection, weighing, and painful marking with an ear tag. The openness of the preorbital gland (preorbital gland closed or opened) was recorded just before manipulation of a lying calf (i.e., in a calm calf) and then during the manipulation (i.e., in a distressed calf). Before manipulation, in all but 3 calves (7.3%, all of which were males), the preorbital gland was closed. All calves observed (100%) opened their preorbital gland during their manipulation, at least by the time the ear was punctured by the ear tag. The proportion of individuals with an open gland was lower (P < 0.001) before than during manipulation (7.3 vs. 100%, respectively). Hence, openness of the preorbital gland in newborn red deer calves was associated with a stressful manipulation by the humans, which suggests that it may be a simple and easily recognized indicator of calf stress.

Factors affecting seasonal habitat use, and predicted range of two tropical deer in Indonesian rainforest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Dede Aulia; Gonzalez, Georges; Haryono, Mohammad; Muhtarom, Aom; Firdaus, Asep Yayus; Aulagnier, Stéphane

2017-07-01

There is an urgent recognized need for conservation of tropical forest deer. In order to identify some environmental factors affecting conservation, we analyzed the seasonal habitat use of two Indonesian deer species, Axis kuhlii in Bawean Island and Muntiacus muntjak in south-western Java Island, in response to several physical, climatic, biological, and anthropogenic variables. Camera trapping was performed in different habitat types during both wet and dry season to record these elusive species. The highest number of photographs was recorded in secondary forest and during the dry season for both Bawean deer and red muntjac. In models, anthropogenic and climatic variables were the main predictors of habitat use. Distances to cultivated area and to settlement were the most important for A. kuhlii in the dry season. Distances to cultivated area and annual rainfall were significant for M. muntjak in both seasons. Then we modelled their predictive range using Maximum entropy modelling (Maxent). We concluded that forest landscape is the fundamental scale for deer management, and that secondary forests are potentially important landscape elements for deer conservation. Important areas for conservation were identified accounting of habitat transformation in both study areas.

Effects of fibre type and kefir, wine lemon, and pineapple marinades on texture and sensory properties of wild boar and deer longissimus muscle.

PubMed

Żochowska-Kujawska, J; Lachowicz, K; Sobczak, M

2012-12-01

Fibre type percentage and changes in textural parameters, sensory properties as well as mean fibre cross sectional area (CSA), fibre shape, endomysium and perimysium thickness of wild boar and deer longissimus (L) muscle subjected to ageing with kefir, dry red wine, lemon and pineapple juice marinades for 4 days were studied. Among the non-marinated and non-aged samples of muscles it was found that wild boar meat with its higher percentage of red fibres, higher CSA, thicker connective tissue as compared with deer meat, was harder, more springy and stringy. Muscles ageing, regardless of methods, resulted in a decrease in both the CSA and thickness of the connective tissue, and improve in fibre shape. As a consequence ageing caused a reduction in hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and stringiness as well as in augmentation of tenderness, juiciness and general attractiveness of the muscles studied. As demonstrated by obtained data, regardless of ageing methods, deer L muscle contained more white fibres compared to wild boar muscle, were more susceptible to tenderization. The highest structural and textural changes, but the worst general attractiveness was found in muscles marinated with pineapple juice addition. Insignificantly lower changes in both quality traits were found in muscles aged with kefir marinade which at the same time were characterized by the high tenderness, the highest juiciness and general attractiveness. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Balancing income and cost in red deer management.

PubMed

Skonhoft, Anders; Veiberg, Vebjørn; Gauteplass, Asle; Olaussen, Jon Olaf; Meisingset, Erling L; Mysterud, Atle

2013-01-30

This paper presents a bioeconomic analysis of a red deer population within a Norwegian institutional context. This population is managed by a well-defined manager, typically consisting of many landowners operating in a cooperative manner, with the goal of maximizing the present-value hunting related income while taking browsing and grazing damages into account. The red deer population is structured in five categories of animals (calves, female and male yearlings, adult females and adult males). It is shown that differences in the per-animal meat values and survival rates ('biological discounted' values) are instrumental in determining the optimal harvest composition. Fertility plays no direct role. It is argued that this is a general result working in stage-structured models with harvest values. In the numerical illustration it is shown that the optimal harvest pattern stays quite stable under various parameter changes. It is revealed which parameters and harvest restrictions that is most important. We also show that the current harvest pattern involves too much yearling harvest compared with the economically efficient level. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Multilevel D-loop PCR identification of hunting game.

PubMed

Parkanyi, V; Ondruska, L; Vasicek, D; Slamecka, J

2014-03-01

The control region of mtDNA (D-loop) was used for hair samples of the five hunting game species identification: red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama), mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), and wild boar (Sus scrofa). For D-loop multilevel PCR detection scheme was applied in six primers (CE CVZV 1 = 5'-GATCACGAGCTTGATCACCA-3'; CE CVZV 2 = 5'-AGGAGTGGGCGATTTTAGGT-3'; DD CVZV 3 = 5'-CGCGTGAAACCAACAACCCGC-3'; DD CVZV 4 = 5'-CCGGGTCGGGGCCTTAGACG-3'; SSW CVZV 5 = 5'-ACACGTGCGTACACGCGCATA-3'; SSW CVZV 6 = 5'-GGTGCCTGCT T TCGTAGCACG-3') designed to identify unknown biological samples of the hunting game animals. The PCR reaction volume was 25 μl at conditions 95 °C for 2 min, 94 °C for 30 s, 60 °C for 30 s, 72 °C for 30 s, 35 cycles, with last extension at 72 °C for 10 min. D-loop mtDNA amplicons of the game animals are characterized with specific PCR product sizes depending on species: red deer = 163 bp and 140 bp, fallow deer = 280 bp and 138 bp, roe deer = 303 bp, 280 bp, 160 bp and 138 bp, mouflon = 299 bp and 178 bp, wild boar = 137 bp and 229 bp.

Effects of fibre type and structure of longissimus lumborum (Ll), biceps femoris (Bf) and semimembranosus (Sm) deer muscles salting with different Nacl addition on proteolysis index and texture of dry-cured meats.

PubMed

Żochowska-Kujawska, J

2016-11-01

The aim of the present study was to describe the effect of fibre type and structure as well as NaCl level on the proteolysis index and texture parameters observed in dry-cured meats produced from individual deer muscles. The biceps femoris, semimembranosus and longissimus lumborum muscles were cut from deer main elements, shaped into blocks by trimming off the edges, cured by adding 4, 6 and 8% of salt (w/w) and dried in a ripening chamber for 29days. The results indicated that deer dry-cured muscles with higher percentage of red fibres (type I) showed higher texture parameters, proteolysis index as well as lower moisture losses than muscles with higher amount of white fibres (type IIB). Dry-cured deer muscles with lower NaCl content showed higher values of proteolysis index and lower hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness, as well as lower changes in structure elements. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Serosurvey for antibodies to malignant catarrhal fever-associated viruses in free-living and captive cervids in Germany.

PubMed

Frölich, K; Li, H; Müller-Doblies, U

1998-10-01

A total of 486 serum samples collected from several species of both free-living and captive cervids in Germany was examined for antibodies against malignant catarrhal fever (MCF)-associated viruses (MCFV) by a competitive-inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (CI-ELISA). Eleven (2%) of these samples were positive for antibodies against MCFV. Among 157 serum samples collected from 16 different species of captive deer including four (7%) of 54 fallow deer and one (7%) of 14 sika deer (Cervus nippon) were seropositive. Among 329 samples from three species of free-ranging deer, including 253 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 22 red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 54 fallow deer (Cervus dama), only fallow deer were antibody-positive. Of the 25 fallow deer samples collected between 1990 and 1993, four (16%) were seropositive. Among 29 free-ranging fallow deer samples collected in the hunting period 1996-1997, antibodies to MCFV were detected in two (7%) of these sera. All of these fallow deer samples were collected from a circumscribed area in northern Germany. In the same area a high seroprevalence (72%) to MCFV was observed in domestic sheep (n = 50). Among 20 sheep samples (buffy coat) and 15 fallow deer samples (spleen or lymph nodes) examined for ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) by PCR, all 20 sheep samples examined were OvHV-2 positive, but all of the 15 fallow deer samples, including seven seropositive deer, were OvHV-2 negative.

Potential Effects of Winter Navigation on Movements of Large Land Mammals in Eastern Lake Superior and Saint Mary’s River Area. Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Seaway Navigation Season Extension Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-01

considered effects on deer, seasonal migrations, daily movements and direct mortality; the dispersal of wolves , bobcats, lynx, moose, coyotes and red foxes...literature and information search pertaining to movements and dispersal of wolves , coyotes, foxes, bobcats, lynx, deer, and moose, and local records of the...islands in Whitefish Bay tracks of foxes, deer and wolf were identified. The partially obliterated tracks of a pack of five wolves were observed near

A High-Density Linkage Map Reveals Sexual Dimorphism in Recombination Landscapes in Red Deer (Cervus elaphus)

PubMed Central

Johnston, Susan E.; Huisman, Jisca; Ellis, Philip A.; Pemberton, Josephine M.

2017-01-01

High-density linkage maps are an important tool to gain insight into the genetic architecture of traits of evolutionary and economic interest, and provide a resource to characterize variation in recombination landscapes. Here, we used information from the cattle genome and the 50 K Cervine Illumina BeadChip to inform and refine a high-density linkage map in a wild population of red deer (Cervus elaphus). We constructed a predicted linkage map of 38,038 SNPs and a skeleton map of 10,835 SNPs across 34 linkage groups. We identified several chromosomal rearrangements in the deer lineage relative to sheep and cattle, including six chromosome fissions, one fusion, and two large inversions. Otherwise, our findings showed strong concordance with map orders in the cattle genome. The sex-averaged linkage map length was 2739.7 cM and the genome-wide autosomal recombination rate was 1.04 cM/Mb. The female autosomal map length was 1.21 longer than that of males (2767.4 cM vs. 2280.8 cM, respectively). Sex differences in map length were driven by high female recombination rates in peri-centromeric regions, a pattern that is unusual relative to other mammal species. This effect was more pronounced in fission chromosomes that would have had to produce new centromeres. We propose two hypotheses to explain this effect: (1) that this mechanism may have evolved to counteract centromeric drive associated with meiotic asymmetry in oocyte production; and/or (2) that sequence and structural characteristics suppressing recombination in close proximity to the centromere may not have evolved at neo-centromeres. Our study provides insight into how recombination landscapes vary and evolve in mammals, and will provide a valuable resource for studies of evolution, genetic improvement, and population management in red deer and related species. PMID:28667018

Carriage of Staphylococcus aureus by free-living wild animals in Spain.

PubMed

Porrero, M Concepción; Mentaberre, Gregorio; Sánchez, Sergio; Fernández-Llario, Pedro; Casas-Díaz, Encarna; Mateos, Ana; Vidal, Dolors; Lavín, Santiago; Fernández-Garayzábal, José-Francisco; Domínguez, Lucas

2014-08-01

The presence of methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) was analyzed in different free-living wild animals to assess the genetic diversity and predominant genotypes on each animal species. Samples were taken from the skin and/or nares, and isolates were characterized by spa typing, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The proportion of MSSA carriers were 5.00, 22.93, 19.78, and 17.67% in Eurasian griffon vulture, Iberian ibex, red deer, and wild boar, respectively (P = 0.057). A higher proportion of isolates (P = 0.000) were recovered from nasal samples (78.51%) than skin samples (21.49%), but the 9.26% of red deer and 18.25% of wild boar would have been undetected if only nasal samples had been tested. Sixty-three different spa types were identified, including 25 new spa types. The most common were t528 (43.59%) in Iberian ibex, t548 and t11212 (15.79% and 14.04%) in red deer, and t3750 (36.11%) in wild boar. By MLST, 27 STs were detected, of which 12 had not been described previously. The most frequent were ST581 for Iberian ibex (48.72%), ST425 for red deer (29.82%), and ST2328 for wild boar (42.36%). Isolates from Eurasian griffon vulture belong to ST133. Host specificity has been observed for the most frequent spa types and STs (P = 0.000). The highest resistance percentage was found against benzylpenicillin (average, 22.2%), although most of the S. aureus isolates were susceptible to all antimicrobial tested. Basically, MSSA isolates were different from those MRSA isolates previously detected in the same animal species. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Getting the biggest birch for the bang: restoring and expanding upland birchwoods in the Scottish Highlands by managing red deer

PubMed Central

Tanentzap, Andrew J; Zou, James; Coomes, David A

2013-01-01

High deer populations threaten the conservation value of woodlands and grasslands, but predicting the success of deer culling, in terms of allowing vegetation to recover, is difficult. Numerical simulation modeling is one approach to gain insight into the outcomes of management scenarios. We develop a spatially explicit model to predict the responses of Betula spp. to red deer (Cervus elaphus) and land management in the Scottish Highlands. Our model integrates a Bayesian stochastic stage-based matrix model within the framework of a widely used individual-based forest simulation model, using data collected along spatial and temporal gradients in deer browsing. By initializing our model with the historical spatial locations of trees, we find that densities of juvenile trees (<3 m tall) predicted after 9–13 years closely match counts observed in the field. This is among the first tests of the accuracy of a dynamical simulation model for predicting the responses of tree regeneration to herbivores. We then test the relative importance of deer browsing, ground cover vegetation, and seed availability in facilitating landscape-level birch regeneration using simulations in which we varied these three variables. We find that deer primarily control transitions of birch to taller (>3 m) height tiers over 30 years, but regeneration also requires suitable ground cover for seedling establishment. Densities of adult seed sources did not influence regeneration, nor did an active management scenario where we altered the spatial configuration of adults by creating “woodland islets”. Our results show that managers interested in maximizing tree regeneration cannot simply reduce deer densities but must also improve ground cover for seedling establishment, and the model we develop now enables managers to quantify explicitly how much both these factors need to be altered. More broadly, our findings emphasize the need for land managers to consider the impacts of large herbivores rather than their densities. PMID:23919137

Tradeable hunting obligations--a new approach to regulating red deer numbers in the Scottish Highlands?

PubMed

MacMillan, Douglas

2004-07-01

The population of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Scotland has doubled over the last 30 years and there is increasing concern among conservationists about the long-term impact of increased grazing on native woodlands and other sensitive nature conservation sites. Currently, the government relies on a voluntary approach to deer control, but landowners seem unable or unwilling to shoot sufficient numbers to meet cull targets. The aim of this paper is to examine alternatives to the 'voluntary approach' supported by insights from a mail questionnaire of landowners and recreational hunters. In principle, subsidies or taxation is possible but the Deer Commission for Scotland, the government agency responsible, has neither the necessary funding or the legislative power to introduce such a scheme. A tradable culling 'obligations' system on the other hand would build on the voluntary principle by allowing individual landowners to 'trade' culling obligations to neighbouring estates. Compared to traditional regulatory approaches, they are less bureaucratic and inefficient and have the potential to meet environmental targets at least cost as landowners can trade their culling obligation to another estate or hunting club should they wish to do so. Overall, the State's role would be restricted to setting the annual cull and the administration of the permit system for which a small charge could be levied per deer.

Impacts of deer herbivory and visual grading on the early performance of high-quality oak planting stock in Tennessee, USA

Treesearch

Christopher M. Oswalt; Wayne K. Clatterbuck; Allan E. Houston

2006-01-01

The growth of outplanted high-quality 1-0 northern red oak (Quercus rubra L.) seedlings, growth differences between two categories of visually graded seedlings and herbivory by white-tail deer (Odocoileus virginianus (Boddaert)) were examined after two growing seasons. Seedlings were planted in plots receiving three overstory treatments (high grade,...

Advanced Oak Seedling Development as Influenced by Shelterwood Treatments, Competition Control, Deer Fencing, and Prescribed Fire

Treesearch

Gary W. Miller; Patrick H. Brose; Kurt W. Gottschalk

2017-01-01

Advanced northern red oak (Quercus rubra) seedlings in an 85-year-old forest located in north-central Pennsylvania were observed for 10 years after manipulation of available sunlight by shelterwood treatments, reduction of interfering plants by broadcast herbicides and/or a single prescribed fire, and reduction of deer damage by fencing. Twenty-...

Time-dependence of ¹³⁷Cs activity concentration in wild game meat in Knyszyn Primeval Forest (Poland).

PubMed

Kapała, Jacek; Mnich, Krystian; Mnich, Stanisław; Karpińska, Maria; Bielawska, Agnieszka

2015-03-01

Wild game meat samples were analysed from the region of the Podlasie province (Knyszyn Primeval Forest). (137)Cs content in meat was determined by gamma spectrometry in 2003 (33 samples), 2009 (22 samples) and 2012 (26 samples). The samples were collected in the autumn of 2003, 2009 and 2012 and were compared with data from 1996. Mean concentrations of (137)Cs in the respective years were as follow: 42.2 Bq kg(-1), 33.7 Bq kg(-1) and 30.5 Bq kg(-1), respectively. On the basis of mean values of (137)Cs in the meat samples of red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and wild boars (Sus scrofa) between 1996/2012, the effective half-life of (137)Cs was determined for specific species. For red deer equaled 8.9 years, for roe deer 11.6 years while for wild boar it exceeded the physical half-life and equaled 38.5 years. Mean value CR obtained for all three species equaled 1.7 ± 1.5 out of 102 measurements in animals muscles. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Intensive Management and Natural Genetic Variation in Red Deer (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Galarza, Juan A; Sánchez-Fernández, Beatriz; Fandos, Paulino; Soriguer, Ramón

2017-07-01

The current magnitude of big-game hunting has outpaced the natural growth of populations, making artificial breeding necessary to rapidly boost hunted populations. In this study, we evaluated if the rapid increase of red deer (Cervus elaphus) abundance, caused by the growing popularity of big-game hunting, has impacted the natural genetic diversity of the species. We compared several genetic diversity metrics between 37 fenced populations subject to intensive management and 21 wild free-ranging populations. We also included a historically protected population from a national park as a baseline for comparisons. Contrary to expectations, our results showed no significant differences in genetic diversity between wild and fenced populations. Relatively lower genetic diversity was observed in the protected population, although differences were not significant in most cases. Bottlenecks were detected in both wild and fenced populations, as well as in the protected population. Assignment tests identified individuals that did not belong to their population of origin, indicating anthropogenic movement. We discuss the most likely processes, which could have led to the observed high levels of genetic variability and lack of differentiation between wild and fenced populations and suggest cautionary points for future conservation. We illustrate our comparative approach in red deer. However, our results and interpretations can be largely applicable to most ungulates subject to big-game hunting as most of them share a common exploitation-recovery history as well as many ecological traits. © The American Genetic Association 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Hepatitis E Virus in Wild Boars and Spillover Infection in Red and Roe Deer, Germany, 2013–2015

PubMed Central

Anheyer-Behmenburg, Helena E.; Szabo, Kathrin; Schotte, Ulrich; Binder, Alfred; Klein, Günter

2017-01-01

To determine animal hepatitis E virus (HEV) reservoirs, we analyzed serologic and molecular markers of HEV infection among wild animals in Germany. We detected HEV genotype 3 strains in inner organs and muscle tissues of a high percentage of wild boars and a lower percentage of deer, indicating a risk for foodborne infection of humans. PMID:27983488

Fine-tuning the space, time, and host distribution of mycobacteria in wildlife

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background We describe the diversity of two kinds of mycobacteria isolates, environmental mycobacteria and Mycobacterium bovis collected from wild boar, fallow deer, red deer and cattle in Doñana National Park (DNP, Spain), analyzing their association with temporal, spatial and environmental factors. Results High diversity of environmental mycobacteria species and M. bovis typing patterns (TPs) were found. When assessing the factors underlying the presence of the most common types of both environmental mycobacteria and M. bovis TPs in DNP, we evidenced (i) host species differences in the occurrence, (ii) spatial structuration and (iii) differences in the degree of spatial association of specific types between host species. Co-infection of a single host by two M. bovis TPs occurred in all three wild ungulate species. In wild boar and red deer, isolation of one group of mycobacteria occurred more frequently in individuals not infected by the other group. While only three TPs were detected in wildlife between 1998 and 2003, up to 8 different ones were found during 2006-2007. The opposite was observed in cattle. Belonging to an M. bovis-infected social group was a significant risk factor for mycobacterial infection in red deer and wild boar, but not for fallow deer. M. bovis TPs were usually found closer to water marshland than MOTT. Conclusions The diversity of mycobacteria described herein is indicative of multiple introduction events and a complex multi-host and multi-pathogen epidemiology in DNP. Significant changes in the mycobacterial isolate community may have taken place, even in a short time period (1998 to 2007). Aspects of host social organization should be taken into account in wildlife epidemiology. Wildlife in DNP is frequently exposed to different species of non-tuberculous, environmental mycobacteria, which could interact with the immune response to pathogenic mycobacteria, although the effects are unknown. This research highlights the suitability of molecular typing for surveys at small spatial and temporal scales. PMID:21288321

Pre-orbital gland opening during aggressive interactions in rusa deer (Rusa timorensis).

PubMed

Ceacero, Francisco; Pluháček, Jan; Komárková, Martina; Zábranský, Martin

2015-02-01

The opening of the preorbital gland in cervids has a visual meaning and is frequently associated with agonistic and/or stress related situations. Apart from in red deer, this behaviour has scarcely been studied and the range of situations when it may occur remains unclear. In this study we report the unusual case of preorbital gland opening in rusa deer, Rusa timorensis, associated to direct aggressive agonistic interaction (biting/kicking) between two adult hinds. This case observed in Tierpark Berlin (Germany) is the first one ever recorded in female-female interactions in cervids. Preorbital gland opening was also studied in 116 social interactions in Plzeň Zoo (Czech Republic). Preorbital gland opening by the dominant adult male was twice observed with relation to alert behaviour, which is also rare. In order to contextualise our observations we summarise the current knowledge about the behaviour associated with preorbital gland opening in R. timorensis and in cervids in general. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Importance of climatological downscaling and plant phenology for red deer in heterogeneous landscapes

PubMed Central

Pettorelli, Nathalie; Mysterud, Atle; Yoccoz, Nigel G; Langvatn, Rolf; Stenseth, Nils Chr

2005-01-01

Understanding how climate influences ecosystems represents a challenge in ecology and natural resource management. Although we know that climate affects plant phenology and herbivore performances at any single site, no study has directly coupled the topography–climate interaction (i.e. the climatological downscaling process) with large-scale vegetation dynamics and animal performances. Here we show how climatic variability (measured by the North Atlantic oscillation ‘NAO’) interacts with local topography in determining the vegetative greenness (as measured by the normalized difference vegetation index ‘NDVI’) and the body masses and seasonal movements of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Norway. Warm springs induced an earlier onset of vegetation, resulting in earlier migration and higher body masses. Increasing values of the winter-NAO corresponded to less snow at low altitude (warmer, more precipitation results in more rain), but more snow at high altitude (colder, more precipitation corresponds to more snow) relative to winters with low winter-NAO. An increasing NAO thus results in a spatially more variable phenology, offering migrating deer an extended period with access to high-quality forage leading to increased body mass. Our results emphasize the importance of incorporating spring as well as the interaction between winter climate and topography when aiming at understanding how plant and animal respond to climate change. PMID:16243701

Hepatitis E virus antibody prevalence in wildlife in Poland.

PubMed

Larska, M; Krzysiak, M K; Jabłoński, A; Kęsik, J; Bednarski, M; Rola, J

2015-03-01

Hepatitis E is an important public health problem mostly in developing but occasionally also in industrialized countries. Domestic and wildlife animals are considered reservoirs of the hepatitis E virus (HEV). Since no information on the prevalence of autochthonous HEV infections in human and animal in Poland is available, the aim of the study was to investigate the HEV seroprevalence of different wildlife species as potential virus reservoirs in the country. No HEV antibodies were found in any of the sera collected from the red deer (Cervus elaphus), European bison (Bison bonasus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), elk (Alces alces), fallow deer (Dama dama), sika deer (Cervus nippon), Tatra chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra tatrica) or brown bear (Ursus arctos). HEV-specific antibodies were detected in 44.4% (95% CI 38.3-50.7) serum samples originated only from wild boars. The percentage of seropositive wild boars differed significantly between the provinces and was positively correlated with the wild boar density and rurality of the area. This study showed that HEV circulates among wild boar population in Poland, and this species should be considered as an important reservoir of the virus. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Contrary seasonal changes of rates of nutrient uptake, organ mass, and voluntary food intake in red deer (Cervus elaphus)

PubMed Central

Beiglböck, Christoph; Burmester, Marion; Guschlbauer, Maria; Lengauer, Astrid; Schröder, Bernd; Wilkens, Mirja; Breves, Gerhard

2015-01-01

Northern ungulates acclimatize to winter conditions with restricted food supply and unfavorable weather conditions by reducing energy expenditure and voluntary food intake. We investigated in a study on red deer whether rates of peptide and glucose transport in the small intestines are also reduced during winter as part of the thrifty phenotype of winter-acclimatized animals, or whether transport rates are increased during winter in order to exploit poor forage more efficiently. Our results support the latter hypothesis. We found in a feeding experiment that total energy intake was considerably lower during winter despite ad libitum feeding. Together with reduced food intake, mass of visceral organs was significantly lower and body fat reserves were used as metabolic fuel in addition to food. However, efficacy of nutrient absorption seemed to be increased simultaneously. Extraction of crude protein from forage was higher in winter animals, at any level of crude protein intake, as indicated by the lower concentration of crude protein in feces. In line with these in vivo results, Ussing chamber experiments revealed greater electrogenic responses to both peptides and glucose in the small intestines of winter-acclimatized animals, and peptide uptake into jejunal brush-border membrane vesicles was increased. We conclude that reduced appetite of red deer during winter avoids energy expenditure for unproductive search of scarcely available food and further renders the energetically costly maintenance of a large gut and visceral organs unnecessary. Nevertheless, extraction of nutrients from forage is more efficient in the winter to attenuate an inevitably negative energy balance. PMID:26017492

Challenges in Identifying and Determining the Impacts of Infection with Pestiviruses on the Herd Health of Free Ranging Cervid Populations

PubMed Central

Ridpath, Julia F.; Neill, John D.

2016-01-01

Although most commonly associated with the infection of domestic livestock, the replication of pestiviruses, in particular the two species of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), occurs in a wide range of free ranging cervids including white-tailed deer, mule deer, fallow deer, elk, red deer, roe deer, eland and mousedeer. While virus isolation and serologic analyses indicate that pestiviruses are circulating in these populations, little is known regarding their impact. The lack of regular surveillance programs, challenges in sampling wild populations, and scarcity of tests and vaccines compound the difficulties in detecting and controlling pestivirus infections in wild cervids. Improved detection rests upon the development and validation of tests specific for use with cervid samples and development and validation of tests that reliably detect emerging pestiviruses. Estimation of impact of pestivirus infections on herd health will require the integration of several disciplines including epidemiology, cervid natural history, veterinary medicine, pathology and microbiology. PMID:27379051

Prevalence and phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis E virus in pigs, wild boars, roe deer, red deer and moose in Lithuania.

PubMed

Spancerniene, Ugne; Grigas, Juozas; Buitkuviene, Jurate; Zymantiene, Judita; Juozaitiene, Vida; Stankeviciute, Milda; Razukevicius, Dainius; Zienius, Dainius; Stankevicius, Arunas

2018-02-23

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is one of the major causes of acute viral hepatitis worldwide. In Europe, food-borne zoonotic transmission of HEV genotype 3 has been associated with domestic pigs and wild boar. Controversial data are available on the circulation of the virus in animals that are used for human consumption, and to date, no gold standard has yet been defined for the diagnosis of HEV-associated hepatitis. To investigate the current HEV infection status in Lithuanian pigs and wild ungulates, the presence of viral RNA was analyzed by nested reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-nPCR) in randomly selected samples, and the viral RNA was subsequently genotyped. In total, 32.98 and 22.55% of the domestic pig samples were HEV-positive using RT-nPCR targeting the ORF1 and ORF2 fragments, respectively. Among ungulates, 25.94% of the wild boar samples, 22.58% of the roe deer samples, 6.67% of the red deer samples and 7.69% of the moose samples were positive for HEV RNA using primers targeting the ORF1 fragment. Using primers targeting the ORF2 fragment of the HEV genome, viral RNA was only detected in 17.03% of the wild boar samples and 12.90% of the roe deer samples. Phylogenetic analysis based on a 348-nucleotide-long region of the HEV ORF2 showed that all obtained sequences detected in Lithuanian domestic pigs and wildlife belonged to genotype 3. In this study, the sequences identified from pigs, wild boars and roe deer clustered within the 3i subtype reference sequences from the GenBank database. The sequences obtained from pig farms located in two different counties of Lithuania were of the HEV 3f subtype. The wild boar sequences clustered within subtypes 3i and 3h, clearly indicating that wild boars can harbor additional subtypes of HEV. For the first time, the ORF2 nucleotide sequences obtained from roe deer proved that HEV subtype 3i can be found in a novel host. The results of the viral prevalence and phylogenetic analyses clearly demonstrated viral infection in Lithuanian pigs and wild ungulates, thus highlighting a significant concern for zoonotic virus transmission through both the food chain and direct contact with animals. Unexpected HEV genotype 3 subtype diversity in Lithuania and neighboring countries revealed that further studies are necessary to understand the mode of HEV transmission between animals and humans in the Baltic States region.

Morphological and molecular identification of nasopharyngeal bot fly larvae infesting red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Austria.

PubMed

Leitner, Natascha; Schwarzmann, Laurin; Zittra, Carina; Palmieri, Nicola; Eigner, Barbara; Otranto, Domenico; Glawischnig, Walter; Fuehrer, Hans-Peter

2016-11-01

Nasopharyngeal myiases are caused by larvae of bot flies (Diptera: Oestridae), which have evolved a high specificity for their hosts. Bot flies (n = 916) were collected from 137 (57.6 %) out of 238 red deer (Cervus elaphus) hunted in Vorarlberg and Tyrol (Western Austria). After being stored in 75 % ethanol, larvae were identified to species level and developmental stage using morphological and morphometric keys. Larvae were also molecularly characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and partial sequencing of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. Morphological and molecular analysis allowed identification of larvae as Cephenemyia auribarbis and Pharyngomyia picta. Genetic variations were also examined within the specimens collected in both geographical locations.

Different hunting strategies select for different weights in red deer.

PubMed

Martínez, María; Rodríguez-Vigal, Carlos; Jones, Owen R; Coulson, Tim; San Miguel, Alfonso

2005-09-22

Much insight can be derived from records of shot animals. Most researchers using such data assume that their data represents a random sample of a particular demographic class. However, hunters typically select a non-random subset of the population and hunting is, therefore, not a random process. Here, with red deer (Cervus elaphus) hunting data from a ranch in Toledo, Spain, we demonstrate that data collection methods have a significant influence upon the apparent relationship between age and weight. We argue that a failure to correct for such methodological bias may have significant consequences for the interpretation of analyses involving weight or correlated traits such as breeding success, and urge researchers to explore methods to identify and correct for such bias in their data.

Sika deer (Cervus nippon)-specific real-time PCR method to detect fraudulent labelling of meat and meat products.

PubMed

Kaltenbrunner, Maria; Hochegger, Rupert; Cichna-Markl, Margit

2018-05-08

Since game meat is more valuable and expensive than meat from domesticated animal species it is a potential target for adulteration. Analytical methods must allow the identification and quantification of meat species to be applicable for the detection of fraudulent labelling. We developed a real-time PCR assay for the authentication of sika deer (Cervus nippon) and products thereof. The primer/probe system amplifies a 71 bp fragment of the kappa-casein precursor gene. Since the target sequence contained only one sika deer-specific base, we introduced a deliberate base mismatch in the forward primer. The real-time PCR assay did not show cross-reactivity with 19 animal and 49 plant species tested. Low cross-reactivity was observed with red deer, fallow deer, reindeer and moose. However, with a ΔCt value of ≥11.79 between sika deer and the cross-reacting species, cross-reactivity will not affect the accuracy of the method. LOD and LOQ, determined by analysing serial dilutions of a DNA extract containing 1% (w/w) sika deer DNA in pig DNA, were 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively. The accuracy was evaluated by analysing DNA mixtures and DNA isolates from meat extract mixtures and meat mixtures. In general, recoveries were in the range from 70 to 130%.

Social rank affects the haematologic profile in red deer hinds.

PubMed

Ceacero, Francisco; Gaspar-López, Enrique; Landete-Castillejos, Tomás; Gallego, Laureano; García, Andrés J

2018-04-14

We studied the effects of social rank on the haematologic profile in a herd of 24 female Iberian red deer hinds. Social rank hierarchy was determined and blood samples were taken and analysed. After adjusting for age and body mass, dominance ranking showed a significant negative effect (ie, lower values in dominant hinds) on white blood cell (WBC) count, haemoglobin and haematocrit. Our results are similar to those reported for stressed individuals due to physical immobilisation, but do not support the predicted enhanced erythropoiesis due to higher levels of androgens. The results for WBC numbers may also reflect that subordinate hinds must allocate a higher amount of resources to immunity as a result of injuries incurred from dominant hinds, while simultaneously facing restricted access to food sources. For red blood cell (RBC) counts, the results may be due to subordinate hinds likely needing increased haematocrit and haemoglobin levels for fast flight responses. Our data show that social rank influences haematologic profile, and thus it should be considered when correctly interpreting blood analyses in social cervid species. © British Veterinary Association (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Total intravenous anesthesia with midazolam, ketamine, and xylazine or detomidine following induction with tiletamine, zolazepam, and xylazine in red deer (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus) undergoing surgery.

PubMed

Auer, Ulrike; Wenger, Sandra; Beigelböck, Christoph; Zenker, Wolfgang; Mosing, Martina

2010-10-01

Sixteen captive female red deer were successfully anesthetized to surgically implant a telemetry system. The deer were immobilized with (mean±SD) 1.79±0.29 mg/kg xylazine and 1.79±0.29 mg/kg tiletamine/zolazepam given intramuscularly with a dart gun. Anesthesia was maintained for 69±2 min using a total intravenous protocol with a catheter placed in the jugular vein. Group X received xylazine (0.5±0.055 mg/kg/hr) and group D, detomidine (2±0.22 μg/kg/hr), both in combination with ketamine (2±0.02 mg/kg/hr) and midazolam (0.03±0.0033 mg/kg/hr), as a constant rate infusion. Anesthesia was reversed with 0.09±0.01 mg/kg atipamezole and 8.7±1.21 μg/kg sarmazenil given intravenously in both groups. These drug combinations provided smooth induction, stable anesthesia for surgery, and rapid recovery. Respiratory depression and mild hypoxemia were seen, and we, therefore, recommend using supplemental intranasal oxygen.

Helminth fauna of cervids in Belorussian Polesie.

PubMed

Shimalov, V V; Shimalov, V T

2003-01-01

We report on the examination of 18 elk ( Alces alces), 16 red deer (Cervus elaphus)and 16 roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus) from the Belorussian Polesie in the period 1981-1998 for helminths. A total of 18 helminth species were found including Dictyocaulus eckerti, Fasciola hepatica, Oesophagostomum venulosum, Taenia hydatigena larvae and Trichuris ovis, all of which occurred in all host species. Sixteen of the species found are known to infect humans, domestic animals and/or farm animals.

Can Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) discriminate among essential minerals in their diet?

PubMed

Ceacero, Francisco; Landete-Castillejos, Tomás; García, Andrés J; Estévez, José A; Gallego, Laureano

2010-02-01

Optimal foraging predicts that animals should be able to assess the content of important nutrients in food. Ungulates discriminate salt and P, but discrimination of other minerals is controversial even though they are also essential and often limiting. Animal scientists have explained this taste through palatability, which predicts the same pattern of discrimination for calves and hinds and greater consumption by the latter. Social learning may also be involved, predicting a correlation between mother and calf and less consumption by the latter. The present study examines the consumption behaviour of free-choice supplemented minerals by hinds and calves of Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) to discern between these hypotheses. Behavioural indices of intake correlated with actual mineral consumption (P < 0.001). Mother and calf behavioural indices correlated only for salt-mixed minerals. Calves showed overall behavioural indices of consumption greater than hinds (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001), and also for all single supplements except NaCl, as expected from growth needs and in contrast to the palatability hypothesis. Calves showed a greater consumption of CuSO(4) and lower of Na(2)SeO(3) than pure salt. Hinds showed a different pattern, ingesting lower amounts of all minerals except CuSO(4) and salt. Additional analyses also showed discrimination between minerals unmixed with salt, such as CaHPO(4) and CaCO(3) (P = 0.012 and P = 0.020). The greater intake of growing calves and the different consumption patterns for hinds and calves suggest that deer can discriminate among minerals, and that they do not consume minerals for their palatability or driven by social learning. Therefore, deer may be selecting minerals according to nutritional requirements.

Response of a subalpine grassland to simulated grazing: Aboveground productivity along soil phosphorus gradients

Treesearch

C. Thiel-Egenter; A. C. Risch; M. F. Jurgensen; D. S. Page-Dumroese; B. O. Krusi; M. Schutz

2007-01-01

Interactions between grassland ecosystems and vertebrate herbivores are critical for a better understanding of ecosystem processes, but diverge widely in different ecosystems. In this study, we examined plant responses to simulated red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) grazing using clip-plot experiments in a subalpine grassland ecosystem of the Central...

Physiological variables explain mineral intake in Iberian red deer.

PubMed

Ceacero, Francisco; Landete-Castillejos, Tomás; García, Andrés J; Estévez, José A; Gallego, Laureano

2010-05-11

Foraging theory predicts that animals should be able to assess nutrient content of food sources and adjust their diet according to needs. As many minerals are essential nutrients, animals should be able to discriminate and consume the amount needed for each mineral. Although this has been proved for sodium and phosphorus, it is not clear if animals can discriminate among other essential minerals, and if they do so based on physiological needs. Requirements depend on sex, age, and physiological status, and thus usually vary greatly among individuals. Thus, if animals behave as optimal foragers of minerals, factors affecting individual physiological needs should also affect intake behaviour of each mineral. We tested this prediction in Iberian red deer. During two lactation periods a series of containers with different minerals, most of them diluted in salt, were offered to 59 adult hinds and their calves while consumption behaviour was recorded. Study animals were monitored weekly and milk production was assessed during the experiment. All the lactation variables influenced mineral consumption, and the effect differed for each mineral. Models explained a higher proportion of variability in calf than hind behaviour, reflecting probably a greater constraint as a result of growth needs. Thus, results show that deer can select mineral content in their diet and that selection is shaped by physiological effort as expected if consumption is driven by physiological needs. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Loss of genetic diversity and inbreeding in Kashmir red deer (Cervus elaphus hanglu) of Dachigam National Park, Jammu & Kashmir, India

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Hangul (Cervus elaphus hanglu), the eastern most subspecies of red deer, is now confined only to the mountains in the Kashmir region of Jammu & Kashmir State of India. It is of great conservation significance as this is the last and only hope for Asiatic survivor of the red deer species in India. Wild population of free ranging hangul deer inhabiting in and around Dachigam National Park was genetically assessed in order to account for constitutive genetic attributes of hangul population using microsatellite markers. Results In a pool of 36 multi-locus genotypes, 30 unique individuals were identified based on six microsatellite loci. The estimated cumulative probability of identity assuming all individuals were siblings (PID sibs) was 0.009 (9 in 1000). Altogether, 49 different alleles were observed with mean (± s.e.) allelic number of 8.17 ± 1.05, ranging from 5 to 11 per locus. The observed heterozygosity ranged between 0.08 and 0.83, with mean 0.40 ± 0.11 and the inbreeding coefficient ranged between −0.04 and 0.87 with mean 0.38 ± 0.15. Majority of loci (5/6) were found to be informative (PIC value > 0.5). All loci deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium except Ca-38 (P > 0.05) and none of the pairs of loci showed significant linkage disequilibrium except the single pair of Ca-30 and Ca-43 (P < 0.05). Conclusions The preliminary findings revealed that hangul population is significantly inbred and exhibited a low genetic diversity in comparison to other deer populations of the world. We suggest prioritizing the potential individuals retaining high heterozygosity for ex situ conservation and genetic monitoring of the hangul population should be initiated covering the entire distribution range to ensure the long term survival of hangul. We speculate further ignoring genetics attributes may lead to a detrimental effect which can negatively influence the reproductive fitness and survivorship of the hangul population in the wild. PMID:24060051

Bovine viral diarrhea virus in free-ranging wild ruminants in Switzerland: low prevalence of infection despite regular interactions with domestic livestock

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background In the frame of an eradication program for bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) in Swiss livestock, the question was raised whether free-ranging wildlife could threaten the success of this sanitary measure. Therefore, we conducted serological and virological investigations on BVD virus (BVDV) infections in the four indigenous wild ruminant species (roe deer, red deer, Alpine chamois and Alpine ibex) from 2009 to 2011, and gathered information on interactions between wild and domestic ruminants in an alpine environment by questionnaire survey. Results Thirty-two sera out of 1’877 (1.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-2.4) were seropositive for BVDV, and a BVDV1 sub genotype h virus was found in a seropositive chamois (0.05%, 95% CI 0.001-0.3). The seropositive animals originated from sub-alpine or alpine regions and significantly more seropositive red deer, chamois and ibex than roe deer were found. There were no statistically significant differences between sampling units, age classes, genders, and sampling years. The obtained prevalences were significantly lower than those documented in livestock, and most positive wild ruminants were found in proximity of domestic outbreaks. Additionally, BVDV seroprevalence in ibex was significantly lower than previously reported from Switzerland. The survey on interspecific interactions revealed that interactions expected to allow BVDV transmission, from physical contacts to non-simultaneous use of the same areas, regularly occur on pastures among all investigated ruminant species. Interactions involving cervids were more often observed with cattle than with small ruminants, chamois were observed with all three domestic species, and ibex interacted mostly with small ruminants. Interactions related to the use of anthropogenic food sources were frequently observed, especially between red deer and cattle in wintertime. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first report of BVDV RNA isolated from an Alpine chamois. Nevertheless, our results suggest that BVDV infections are only sporadic in Swiss wild ruminants, despite regular occurrence of interactions with potentially infected livestock. Overall, serological, virological and ethological data indicate that wildlife is currently an incidental spill-over host and not a reservoir for BVDV in Switzerland. PMID:23107231

Bovine viral diarrhea virus in free-ranging wild ruminants in Switzerland: low prevalence of infection despite regular interactions with domestic livestock.

PubMed

Casaubon, Julien; Vogt, Hans-Rudolf; Stalder, Hanspeter; Hug, Corinne; Ryser-Degiorgis, Marie-Pierre

2012-10-29

In the frame of an eradication program for bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) in Swiss livestock, the question was raised whether free-ranging wildlife could threaten the success of this sanitary measure. Therefore, we conducted serological and virological investigations on BVD virus (BVDV) infections in the four indigenous wild ruminant species (roe deer, red deer, Alpine chamois and Alpine ibex) from 2009 to 2011, and gathered information on interactions between wild and domestic ruminants in an alpine environment by questionnaire survey. Thirty-two sera out of 1'877 (1.7%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-2.4) were seropositive for BVDV, and a BVDV1 sub genotype h virus was found in a seropositive chamois (0.05%, 95% CI 0.001-0.3). The seropositive animals originated from sub-alpine or alpine regions and significantly more seropositive red deer, chamois and ibex than roe deer were found. There were no statistically significant differences between sampling units, age classes, genders, and sampling years. The obtained prevalences were significantly lower than those documented in livestock, and most positive wild ruminants were found in proximity of domestic outbreaks. Additionally, BVDV seroprevalence in ibex was significantly lower than previously reported from Switzerland. The survey on interspecific interactions revealed that interactions expected to allow BVDV transmission, from physical contacts to non-simultaneous use of the same areas, regularly occur on pastures among all investigated ruminant species. Interactions involving cervids were more often observed with cattle than with small ruminants, chamois were observed with all three domestic species, and ibex interacted mostly with small ruminants. Interactions related to the use of anthropogenic food sources were frequently observed, especially between red deer and cattle in wintertime. To our knowledge, this is the first report of BVDV RNA isolated from an Alpine chamois. Nevertheless, our results suggest that BVDV infections are only sporadic in Swiss wild ruminants, despite regular occurrence of interactions with potentially infected livestock. Overall, serological, virological and ethological data indicate that wildlife is currently an incidental spill-over host and not a reservoir for BVDV in Switzerland.

Different hunting strategies select for different weights in red deer

PubMed Central

Martínez, María; Rodríguez-Vigal, Carlos; Jones, Owen R; Coulson, Tim; Miguel, Alfonso San

2005-01-01

Much insight can be derived from records of shot animals. Most researchers using such data assume that their data represents a random sample of a particular demographic class. However, hunters typically select a non-random subset of the population and hunting is, therefore, not a random process. Here, with red deer (Cervus elaphus) hunting data from a ranch in Toledo, Spain, we demonstrate that data collection methods have a significant influence upon the apparent relationship between age and weight. We argue that a failure to correct for such methodological bias may have significant consequences for the interpretation of analyses involving weight or correlated traits such as breeding success, and urge researchers to explore methods to identify and correct for such bias in their data. PMID:17148205

ANTIBODY RESPONSE TO EPSILON TOXIN OF CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS IN CAPTIVE RED DEER (CERVUS ELAPHUS) OVER A 13-MONTH PERIOD.

PubMed

Scala, Christopher; Duffard, Nicolas; Beauchamp, Guy; Boullier, Séverine; Locatelli, Yann

2016-03-01

Deer are sensitive to clostridial diseases, and vaccination with clostridial toxoids is the method of choice to prevent these infections in ruminants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the serologic responses in red deer (Cervus elaphus) over a 13-mo period after vaccination with a multivalent clostridial vaccine, containing an aluminium hydroxide adjuvant. Antibody production to the Clostridium perfringens type D epsilon toxin component of the vaccine was measured using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Animals from group 1 (9 mo old; n = 6) were naïve and received an initial vaccination with a booster vaccine 4 wk apart and one annual booster. Animals from group 2 (21 mo old; n = 10) had been previously vaccinated 12 mo prior and received a first annual booster at the beginning of this study and a second annual booster 12 mo later. The multivalent clostridial vaccine induced a high antibody response that peaked after each injection and then slowly decreased with time. In group 1, a booster vaccine was required to obtain an initial high humoral response. The annual booster injection induced a strong, rapid, and consistent anamnestic response in both groups. The serologic responses persisted significantly over the baseline value for 9-12 mo in group 1, but more than 12 mo in group 2. It is unknown whether the measured humoral immune responses would have been protective as no challenge studies were performed. Further investigation is needed to determine the protective antibody titers to challenge and how long this immunity might persist after vaccination.

Involvement of serotoninergic pathways in the control of luteinizing hormone secretion in red deer hinds.

PubMed

Villa-Diaz, L G; Barrell, G K

1999-01-01

Two experiments were conducted to determine whether serotoninergic pathways, which are implicated in the neuroendocrine regulation of luteininzing hormone (LH) secretion in domestic animals, have a similar action in red deer hinds. In the non-breeding season (August), ovariectomized (n = 5) and ovariectomized-thyroidectomized (n = 5) hinds received a vehicle solution followed 4 h later by either serotonin (66 microg kg(-1) i.v.) every 10 min for a further 4 h or the serotonin antagonist, cyproheptadine (3 mg kg(-1) i.v.) as a single injection. This procedure was repeated in the breeding season (June). In the non-breeding season serotonin was without effect, but cyproheptadine reduced LH pulse frequency and amplitude in ovariectomized-thyroidectomized hinds (P<0.01). During the breeding season, serotonin reduced LH pulse amplitude in ovariectomized hinds (P<0.05) and cyproheptadine reduced LH pulse frequency in both ovariectomized and ovariectomized-thyroidectomized hinds (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). On each occasion, cyproheptadine increased (P<0.01) plasma prolactin concentration, whereas serotonin had no effect. These results indicate a stimulatory role for serotoninergic neurons on the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator mechanism of red deer hinds during the breeding season. In a second experiment, the LH response to GnRH (5 microg i.v.) was examined in ovariectomized hinds (n = 5) following administration of a serotonin infusion (6.6 microg kg(-1) min(-1) i.v. for 15 min), cyproheptadine (3 mg kg(-1) i.v. as a single dose) or vehicle, in the breeding season (July) after induction of halothane anaesthesia and in the non-breeding season (December) without anaesthesia. Halothane anaesthesia eliminated endogenous pulses of LH. In comparison with the vehicle-treated controls, the response of plasma LH to exogenous GnRH was not altered by serotonin or cyproheptadine in either season, which shows that serotonin has no effect on LH release at the pituitary gland level in these animals. It was concluded that in the regulation of LH release in red deer hinds, serotoninergic pathways have a stimulatory role operating at the hypothalamic level.

Does Cu supplementation affect the mechanical and structural properties and mineral content of red deer antler bone tissue?

PubMed

Gambín, P; Serrano, M P; Gallego, L; García, A; Cappelli, J; Ceacero, F; Landete-Castillejos, T

2017-08-01

The main factors affecting the mechanical (and other) properties of bone, including antler, are the proportions of ash (especially Ca and P) and collagen content. However, some trace minerals may also play more important roles than would be expected, given their low levels in bone and antler. One such trace mineral is Cu. Here, we studied the effects of Cu supplementation on the mechanical and structural characteristics, and mineral content of antlers from yearling and adult (4 years of age) red deer fed a balanced diet. Deer (n=35) of different ages (21 yearlings and 14 adults) were studied. A total of 18 stags (11 yearlings and 7 adults) were injected with Cu (0.83 mg Cu/kg BW) every 42 days, whereas the remaining 17 (10 yearlings and 7 adults) were injected with physiological saline solution (control group). The Cu content of serum was analysed at the beginning of the trial and 84 days after the first injection to assess whether the injected Cu was mobilized in blood. Also, the mechanical and structural properties of antlers and the mineral content in their cortical walls were examined at three (yearlings) or four (adults) points along the antler beam. The effect of Cu supplementation was different in yearlings and adults. In yearlings, supplementation increased the Cu content of serum by 28%, but did not affect antler properties. However, in adults, Cu supplementation increased the Cu content of serum by 38% and tended to increase the cortical thickness of antlers (P=0.06). Therefore, we conclude that, even in animals receiving balanced diets, supplementation with Cu could increase antler cortical thickness in adult deer, although not in yearlings. This may improve the trophy value of antlers, as well as having potential implications for bones in elderly humans, should Cu supplementation have similar effects on bones as those observed in antlers.

Collaboration in natural resource governance: reconciling stakeholder expectations in deer management in Scotland.

PubMed

Davies, Althea L; White, Rehema M

2012-12-15

The challenges of integrated, adaptive and ecosystem management are leading government agencies to adopt participatory modes of engagement. Collaborative governance is a form of participation in which stakeholders co-produce goals and strategies and share responsibilities and resources. We assess the potential and challenges of collaborative governance as a mechanism to provide an integrated, ecosystem approach to natural resource management, using red deer in Scotland as a case study. Collaborative Deer Management Groups offer a well-established example of a 'bridging organisation', intended to reduce costs and facilitate decision making and learning across institutions and scales. We examine who initiates collaborative processes and why, what roles different actors adopt and how these factors influence the outcomes, particularly at a time of changing values, management and legislative priorities. Our findings demonstrate the need for careful consideration of where and how shared responsibility might be best implemented and sustained as state agencies often remain key to the process, despite the partnership intention. Differing interpretations between agencies and landowners of the degree of autonomy and division of responsibilities involved in 'collaboration' can create tension, while the diversity of landowner priorities brings additional challenges for defining shared goals in red deer management and in other cases. Effective maintenance depends on appropriate role allocation and adoption of responsibilities, definition of convergent values and goals, and establishing communication and trust in institutional networks. Options that may help private stakeholders offset the costs of accepting responsibility for delivering public benefits need to be explicitly addressed to build capacity and support adaptation. This study indicates that collaborative governance has the potential to help reconcile statutory obligations with stakeholder empowerment. The potential of collaboration to reduce the costs of sustainable management remains contentious and, in times of increasing resource constraints, the potential mismatch between resource investment and anticipated goals is likely to become a critical issue, which may challenge the goals and capacity of the state and existing managers. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ten-year response of competing vegetation after oak shelterwood treatments in West Virginia

Treesearch

Gary W. Miller; James N. Kochenderfer; Jeffrey D. Kochenderfer; Kurt W. Gottschalk

2014-01-01

Successful oak regeneration depends on the relative status of advanced oak reproduction and associated competing woody vegetation present when harvests or other stand-replacing disturbances occur. This study was installed to quantify the effect of microsite light availability and deer browsing on the development of advanced northern red oak (Quercus rubra...

A survey of free-ranging deer in Ireland for serological evidence of exposure to bovine viral diarrhoea virus, bovine herpes virus-1, bluetongue virus and Schmallenberg virus.

PubMed

Graham, David A; Gallagher, Clare; Carden, Ruth F; Lozano, Jose-Maria; Moriarty, John; O'Neill, Ronan

2017-01-01

Deer are an important wildlife species in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland having colonised most regions across the island of Ireland. In comparison to cattle and sheep which represent the main farmed ruminant species on the island, there is a lack of data concerning their exposure, as measured by the presence of antibodies, to important viral pathogens of ruminants. A study was therefore undertaken to investigate the seroprevalence of wild deer to four viruses, namely bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV), bovine herpesvirus-1 (BoHV-1), Schmallenberg virus (SBV) and bluetongue virus (BTV). Two panels of sera were assembled; Panel 1 comprised 259 samples (202 collected in the Republic of Ireland and 57 in Northern Ireland) between 2013 and 2015, while Panel 2 comprised 131 samples collected in the Republic of Ireland between 2014 and 2015. Overall sika deer ( Cervus nippon ) were sampled most commonly (54.8%), followed by fallow deer ( Dama dama ) (35.3%), with red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) (4.3%) and hybrid species (0.3%) sampled less frequently, with the species not being recorded for the remaining 5.3% of deer sampled. Age was not recorded for 96 of the 390 deer sampled. 196 of the remainder were adults, while 68 and 30 were yearlings and calves, respectively. Using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, true prevalence and 95% confidence intervals were calculated as 9.9%, (6.8-13.0% CI), SBV; 1.5% (0.1-3.0% CI), BoHV-1; 0.0%, 0-1.7% CI), BVDV; and 0.0%, (0.01-0.10% CI), BTV. The results indicate a very low seroprevalence for both BVDV and BoHV-1 in the wild deer tested within the study and, are consistent with a very low prevalence in Ireland. While serological cross-reaction with cervid herpesviruses cannot be excluded, the results in both cases suggest that the presence of these viruses in deer is not a significant risk to their control and eradication from the cattle population. This is important given the ongoing programme to eradicate BVDV in Ireland and deliberations on a national eradication programme for BoHV-1. The SBV results show consistency with those reported from cattle and sheep on the island of Ireland, while the BTV results are consistent with this virus remaining exotic to Ireland. The results provide a baseline against which future surveys of either wild or farmed/captive deer populations can be compared.

Seasonal patterns of weight, hematology, and serum characteristics of free-ranging female white-tailed deer in Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Mech, L.D.; Kunkel, K.E.; Gese, E.M.; Seal, U.S.

1992-01-01

Weights, hematology, and serum profIles of white-tailed does in the central Superior National Forest of northeastern Minnesota were examined year-around to determine seasonal patterns of nutritional condition and metabolism. Deer were initially captured by Clover trap or rocket net. Between 15 February 1989 and 23 January 1990, we recaptured 12 adult (> 1.5 years) female deer 1-9 times each (a total of 59 recaptures) using a radio-controlled capture collar. Monthly weights of deer exhibited a cyclic seasonal pattern. Mean weight declined 22 % from February to an annual minimum during May, then steadily increased 45 % to a maximum in October. Seasonal patterns were most evident for hemoglobin concentration, red blood cells, packed cell volume, serum total protein, urea nitrogen, creatinine, the urea N to creatinine ratio, triiodothyronine, cortisol, and potassium. Wide seasonal variations of these characteristics were indicative of shifts in the deer's metabolic physiology. Although seasonal metabolic shifts are partially attributable to an endogenous rhythm, the intensity of, their expression was most likely affected by nutritional changes and concomitant alterations of body condition. Annual changes in seasonal trends of blood characteristics may be useful in investigating nutritional effects of specific environmental and demographic factors. We compare our findings with those reported for deer on ranges farther south.

Efficacy, distribution and faecal excretion of copper oxide wire particles in a novel bolus in red deer (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Castillo-Alcala, F; Wilson, P R; Molenaar, R; Lopez-Villalobos, N

2007-04-01

To determine the efficacy of a novel copper oxide wire particle (COWP) formulation in elevating concentrations of copper (Cu) in the liver and serum of red deer (Cervus elaphus), and to investigate the distribution of particles in the gastrointestinal tract and the rate of their excretion in faeces. Mixed-age red deer hinds were allocated to three groups (n=10 per group) on the basis of pre-treatment liver Cu concentrations. Groups 1 and 2 were treated orally with a 10-g COWP bolus on Days 0 and 30, respectively, while the remaining group served as an untreated control. Animals were slaughtered on Day 60, when blood and liver samples were collected for determination of Cu concentrations. An additional group of 18-month-old red deer hinds (n=20) were treated orally with a 10-g COWP bolus, and four were slaughtered on each of Days 1, 5, 15, 30 and 60 after treatment. The gastrointestinal tract was secured between compartments below the oesophagus and contents rinsed until sedimentation of particles was complete. The sediment was oven-dried and COWP were separated and weighed. Faeces were collected continuously from four additional animals held in metabolism cages for 4 days after treatment, sub-sampled daily, and COWP recovered. Mean liver Cu concentrations at slaughter were 80, 597 and 447 micromol/kg for controls and hinds treated 30, and 60 days previously, respectively. Corresponding mean serum Cu concentrations were 7.7, 12.9 and 11.9 micromol/L, respectively. Liver and serum Cu concentrations were higher in both treatment groups than in untreated control animals (p<0.001). COWP were found in all compartments of the gastrointestinal tract measured, for at least 15 days, and in the rumen/reticulum and abomasum for at least 60 days post-administration. The highest rate of recovery overall was from the rumen/reticulum. Mean weight of COWP recovered from faeces was 0.09 g during the first 24 h and 0.94 g over the first 4 days following administration. The COWP bolus tested resulted in elevated mean liver Cu concentrations for at least 60 days compared with control animals. The majority of COWP were found in the rumen/ reticulum, where recovery was possible for at least 60 days. About 10% of particle weight was excreted in the faeces within 4 days of administration. The test bolus was efficacious in deer, elevating mean liver and serum Cu concentrations 30 and 60 days after treatment. Variation in faecal excretion may explain between-animal differences in efficacy.

An indicator approach to capture impacts of white-tailed deer and other ungulates in the presence of multiple associated stressors.

PubMed

Blossey, Bernd; Dávalos, Andrea; Nuzzo, Victoria

2017-09-01

Management of ungulates is contested ground that lacks stakeholder agreement on desirable population sizes and management approaches. Unfortunately, we often miss information about extent of local impacts, for example on plant communities, to guide management decisions. Typical vegetation impact assessments like the woody browse index do not assess herbaceous plants, and differences in browse severity can be a function of deer density, deer legacy effects, localized deer feeding preferences and/or differences in plant community composition. Furthermore, in heavily affected areas, few remnant plants may remain for assessments. We used a sentinel approach to assess impact of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), rodent attack, invasive earthworms and three invasive plants on survival and growth of 3-month-old red oak ( Quercus rubra ) individuals. We planted cohorts in 2010 and 2011 into deer accessible and fenced 30 × 30 m plots at 12 forests in New York State. We found year and site-specific effects with high deer herbivory of unprotected individuals (70-90 % of oaks browsed by deer versus none in fenced areas) far exceeding importance of rodent attacks. Oaks planted at low earthworm density sites were at significantly higher risk of being browsed compared with oaks at high earthworm density sites, but there was no detectable negative effect of invasive plants. Surviving oaks grew (~2 cm per year) under forest canopy cover, but only when fenced. We consider planting of oak or other woody or herbaceous sentinels to assess deer browse pressure a promising method to provide quantifiable evidence for deer impacts and to gauge success of different management techniques. The strength of this approach is that typical problems associated with multiple stressor impacts can be avoided, areas devoid of forest floor vegetation but under heavy deer browse pressure can still be assessed and the method can be implemented by non-specialists. Implementation of regular assessments can guide ungulate management based on meaningful evidence.

An indicator approach to capture impacts of white-tailed deer and other ungulates in the presence of multiple associated stressors

PubMed Central

Dávalos, Andrea; Nuzzo, Victoria

2017-01-01

Abstract Management of ungulates is contested ground that lacks stakeholder agreement on desirable population sizes and management approaches. Unfortunately, we often miss information about extent of local impacts, for example on plant communities, to guide management decisions. Typical vegetation impact assessments like the woody browse index do not assess herbaceous plants, and differences in browse severity can be a function of deer density, deer legacy effects, localized deer feeding preferences and/or differences in plant community composition. Furthermore, in heavily affected areas, few remnant plants may remain for assessments. We used a sentinel approach to assess impact of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), rodent attack, invasive earthworms and three invasive plants on survival and growth of 3-month-old red oak (Quercus rubra) individuals. We planted cohorts in 2010 and 2011 into deer accessible and fenced 30 × 30 m plots at 12 forests in New York State. We found year and site-specific effects with high deer herbivory of unprotected individuals (70–90 % of oaks browsed by deer versus none in fenced areas) far exceeding importance of rodent attacks. Oaks planted at low earthworm density sites were at significantly higher risk of being browsed compared with oaks at high earthworm density sites, but there was no detectable negative effect of invasive plants. Surviving oaks grew (~2 cm per year) under forest canopy cover, but only when fenced. We consider planting of oak or other woody or herbaceous sentinels to assess deer browse pressure a promising method to provide quantifiable evidence for deer impacts and to gauge success of different management techniques. The strength of this approach is that typical problems associated with multiple stressor impacts can be avoided, areas devoid of forest floor vegetation but under heavy deer browse pressure can still be assessed and the method can be implemented by non-specialists. Implementation of regular assessments can guide ungulate management based on meaningful evidence. PMID:28894567

Shapes of Differential Pulse Voltammograms and Level of Metallothionein at Different Animal Species.

PubMed

Adam, Vojtech; Beklova, Miroslava; Pikula, Jiri; Hubalek, Jaromir; Trnkova, Libuse; Kizek, Rene

2007-10-19

Metallothioneins play a key role in maintaining homeostasis of essential metalsand in protecting of cells against metal toxicity as well as oxidative damaging. Exceptinghumans, blood levels of metallothionein have not yet been reported from any animalspecies. Blood plasma samples of 9 animal species were analysed by the adsorptive transferstripping technique to obtain species specific voltammograms. Quite distinct records wereobtained from the Takin (Budorcas taxicolor), while other interesting records were observedin samples from the European Bison (Bison bonasus bonasus) and the Red-eared Slider(Trachemys scripta elegans). To quantify metallothionein the catalytic peak Cat2 was used,well developed in the Domestic Fowl (Gallus gallus f. domestica) and showing a very lowsignal in the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus). The highest levels of metallothionein reachingover 20 μM were found in the Domestic Fowl. High levels of MT were also found in theBearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) and the Grey Wolf (Canis lupus lupus). The lowestvalues of about 1-3 μM were determined in the Red-eared Slider, Takin and Red Deer. Employing a simple electrochemical detection it was possible to examine variation in blood metallothionein in different species of vertebrates.

Shapes of Differential Pulse Voltammograms and Level of Metallothionein at Different Animal Species

PubMed Central

Adam, Vojtech; Beklova, Miroslava; Pikula, Jiri; Hubalek, Jaromir; Trnkova, Libuse; Kizek, Rene

2007-01-01

Metallothioneins play a key role in maintaining homeostasis of essential metals and in protecting of cells against metal toxicity as well as oxidative damaging. Excepting humans, blood levels of metallothionein have not yet been reported from any animal species. Blood plasma samples of 9 animal species were analysed by the adsorptive transfer stripping technique to obtain species specific voltammograms. Quite distinct records were obtained from the Takin (Budorcas taxicolor), while other interesting records were observed in samples from the European Bison (Bison bonasus bonasus) and the Red-eared Slider (Trachemys scripta elegans). To quantify metallothionein the catalytic peak Cat2 was used, well developed in the Domestic Fowl (Gallus gallus f. domestica) and showing a very low signal in the Red Deer (Cervus elaphus). The highest levels of metallothionein reaching over 20 µM were found in the Domestic Fowl. High levels of MT were also found in the Bearded Dragon (Pogona vitticeps) and the Grey Wolf (Canis lupus lupus). The lowest values of about 1-3 µM were determined in the Red-eared Slider, Takin and Red Deer. Employing a simple electrochemical detection it was possible to examine variation in blood metallothionein in different species of vertebrates. PMID:28903235

Deer as a potential wildlife reservoir for Parachlamydia species.

PubMed

Regenscheit, Nadine; Holzwarth, Nathalie; Greub, Gilbert; Aeby, Sébastien; Pospischil, Andreas; Borel, Nicole

2012-08-01

Wildlife populations represent an important reservoir for emerging pathogens and trans-boundary livestock diseases. However, detailed information relating to the occurrence of endemic pathogens such as those of the order Chlamydiales in such populations is lacking. During the hunting season of 2008, 863 samples (including blood, conjunctival swabs, internal organs and faeces) were collected in the Eastern Swiss Alps from 99 free-living red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 64 free-living roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and tested using ELISA, PCR and immunohistochemistry for members of the family Chlamydiaceae and the genus Parachlamydia. Parachlamydia spp. were detected in the conjunctival swabs, faeces and internal organs of both species of deer (2.4% positive, with a further 29.5% inconclusive). The very low occurrence of Chlamydiaceae (2.5%) was in line with serological data (0.7% seroprevalence for Chlamydia abortus). Further investigations are required to elucidate the zoonotic potential, pathogenicity, and distribution of Parachlamydia spp. in wild ruminants. Crown Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating Forage, Wildlife, Water, and Fish Projections with Timber Projections at the Regional Level: A Case Study in Southern United States

Treesearch

Linda A. Joyce; Curtis H. Flather; Patricia A. Flebbe; Thomas W. Hoekstra; Stan J. Ursic

1990-01-01

The impact of timber management and land-use change on forage production, turkey and deer abundance, red-cockaded woodpecker colonies, water yield, and trout abundance was projected as part of a policy study focusing on the southern United States. The multiresource modeling framework used in this study linked extant timber management and land-area policy models with...

Using White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Infectious Disease Research

PubMed Central

Palmer, Mitchell V; Cox, Rebecca J; Waters, W Ray; Thacker, Tyler C; Whipple, Diana L

2017-01-01

Between 1940 and 2004, more than 335 emerging infectious disease events were reported in the scientific literature. The majority (60%) of these events involved zoonoses, most of which (72%) were of wildlife origin or had an epidemiologically important wildlife host. Because this trend of increasing emerging diseases likely will continue, understanding the pathogenesis, transmission, and diagnosis of these diseases in the relevant wildlife host is paramount. Achieving this goal often requires using wild animals as research subjects, which are vastly different from the traditional livestock or laboratory animals used by most universities and institutions. Using wildlife in infectious disease research presents many challenges but also provides opportunities to answer questions impossible to address by using traditional models. Cervid species, especially white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), elk (Cervus canadensis), and red deer (Cervus elaphus), are hosts or sentinels for several important pathogens, some of which are zoonotic. The long history of infectious disease research using white-tailed deer, conducted at ever-increasing levels of sophisticated biosecurity, demonstrates that this type of research can be conducted safely and that valuable insights can be gained. The greatest challenges to using wildlife in infectious disease research include animal source, facility design, nutrition, animal handling, and enrichment and other practices that both facilitate animal care and enhance animal wellbeing. The study of Mycobacterium bovis infection in white-tailed deer at the USDA's National Animal Disease Center serves to illustrate one approach to address these challenges. PMID:28724483

Taenia sp. in human burial from Kan River, East Siberia.

PubMed

Slepchenko, Sergey Mikhailovich; Ivanov, Sergey Nikolaevich; Vybornov, Anton Vasilevich; Alekseevich, Tsybankov Alexander; Sergeyevich, Slavinsky Vyacheslav; Lysenko, Danil Nikolaevich; Matveev, Vyacheslav Evgenievich

2017-05-01

We present an arhaeoparasitological analysis of a unique burial from the Neftprovod II burial ground in East Siberia, which dated from the Bronze Age. Analysis of a sediment sample from the sacral region of the pelvis revealed the presence of Taenia sp. eggs. Because uncooked animal tissue is the primary source of Taenia, this indicated that the individual was likely consuming raw or undercooked meat of roe deer, red deer, or elk infected with Taenia. This finding represents the oldest case of a human infected with Taenia sp. from Eastern Siberia and Russia.

Prehistoric and Historic Cultural Resources of Selected Sites at Harlan County Lake, Harlan County, Nebraska: Test Excavations and Determination of Significance for 28 Sites

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-01-01

mouse (P. maniculatus) (Guilday et al. 1977). This gives the anterior end of the ml a more acute appearance in the deer mouse. Zapus Princeps - The...heather vole 1 PrmyscA deer mouse 1 Zapus princeps western jumping mouse 1 cf. Mates p.nant fisher 1 total 29 lithic artifact 1 313 cliff. The lithology is...Clethrionomys gapperi southern red-backed vole 2 Phenacomrs intermedius heather vole 1 Zapus cf. princeps western jumping mouse 1 Bison cf. occidentalis

Small mammal populations after a wildfire in northeast Minnesota.

Treesearch

Richard R. Buech; Karl Siderits; Robert E. Radtke; Howard L. Sheldon; Donald Elsing

1977-01-01

Small mammals were studied shortly after a large wildfire in northeast Minnesota. An average of only 16 as many small mammals were in three forest communities that had burned than were in comparable unburned areas. The greatest reduction was for the red-backed vole. An analysis of population attributes suggests that deer mice immigrated to the burned area. Small...

Woodland Detection.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischer, Richard B.

1989-01-01

Presents tips on nature observation during a woodland hike in the Adirondacks. Discusses engraver beetles and Dutch elm disease, birds' nests, hornets' nests, caterpillar webs, deer and bear signs, woodpecker holes, red squirrels, porcupine and beaver signs, and galls. (SV)

Temporal stability in the genetic structure of Sarcoptes scabiei under the host-taxon law: empirical evidences from wildlife-derived Sarcoptes mite in Asturias, Spain

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Implicitly, parasite molecular studies assume temporal genetic stability. In this study we tested, for the first time to our knowledge, the extent of changes in genetic diversity and structure of Sarcoptes mite populations from Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) in Asturias (Spain), using one multiplex of 9 microsatellite markers and Sarcoptes samples from sympatric Pyrenean chamois, red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Results The analysis of an 11-years interval period found little change in the genetic diversity (allelic diversity, and observed and expected heterozygosity). The temporal stability in the genetic diversity was confirmed by population structure analysis, which was not significantly variable over time. Population structure analysis revealed temporal stability in the genetic diversity of Sarcoptes mite under the host-taxon law (herbivore derived- and carnivore derived-Sarcoptes mite) among the sympatric wild animals from Asturias. Conclusions The confirmation of parasite temporal genetic stability is of vital interest to allow generalizations to be made, which have further implications regarding the genetic structure, epidemiology and monitoring protocols of the ubiquitous Sarcoptes mite. This could eventually be applied to other parasite species. PMID:21794141

Dioxins and PCBs in game animals: Interspecies comparison and related consumer exposure.

PubMed

Warenik-Bany, Malgorzata; Strucinski, Pawel; Piskorska-Pliszczynska, Jadwiga

2016-01-01

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCB) and non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (NDL-PCB) are ubiquitous, persistent toxic compounds that are highly bioaccumulative in nature. Wild-living animals are vulnerable to the negative impacts of human activity. Dioxins and PCBs enter the animal organisms through foraging. Due to the toxicological threat, much attention is paid to these compounds worldwide. The aim of this study was to determine the dioxin contamination status of three game animal species (red deer, roe deer, and wild boar) and compare the PCDD/F and PCB congener bioaccumulation in the muscles, abdominal fat and liver. The chemical analysis was performed by the isotope dilution technique (IDMS) with high-resolution gas chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). Dioxins and PCBs were found in specimens collected from all studied species, suggesting the presence of the test compounds in the environment of the animals. The highest concentrations were found in the livers of all animals. The toxic equivalent (TEQ) levels in the muscles, adipose tissue and liver were in the order red deer > roe deer > wild boar. PCDD/Fs were the dominant congeners in TEQ value. For all tested species, the dominant contributors to the total WHO-TEQ were PCB-126, 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF and 1,2,3,7,8-PeCDD. Among the PCDD/F congeners in the deer tissues, OCDD, OCDF and 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF were dominant, while in wild boar, OCDD, 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCDD and 1,2,3,4,6,7,8-HpCF occurred in the highest amounts. Among PCBs, PCB-105, 118, 156, 138, 153 and 180 were dominant in all species, but with different levels. The regular consumption of muscle meat from game animals should not cause unacceptable dioxin intake above the Tolerable Weekly Intake (TWI) value for children and adults. However, liver consumption should be avoided, especially by children and pregnant or lactating women. High consumption of contaminated liver may cause dioxin intake at levels up to 300% of TWI for adults and up to 700% TWI for children. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Game meat consumption by hunters and their relatives: A probabilistic approach.

PubMed

Sevillano Morales, Jesus; Moreno-Ortega, Alicia; Amaro Lopez, Manual Angel; Arenas Casas, Antonio; Cámara-Martos, Fernando; Moreno-Rojas, Rafael

2018-06-18

This study aimed to estimate the consumption of meat and products derived from hunting by the consumer population and, specifically, by hunters and their relatives. For this purpose, a survey was conducted on the frequency of consuming meat from the four most representative game species in Spain, two of big game, wild boar (Sus scrofa) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) and two of small game, rabbit (Oryctolagus cunulucus) and red partridge (Alectoris rufa), as well as of processed meat products (salami-type sausage) made from those big game species. The survey was carried out on 337 habitual consumers of these types of products (hunters and their relatives). The total mean game meat consumption, per capita in this population group, is 6.87 kg/person/year of meat and 8.57 kg/person/year if the processed meat products are also considered. Consumption of rabbit, red partridge, red deer and wild boar, individually, was 1.85, 0.82, 2.28 and 1.92 kg/person/year, respectively. It was observed that hunters generally registered a larger intake of game meat, this being statistically significant in the case of rabbit meat consumption. Using probabilistic methods, the meat consumption frequency distributions for each hunting species studied were estimated, as well as the products made from big game species and the total consumption both of meat by itself and that including the products made from it. The consumption frequency distributions were adjusted to exponential ones, verified by the test suitable for it according to Akaike Information Criterion, Bayesian Information Criterion, the Chi-Squared and Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistics. In addition, the consumption percentiles of the different distributions were obtained. The latter could be a good tool when making nutrition or contaminant studies since they permit the assessment of exposure to the compound in question.

Autumn predation of northern red oak seed crops

Treesearch

Kim C. Steiner

1995-01-01

Production and autumn predation of northern red oak acorns was measured over four years in five Pennsylvania stands dominated by this species. Mean annual production was 41,779/acre, of which an average of 7.9% was destroyed by insects or decay following insect attack, and an average of 38.6% was destroyed or removed by vertebrates. White-tailed deer appeared to be the...

Tick Bites (For Parents)

MedlinePlus

... can carry harmful germs that cause diseases like Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease . The deer tick is tiny, ... disease) red dots on the ankles and wrists (Rocky Mountain spotted fever) flu -like symptoms such as fever , headache , fatigue, ...

Morphological and molecular characterization of Sarcocystis taeniata and Sarcocystis pilosa n. sp. from the sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Lithuania.

PubMed

Prakas, Petras; Butkauskas, Dalius; Rudaitytė, Eglė; Kutkienė, Liuda; Sruoga, Aniolas; Pūraitė, Irma

2016-08-01

The diaphragm muscles of eight sika deer (Cervus nippon) bred in Lithuania were examined for Sarcocystis cysts. Two Sarcocystis species, Sarcocystis taeniata, which were previously reported in Canadian moose (Alces alces) and Argentinean red deer (Cervus elaphus), and Sarcocystis pilosa n. sp. were described using light microscopy (LM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA), and subunit I of cytochrome c oxidase (cox1) sequences analysis. By LM, cysts of S. taeniata were 424.8 × 57.9 (200-837 × 30-100) μm in size and had a thin (up to 1 μm) and smooth cyst wall, while short ribbon-like protrusions arising from broadened cone-shaped bases were seen under TEM. Cysts of S. pilosa (by LM) were ribbon-shaped, measured 848.5 × 63.8 (350-1700 × 30-125) μm and had thin 7-8-μm long hair-like protrusions. By TEM, cyst wall was type 7a-like; protrusions arose from 0.3 μm wide dome-shaped base with minute indentations of the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane near it, the surface of protrusions seemed to be smooth, and the ground substance layer was thin (0.18-0.22 μm). The 18S rDNA, in contrast to the cox1, lacked variability to discriminate S. pilosa from closely related Sarcocystis hjorti from the red deer and moose. S. taeniata, but not S. pilosa, showed a considerable intraspecific variation in both genes analyzed. The phylogenetic analyses based on 18S rDNA and cox1 sequences suggest that canids are definitive hosts of both S. taeniata and S. pilosa. This paper represents the first identification of Sarcocystis species in the sika deer by morphological and molecular methods.

Antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in wild game in Slovenia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Križman, M.; Kirbiš, A.; Jamnikar-Ciglenečki, U.

2017-09-01

Wildlife is usually not exposed to clinically-used antimicrobial agents but can acquire antimicrobial resistance throughout contact with humans, domesticated animals and environments. Samples of faeces from intestines (80 in total) were collected from roe deer (52), wild boars (11), chamois (10) red deer (6) and moufflon (1). After culture on ChromID extended spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL) plates to select for growth of ESBL-producing bacteria, 25 samples produced bacterial colonies for further study. Six species of bacteria were identified from the 25 samples: Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Serratia fonticola, Stenotrophomonas nitritireducens, Enterococcus faecium, Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli. Two ESBL enzymes were amplified from group TEM and three from group CTX-M-1. Undercooked game meat and salami can be a source of resistant bacteria when animals are not eviscerated properly.

Interaction effects between weather and space use on harvesting effort and patterns in red deer.

PubMed

Rivrud, Inger M; Meisingset, Erling L; Loe, Leif E; Mysterud, Atle

2014-12-01

Most cervid populations in Europe and North America are managed through selective harvesting, often with age- and sex-specific quotas, with a large influence on the population growth rate. Less well understood is how prevailing weather affects harvesting selectivity and off-take indirectly through changes in individual animal and hunter behavior. The behavior and movement patterns of hunters and their prey are expected to be influenced by weather conditions. Furthermore, habitat characteristics like habitat openness are also known to affect movement patterns and harvesting vulnerability, but how much such processes affect harvest composition has not been quantified. We use harvest data from red deer (Cervus elaphus) to investigate how weather and habitat characteristics affect behavioral decisions of red deer and their hunters throughout the hunting season. More specifically, we look at how sex and age class, temperature, precipitation, moon phase, and day of week affect the probability of being harvested on farmland (open habitat), hunter effort, and the overall harvest numbers. Moon phase and day of week were the strongest predictors of hunter effort and harvest numbers, with higher effort during full moon and weekends, and higher numbers during full moon. In general, the effect of fall weather conditions and habitat characteristics on harvest effort and numbers varied through the season. Yearlings showed the highest variation in the probability of being harvested on farmland through the season, but there was no effect of sex. Our study is among the first to highlight that weather may affect harvesting patterns and off-take indirectly through animal and hunter behavior, but the interaction effects of weather and space use on hunter behavior are complicated, and seem less important than hunter preference and quotas in determining hunter selection and harvest off-take. The consideration of hunter behavior is therefore key when forming management rules for sustainable harvesting.

Interaction effects between weather and space use on harvesting effort and patterns in red deer

PubMed Central

Rivrud, Inger M; Meisingset, Erling L; Loe, Leif E; Mysterud, Atle

2014-01-01

Most cervid populations in Europe and North America are managed through selective harvesting, often with age- and sex-specific quotas, with a large influence on the population growth rate. Less well understood is how prevailing weather affects harvesting selectivity and off-take indirectly through changes in individual animal and hunter behavior. The behavior and movement patterns of hunters and their prey are expected to be influenced by weather conditions. Furthermore, habitat characteristics like habitat openness are also known to affect movement patterns and harvesting vulnerability, but how much such processes affect harvest composition has not been quantified. We use harvest data from red deer (Cervus elaphus) to investigate how weather and habitat characteristics affect behavioral decisions of red deer and their hunters throughout the hunting season. More specifically, we look at how sex and age class, temperature, precipitation, moon phase, and day of week affect the probability of being harvested on farmland (open habitat), hunter effort, and the overall harvest numbers. Moon phase and day of week were the strongest predictors of hunter effort and harvest numbers, with higher effort during full moon and weekends, and higher numbers during full moon. In general, the effect of fall weather conditions and habitat characteristics on harvest effort and numbers varied through the season. Yearlings showed the highest variation in the probability of being harvested on farmland through the season, but there was no effect of sex. Our study is among the first to highlight that weather may affect harvesting patterns and off-take indirectly through animal and hunter behavior, but the interaction effects of weather and space use on hunter behavior are complicated, and seem less important than hunter preference and quotas in determining hunter selection and harvest off-take. The consideration of hunter behavior is therefore key when forming management rules for sustainable harvesting. PMID:25558369

Cultural Resources Survey, Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir Project, Missouri. Volume 1. Historical Resources: Chronology of Osage River History.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

was again warned of the extreme hazards on account of the Osage Indians "...who never failed to rob white hunters, and travellers who were so... pigeons , or "doves" as the settlers called them,flew in cloud-like flocks. "Red deer" gathered in herds. The early settlers, recalling the dangers of...neighbors was to give away meat whenever a deer, 0 hog, or beef was killed. No one kept account of meals given or received. Not until the 1850’s were turnips

Effects of Different Feeding Regimes on Deer Meat (Venison) Quality Following Chilled Storage Condition

PubMed Central

Kim, Sang Woo

2017-01-01

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different feeding regimes on the quality of deer meat (venison) following storage at 4°C for various durations. Twelve 5-year-old elk stags about 350 kg were stratified by weight and randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments (three elk stags per treatment). The dietary treatments consisted of a feeding concentrate of 1.5% of body weight (T1), feeding concentrate of 1.8% of body weight (T2), feeding concentrate ad libitum (T3), or a home-mixed ration ad libitum (T4). The pH values of deer meat were not significantly different among treatment groups but were affected by duration of storage. Cooking loss increased under T4 treatment with increasing storage time at 4°C (p<0.05). Increased storage time also resulted in significant decreases in shear force under T2 and T3 treatment compared to that under other dietary treatments (p<0.05). Lightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*) parameters were not significantly different among treatment groups, but lower values of a* and b* were observed under T1 and T4 treatment with increasing durations of storage (p<0.05). The chemical and fatty acid composition had no significantly different among treatments. Therefore, meat quality was most affected by increased storage time at 4°C. These results may serve as the basis for further study of deer meat (venison) from Korea. PMID:28943763

Characteristics of PCR-SSCP and RAPD-HPCE methods for identifying authentication of Penis et testis cervi in Traditional Chinese Medicine based on cytochrome b gene.

PubMed

Li, Mingcheng; Gao, Lijun; Qu, Li; Sun, Jingyu; Yuan, Guangxin; Xia, Wei; Niu, Jiamu; Fu, Guilian; Zhang, Lihua

2016-07-01

The use of Penis et testis cervi, as a kind of precious Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which is derived from dry deer's testis and penis, has been recorded for many years in China. There are abundant species of deer in China, the Penis et testis from species of Cervus Nippon and Cervus elaphusL were authentic, others species were defined as adulterant (different subspecies of deer) or counterfeits (different species). Identification of their origins or authenticity becomes a key in controlling the herbal products. A modified column chromatography was used to extract mitochondrial DNA of dried deer's testis and penis from sika deer (C. Nippon) and red deer (C. elaphusL) in addition to adulterants and counterfeits. Column chromatography requires for a short time to extract mitochondrial DNA of high purity with little damage of DNA molecules, which provides the primary structure of guarantee for the specific PCR; PCR-SSCP method showed a clear intra-specific difference among patterns of single-chain fragments, and completely differentiate Penis et testis origins from C. Nippon and C. elaphusL. RAPD-HPCE was based on the standard electropherograms to compute a control spectrum curve as similarity reference (R) among different samples. The similarity analysis indicated that there were significant inter-species differences among Penis et testis' adulterant or counterfeits. Both techniques provide a fast, simple, and accurate way to directly identify among inter-species or intra-species of Penis et testis.

Descriptive epidemiology of captive cervid herds in Michigan, USA.

PubMed

Bruning-Fann, C S; Shank, K L; Kaneene, J B

1997-01-01

A study was designed to determine the species composition, disease period prevalence, and utilization of preventive practices in captive cervid herds in Michigan. This is the first description of cervid farming in the United States. Data for the 12 months preceding the study were collected by means of a mail questionnaire conducted from March 3 through June 28, 1993. Completed questionnaires were returned by 228 of 362 (63%) farms. Study respondents reported ownership of a total of 4972 (80.9%) white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), 766 (12.5%) elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis), 284 (4.6%) fallow deer (Dama dama), 114 (1.9%) sika deer (Cervus nippon), 6 (0.1%) red deer (Cervus elaphus), 4 (< 0.1%) axis deer (Axis axis), and 2 (< 0.1%) caribou (Rangifer tarandus). The respondents provided disease data for 5493 captive cervids. The most frequent categories of illness in captive cervids (as determined by the period prevalence rates for the 12 months preceding the study) were injuries (1.9%), respiratory disorders (1.1%), foot and leg problems (1.0%), stress due to handling or transport (0.8%), and dystocia (0.8%). The most frequent causes of death were injuries (1.0%), respiratory disorders (0.8%), stress due to handling or transport (0.7%), and unknown causes (0.7%). Use of anthelmintics was reported by 173 of 219 (79%) farms. Only 13% [28/215] vaccinated their cervids. One hundred and fifty-nine of 219 farms reported having a veterinarian who provides cervid consultation. Services provided by these veterinarians include general consultation (58.5% [93/159]), treatment of injuries (27.7% [44/159]), anthelmintic administration (25.2% [40/159]), issuance of health certificates (19.5% [31/159]), diagnosis and treatment of illnesses (17.6% [28/159]), vaccination (13.8% [22/159]), disease diagnosis (treatment provided by farmer) (8.8% [14/159]), foot care (3.8% [6/159]), and other purposes (ie, necropsy, dystocia, antler removal) (11.3% [18/159]).

Individual differences, density dependence and offspring birth traits in a population of red deer

PubMed Central

Stopher, Katie V; Pemberton, Josephine M; Clutton-Brock, Tim H; Coulson, Tim

2008-01-01

Variation between individuals is an essential component of natural selection and evolutionary change, but it is only recently that the consequences of persistent differences between individuals on population dynamics have been considered. In particular, few authors have addressed whether interactions exist between individual quality and environmental variation. In part, this is due to the difficulties of collecting sufficient data, but also the challenge of defining individual quality. Using a long-established study population of red deer, Cervus elaphus, inhabiting the North Block of the Isle of Rum, and three quality measures, this paper investigates how differences in maternal quality affect variation in birth body mass and date, as population density varies, and how this differs depending on the sex of the offspring and the maternal quality measure used. Significant interactions between maternal quality, measured as a hind's total contribution to population growth, and population density are reported for birth mass, but only for male calves. Analyses using dominance or age at primiparity to define maternal quality showed no significant interactions with population density, highlighting the difficulties of defining a consistent measure of individual quality. PMID:18522909

Avoiding Toxic Levels of Essential Minerals: A Forgotten Factor in Deer Diet Preferences

PubMed Central

Ceacero, Francisco; Landete-Castillejos, Tomás; Olguín, Augusto; Miranda, María; García, Andrés; Martínez, Alberto; Cassinello, Jorge; Miguel, Valentín; Gallego, Laureano

2015-01-01

Ungulates select diets with high energy, protein, and sodium contents. However, it is scarcely known the influence of essential minerals other than Na in diet preferences. Moreover, almost no information is available about the possible influence of toxic levels of essential minerals on avoidance of certain plant species. The aim of this research was to test the relative importance of mineral content of plants in diet selection by red deer (Cervus elaphus) in an annual basis. We determined mineral, protein and ash content in 35 common Mediterranean plant species (the most common ones in the study area). These plant species were previously classified as preferred and non-preferred. We found that deer preferred plants with low contents of Ca, Mg, K, P, S, Cu, Sr and Zn. The model obtained was greatly accurate identifying the preferred plant species (91.3% of correct assignments). After a detailed analysis of these minerals (considering deficiencies and toxicity levels both in preferred and non-preferred plants) we suggest that the avoidance of excessive sulphur in diet (i.e., selection for plants with low sulphur content) seems to override the maximization for other nutrients. Low sulphur content seems to be a forgotten factor with certain relevance for explaining diet selection in deer. Recent studies in livestock support this conclusion, which is highlighted here for the first time in diet selection by a wild large herbivore. Our results suggest that future studies should also take into account the toxicity levels of minerals as potential drivers of preferences. PMID:25615596

Avoiding toxic levels of essential minerals: a forgotten factor in deer diet preferences.

PubMed

Ceacero, Francisco; Landete-Castillejos, Tomás; Olguín, Augusto; Miranda, María; García, Andrés; Martínez, Alberto; Cassinello, Jorge; Miguel, Valentín; Gallego, Laureano

2015-01-01

Ungulates select diets with high energy, protein, and sodium contents. However, it is scarcely known the influence of essential minerals other than Na in diet preferences. Moreover, almost no information is available about the possible influence of toxic levels of essential minerals on avoidance of certain plant species. The aim of this research was to test the relative importance of mineral content of plants in diet selection by red deer (Cervus elaphus) in an annual basis. We determined mineral, protein and ash content in 35 common Mediterranean plant species (the most common ones in the study area). These plant species were previously classified as preferred and non-preferred. We found that deer preferred plants with low contents of Ca, Mg, K, P, S, Cu, Sr and Zn. The model obtained was greatly accurate identifying the preferred plant species (91.3% of correct assignments). After a detailed analysis of these minerals (considering deficiencies and toxicity levels both in preferred and non-preferred plants) we suggest that the avoidance of excessive sulphur in diet (i.e., selection for plants with low sulphur content) seems to override the maximization for other nutrients. Low sulphur content seems to be a forgotten factor with certain relevance for explaining diet selection in deer. Recent studies in livestock support this conclusion, which is highlighted here for the first time in diet selection by a wild large herbivore. Our results suggest that future studies should also take into account the toxicity levels of minerals as potential drivers of preferences.

Effect of sex-sorting and cryopreservation on the post-thaw sperm quality of Iberian red deer spermatozoa.

PubMed

Anel-López, L; García-Álvarez, O; Parrilla, I; Del Olmo, D; Maroto-Morales, A; Fernandez-Santos, M R; Ortiz, J A; Soler, A J; Martínez, E M; Vazquez, J M; Garde, J J

2017-02-01

This study investigated the effect of sex-sorting and cryopreservation on post-thaw characteristics and fertility of red deer (Cervus elaphus) sperm for the first time. Semen was collected by electroejaculation from 10 mature stags during the breeding season, and each ejaculate split into four experimental groups: Bulk sorted spermatozoa, sorted but not sexed (BSS); sorted high purity X-spermatozoa (XSS); sorted high purity Y-spermatozoa (YSS); and, control non-sorted spermatozoa (NS). Following, all samples were frozen over liquid nitrogen. Two straws per stag and sample type were analyzed immediately post-thaw and following a 2-h incubation period at 37 °C. Post-thaw total motility (TM) as assessed by CASA was not different (P < 0.05) among NS, BSS and YSS sperm. For XSS, post-thaw TM was lower (39%, P < 0.05) than that for NS (54%) or BSS (50%), but similar (P > 0.05) to that of YSS (47%) sperm. The percentage of apoptotic spermatozoa as assessed by PI/YO-PRO-1 and flow cytometry analysis, was higher (17%, P ≤ 0.05) for XSS sperm than NS (12%), BSS (13%) and YSS (14%) sperm. Following incubation there were no differences (P > 0.05) in TM or percent apoptosis among treatments. Post-thaw chromatin stability calculated as the DNA fragmentation index (%DFI) was similar among treatments; following incubation %DFI increased in all except YSS, which displayed the lowest value (P < 0.05). Artificial insemination of synchronized hinds yielded 44, 52 and 62% delivery rates for YSS, NS and standard frozen-thawed sperm, respectively (P < 0.05). Notably, 93 and 55% of fawns born were males for the YSS and NS spermatozoa, respectively (P < 0.05). In summary, Y-sorted sperm displayed acceptable post-thaw sperm evaluation parameters and the expected offspring sex ratio. More studies are needed to understand the source of sperm damage that may compromise the fertility of Y-sorted red deer sperm. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Bohr effect and temperature sensitivity of hemoglobins from highland and lowland deer mice.

PubMed

Jensen, Birgitte; Storz, Jay F; Fago, Angela

2016-05-01

An important means of physiological adaptation to environmental hypoxia is an increased oxygen (O2) affinity of the hemoglobin (Hb) that can help secure high O2 saturation of arterial blood. However, the trade-off associated with a high Hb-O2 affinity is that it can compromise O2 unloading in the systemic capillaries. High-altitude deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) have evolved an increased Hb-O2 affinity relative to lowland conspecifics, but it is not known whether they have also evolved compensatory mechanisms to facilitate O2 unloading to respiring tissues. Here we investigate the effects of pH (Bohr effect) and temperature on the O2-affinity of high- and low-altitude deer mouse Hb variants, as these properties can potentially facilitate O2 unloading to metabolizing tissues. Our experiments revealed that Bohr factors for the high- and low-altitude Hb variants are very similar in spite of the differences in O2-affinity. The Bohr factors of deer mouse Hbs are also comparable to those of other mammalian Hbs. In contrast, the high- and low-altitude variants of deer mouse Hb exhibited similarly low temperature sensitivities that were independent of red blood cell anionic cofactors, suggesting an appreciable endothermic allosteric transition upon oxygenation. In conclusion, high-altitude deer mice have evolved an adaptive increase in Hb-O2 affinity, but this is not associated with compensatory changes in sensitivity to changes in pH or temperature. Instead, it appears that the elevated Hb-O2 affinity in high-altitude deer mice is compensated by an associated increase in the tissue diffusion capacity of O2 (via increased muscle capillarization), which promotes O2 unloading. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Non-Destructive Method for Distinguishing Reindeer Antler (Rangifer tarandus) from Red Deer Antler (Cervus elaphus) Using X-Ray Micro-Tomography Coupled with SVM Classifiers

PubMed Central

Lefebvre, Alexandre; Rochefort, Gael Y.; Santos, Frédéric; Le Denmat, Dominique; Salmon, Benjamin; Pétillon, Jean-Marc

2016-01-01

Over the last decade, biomedical 3D-imaging tools have gained widespread use in the analysis of prehistoric bone artefacts. While initial attempts to characterise the major categories used in osseous industry (i.e. bone, antler, and dentine/ivory) have been successful, the taxonomic determination of prehistoric artefacts remains to be investigated. The distinction between reindeer and red deer antler can be challenging, particularly in cases of anthropic and/or taphonomic modifications. In addition to the range of destructive physicochemical identification methods available (mass spectrometry, isotopic ratio, and DNA analysis), X-ray micro-tomography (micro-CT) provides convincing non-destructive 3D images and analyses. This paper presents the experimental protocol (sample scans, image processing, and statistical analysis) we have developed in order to identify modern and archaeological antler collections (from Isturitz, France). This original method is based on bone microstructure analysis combined with advanced statistical support vector machine (SVM) classifiers. A combination of six microarchitecture biomarkers (bone volume fraction, trabecular number, trabecular separation, trabecular thickness, trabecular bone pattern factor, and structure model index) were screened using micro-CT in order to characterise internal alveolar structure. Overall, reindeer alveoli presented a tighter mesh than red deer alveoli, and statistical analysis allowed us to distinguish archaeological antler by species with an accuracy of 96%, regardless of anatomical location on the antler. In conclusion, micro-CT combined with SVM classifiers proves to be a promising additional non-destructive method for antler identification, suitable for archaeological artefacts whose degree of human modification and cultural heritage or scientific value has previously made it impossible (tools, ornaments, etc.). PMID:26901355

Oocyte holding in the Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus): Effect of initial oocyte quality and epidermal growth factor addition on in vitro maturation.

PubMed

Macías-García, B; González-Fernández, L; Matilla, E; Hernández, N; Mijares, J; Sánchez-Margallo, F M

2018-02-01

Current in vitro embryo production protocols in the Iberian red deer (Cervus elaphus hispanicus) need to be optimized; oocyte harvesting in situ followed by overnight holding could reduce the human effort and shipping costs. In our work, post-mortem ovaries were retrieved, and the oocytes were harvested and allocated to G1 group (good quality) or G2 + G3 group (low quality). The oocytes were separately subjected to immediate in vitro maturation (IVM) or held overnight in a holding medium composed of 40% of TCM 199 with Earle's salts, 40% TCM 199 with Hanks' salts and 20% fetal bovine serum (FBS), at room temperature (16 hr). In vitro maturation was carried out in a basal medium supplemented or not with 50 ng/ml of epidermal growth factor (EGF). Our data showed that addition of EGF to the maturation medium increases the percentage of G1 oocytes reaching metaphase II (3.9% vs. 50%, basal vs. EGF; p < .001) and decreased their degeneration rate (69.9% vs. 22.2%, basal vs. EGF; p < .01) when oocytes were immediately matured. Overnight holding increased the meiotic competence of G1 oocytes (37.5% matured in basal medium) and EGF increased prophase arrest in G2 + G3 oocytes (16.1% vs. 38.8% in germinal vesicle [GV] stage in basal medium vs. EGF added medium; p < .05). Our data demonstrate that oocyte holding can be used in Iberian red deer oocytes. Interestingly, EGF addition increases the oocytes' meiotic competence in immediately matured oocytes but not after oocyte holding depending upon initial oocyte quality. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Epizoochorous dispersal by ungulates depends on fur, grooming and social interactions.

PubMed

Liehrmann, Océane; Jégoux, Flore; Guilbert, Marie-Alice; Isselin-Nondedeu, Francis; Saïd, Sonia; Locatelli, Yann; Baltzinger, Christophe

2018-02-01

The transport phase of the animal-mediated plant dispersal process is critical to dispersal effectiveness as it determines the spatial distribution of the diaspores released and their chance for further recruitment. Assessing this specific phase of the dispersal process generally requires combining diaspore retention times with the associated distances covered. Here, we specifically tested the effect of grooming behavior, interindividual contacts and ungulate fur on diaspore retention times and associated dispersal distances for the hooked diaspores of Xanthium strumarium L. experimentally attached to tamed individuals of three ungulate species. We used a comparative approach based on differing fur quality on different body zones of these three ungulates. During 6-hr sessions, we monitored for grooming and social interactions that may induce intended or inadvertent diaspore detachment. Additionally, we proposed innovative approaches to directly assessing diaspore dispersal distances by red deer in situ. Fat-tailed functions fitted diaspore retention time, highlighting the potential for long-distance dispersal events. The longer the hair, the higher the retention capacity of diaspores in the animal's fur. As predicted, donkey retained diaspores longer than red deer and dwarf goat; and we also confirmed that diaspores attached to the short hair of the head fell off more quickly than did those on the other body zones. Dwarf goat groomed more often than both red deer and donkey, but also when it carried diaspores. Up to 14% of the diaspores detached from animal fur after specific grooming behavior. We observed, in controlled conditions, for the first time and for each ungulate species, interindividual transfers of diaspores, representing 5% of the diaspores attached to animals' fur. Our results militate for incorporating animal behavior into plant dispersal modeling approaches.

What does testosterone do for red deer males?

PubMed Central

Malo, A.F.; Roldan, E.R.S.; Garde, J.J.; Soler, A.J.; Vicente, J.; Gortazar, C.; Gomendio, M.

2008-01-01

Testosterone has been proposed to have a dual effect, enhancing sexual traits while depressing parasite resistance in males. Here, we test this hypothesis in red deer, examining males from captive populations during the whole annual cycle and males from natural populations during the breeding season. We first explored the effects of body size, age and sampling date on testosterone to avoid confounding effects. Our results show that in captive populations seasonal changes in testosterone levels were mirrored by changes in testes size, and that during the rut there was a strong correlation between both. In natural populations, males with higher testosterone levels had larger testes, improved sperm quality, smaller burr diameter, stronger antlers, higher haematocrit levels, and increased nematode parasite load. By contrast, no significant relationship was found between testosterone and spleen size or tick parasite load. We conclude that testosterone (i) improves males' reproductive investment and physical stamina, (ii) improves antler strength but reduces burr diameter, and (iii) imposes a cost in terms of depressed parasite resistance. PMID:19129132

Isolation and characterisation of obligately anaerobic, lipolytic bacteria from the rumen of red deer.

PubMed

Jarvis, G N; Strömpl, C; Moore, E R; Thiele, J H

1998-03-01

Two Gram-positive, obligately anaerobic, lipolytic bacteria, isolates LIP4 and LIP5, were obtained from the rumen contents of juvenile red deer. These mesophilic bacterial strains were capable of hydrolysing the neutral lipids, tallow, tripalmitin and oliver oil, into their constituent free long-chain fatty acid and glycerol moieties. The latter compound was dissimilated by both isolates, with isolate LIP4 producing propionate as the predominant product, while isolate LIP5 produced acetate, ethanol and succinate. The lactate-utilising isolate LIP4 grew on a limited range of saccharide substrates including glucose, fructose and ribose, and exhibited an unusual cell wall structure and morphology. The isolate LIP5 grew upon a wider range of saccharides, but was unable to use lactate as a substrate. Based upon phenotypic and 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses, isolate LIP4 clusters with species in the genus Propionibacterium, while isolate LIP5 is a member of clostridial cluster XIVa.

An assessment of zoonotic and production limiting pathogens in rusa deer (Cervus timorensis rusa) from Mauritius.

PubMed

Jori, F; Godfroid, J; Michel, A L; Potts, A D; Jaumally, M R; Sauzier, J; Roger, M

2014-08-01

A population of approximately 70,000 rusa deer (Cervus timorensis russa) represents the most important mammal species reared for food on the island of Mauritius, being the main source of red meat for the local population. However, very limited information is available on the circulation of pathogens affecting the productivity and health of this species. To produce baseline data on the circulation of infectious pathogens in rusa deer under production, a serological survey and/or direct pathogen detection for six selected infectious diseases was undertaken in 2007 in a sample of 53% of the herds reared in semi-free-ranging conditions in hunting estates. Seropositive results were recorded for Johne's disease with an indirect ELISA test (1.7%, n = 351), heartwater with an immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) (95.5%, n = 178) and leptospirosis with a Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) (25.9%, n = 363). Significant associations were found between seroprevalence to some of the leptospiral serogroups detected (Tarassovi, Pomona, Sejroe and Mini) and age of the animals, animal density or location of the estates (being more prevalent in hotter and more humid areas). In addition, Mycobacterium bovis and M. avium subspecies paratuberculosis were confirmed in two deer carcasses by culture and PCR, respectively. No antibodies against Brucella spp. nor Rift Valley Fever virus were detected with the use of respective indirect ELISA's. The results obtained suggest that the population of rusa deer from Mauritius is exposed to a wide range of pathogens which may affect their productivity. In addition, the results highlight the potential public health risks incurred by deer industry workers and consumers. This survey fills an important gap in knowledge regarding the health of tropical deer meat in Mauritius and justifies the need to implement more regular surveys of selected pathogens in the deer population. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Description and Evaluation of the Cultural Resources within Mathews Canyon and Pine Canyon, Lincoln County, Nevada. Cultural Resources Report. Appendix,

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-09-30

U cm. (Fire cracked rock, charcoal). 28. Burials 29. Artifacts White chert scraper, obsidian biface; broken tool blanks. Flakes: obsidian , core...mostly obsidian ; 1 red chert. 30. Remarks Deer tracks & trail; horse manure; rabbit. 31. Published references 32. Accession No. __________33. Sketch map...Burials 29. Artifacts Dozens of flakes: chert, obsidian , chalcedony, basalt chert is various colors; obsidian core, red chert biface obsidian drill

Incidence of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli strains in beef, pork, chicken, deer, boar, bison, and rabbit retail meat.

PubMed

Magwedere, Kudakwashe; Dang, Huu Anh; Mills, Edward W; Cutter, Catherine N; Roberts, Elisabeth L; DeBroy, Chitrita

2013-03-01

The objective of the current study was to determine the incidence of contamination by the top 7 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O-groups, responsible for the majority of E. coli infections in human beings, in retail meat from different animal species. Samples from ground beef (n = 51), ground pork (n = 16), ground chicken (n = 16), and game meat (deer, wild boar, bison, and rabbit; n = 55) were collected from retail vendors for the detection of 7 STEC O-groups (O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, O145, and O157). Meat samples were tested by using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction assay targeting the wzx gene of O antigen gene clusters of the 7 STEC O-groups. The positive samples were further tested for Shiga toxin genes (stx1 and stx2). Out of a total of 83 ground beef, pork, and chicken samples, 17 (20%) carried O121, 9 (10%) carried O45, 8 (9%) carried O157, 3 (3%) carried O103, and 1 (1%) carried O145. None of the samples were positive for O26, O111, or the stx gene. All 3 white-tailed deer samples (100%) were positive for O45, O103, or both, 2 (10%) out of 20 red deer samples exhibited the presence of O103, and all 3 bison samples were contaminated with either O121, O145, or O157. One sample from ground deer, contaminated with E. coli O45, carried the stx1 gene. This preliminary investigation illustrates the importance of microbiological testing of pathogens in meat products, as well as the recognized need for increased surveillance and research on foodborne pathogens.

50 CFR 32.68 - West Virginia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... rabbit, snowshoe hare, red fox, gray fox, bobcat, woodchuck, coyote, opossum, striped skunk, and raccoon... season. The gun bear season begins the Monday following the antlerless deer season. D. Sport Fishing..., chest, and back while walking to and from tree stands or blinds. D. Sport Fishing. We allow sport...

50 CFR 32.68 - West Virginia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... rabbit, snowshoe hare, red fox, gray fox, bobcat, woodchuck, coyote, opossum, striped skunk, and raccoon... season. The gun bear season begins the Monday following the antlerless deer season. D. Sport Fishing..., chest, and back while walking to and from tree stands or blinds. D. Sport Fishing. We allow sport...

50 CFR 32.68 - West Virginia.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... rabbit, snowshoe hare, red fox, gray fox, bobcat, woodchuck, coyote, opossum, striped skunk, and raccoon... season. The gun bear season begins the Monday following the antlerless deer season. D. Sport Fishing..., chest, and back while walking to and from tree stands or blinds. D. Sport Fishing. We allow sport...

A Competency-Based Technical Training Model That Embraces Learning Flexibility and Rewards Competency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yasinski, Lee

2014-01-01

Today's adult learners are continuously searching for successful programs with added learner flexibility, a positive learning experience, and the best education for their investment. Red Deer College's unique competency based welder apprenticeship training model fulfills this desire for many adult learners.

Molecular identification of Theileria parasites of northwestern Chinese Cervidae

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Theileria and Babesia protozoan parasites are transmitted mainly by tick vectors. These parasites cause heavy economic losses to the live-stock industry, as well as affecting the health of wild animals in parasite-endemic areas. Identification of infectious agents in wild animals is not only crucial for species preservation, but also provides valuable information on parasite epidemiology. Here, we conducted a molecular surveillance study in Northwestern China to assess the prevalence of blood pathogens in cervids. Methods PCR analysis and microscopic evaluation of blood smears to detect Theileria- and Babesia-related diseases in Cervidae were conducted, in which 22 blood samples from red deer (n = 22) in Qilian Mountain and 20 from sika deer (n = 20) in Long Mountain were collected and tested for the presence of Theileria and Babesia. The 18S rRNA gene was amplified, and selected polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive samples were sequenced for species identification. Results PCR revealed that 9.1% of the Qilian Mountain samples and 20% of the Long Mountain samples were positive for Theileria uilenbergi; 90.09% of the Qilian Mountain samples (n = 22) were positive for T. capreoli, but all of the Long Mountain samples (n = 20) were negative for T. capreoli; no other Theileria or Babesia species were found. PCR showed that T. uilenbergi and T. capreoli were present in red deer in Qilian Mountain, while only T. uilenbergi was found in sika Deer in Long Mountain. The 18S rRNA gene sequences were aligned against the corresponding GenBank sequences of known isolates of Theileria and Babesia and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic tree showed that the newly isolated Theileria spp. could be classified as belonging to two clades: one group belonged to the same clade as T. uilenbergi, the other to a clade containing T. capreoli. Conclusions Our results provide important data to increase understanding of the epidemiology of Cervidae theileriosis, and will assist with the implementation of measures to control theileriosis transmission to Cervidae and small ruminants in central China. PMID:24885179

Molecular identification of Theileria parasites of northwestern Chinese Cervidae.

PubMed

Li, Youquan; Chen, Ze; Liu, Zhijie; Liu, Junlong; Yang, Jifei; Li, Qian; Li, Yaqiong; Cen, Shuangqing; Guan, Guiquan; Ren, Qiaoyun; Luo, Jianxun; Yin, Hong

2014-05-14

Theileria and Babesia protozoan parasites are transmitted mainly by tick vectors. These parasites cause heavy economic losses to the live-stock industry, as well as affecting the health of wild animals in parasite-endemic areas. Identification of infectious agents in wild animals is not only crucial for species preservation, but also provides valuable information on parasite epidemiology. Here, we conducted a molecular surveillance study in Northwestern China to assess the prevalence of blood pathogens in cervids. PCR analysis and microscopic evaluation of blood smears to detect Theileria- and Babesia-related diseases in Cervidae were conducted, in which 22 blood samples from red deer (n = 22) in Qilian Mountain and 20 from sika deer (n = 20) in Long Mountain were collected and tested for the presence of Theileria and Babesia. The 18S rRNA gene was amplified, and selected polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-positive samples were sequenced for species identification. PCR revealed that 9.1% of the Qilian Mountain samples and 20% of the Long Mountain samples were positive for Theileria uilenbergi; 90.09% of the Qilian Mountain samples (n = 22) were positive for T. capreoli, but all of the Long Mountain samples (n = 20) were negative for T. capreoli; no other Theileria or Babesia species were found. PCR showed that T. uilenbergi and T. capreoli were present in red deer in Qilian Mountain, while only T. uilenbergi was found in sika Deer in Long Mountain. The 18S rRNA gene sequences were aligned against the corresponding GenBank sequences of known isolates of Theileria and Babesia and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic tree showed that the newly isolated Theileria spp. could be classified as belonging to two clades: one group belonged to the same clade as T. uilenbergi, the other to a clade containing T. capreoli. Our results provide important data to increase understanding of the epidemiology of Cervidae theileriosis, and will assist with the implementation of measures to control theileriosis transmission to Cervidae and small ruminants in central China.

High seroprevalence of toxoplasma gondii in Elk (Cervus canadensis) of the Central Appalachians, USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Toxoplasma gondii is an important protozoan parasite of mammals that impacts animal health and behavior. Although this parasite has been documented in several cervid species, including red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Europe, little is known about T. gondii impacts on the closely related North American ...

The impact of disease on wildlife populations

USGS Publications Warehouse

Herman, C.M.

1969-01-01

It is postulated that disease is a product of adverse habitats. Overpopulation causes overutilization of food supplies, which results in malnutrition and a decrease in resistance to diseases. Examples of such ecological relationships in populations of Canada geese, California quail, red grouse, deer, rabbits, voles, mice and lemmings are presented.

A multivariate analysis of genetic constraints to life history evolution in a wild population of red deer.

PubMed

Walling, Craig A; Morrissey, Michael B; Foerster, Katharina; Clutton-Brock, Tim H; Pemberton, Josephine M; Kruuk, Loeske E B

2014-12-01

Evolutionary theory predicts that genetic constraints should be widespread, but empirical support for their existence is surprisingly rare. Commonly applied univariate and bivariate approaches to detecting genetic constraints can underestimate their prevalence, with important aspects potentially tractable only within a multivariate framework. However, multivariate genetic analyses of data from natural populations are challenging because of modest sample sizes, incomplete pedigrees, and missing data. Here we present results from a study of a comprehensive set of life history traits (juvenile survival, age at first breeding, annual fecundity, and longevity) for both males and females in a wild, pedigreed, population of red deer (Cervus elaphus). We use factor analytic modeling of the genetic variance-covariance matrix ( G: ) to reduce the dimensionality of the problem and take a multivariate approach to estimating genetic constraints. We consider a range of metrics designed to assess the effect of G: on the deflection of a predicted response to selection away from the direction of fastest adaptation and on the evolvability of the traits. We found limited support for genetic constraint through genetic covariances between traits, both within sex and between sexes. We discuss these results with respect to other recent findings and to the problems of estimating these parameters for natural populations. Copyright © 2014 Walling et al.

A Multivariate Analysis of Genetic Constraints to Life History Evolution in a Wild Population of Red Deer

PubMed Central

Walling, Craig A.; Morrissey, Michael B.; Foerster, Katharina; Clutton-Brock, Tim H.; Pemberton, Josephine M.; Kruuk, Loeske E. B.

2014-01-01

Evolutionary theory predicts that genetic constraints should be widespread, but empirical support for their existence is surprisingly rare. Commonly applied univariate and bivariate approaches to detecting genetic constraints can underestimate their prevalence, with important aspects potentially tractable only within a multivariate framework. However, multivariate genetic analyses of data from natural populations are challenging because of modest sample sizes, incomplete pedigrees, and missing data. Here we present results from a study of a comprehensive set of life history traits (juvenile survival, age at first breeding, annual fecundity, and longevity) for both males and females in a wild, pedigreed, population of red deer (Cervus elaphus). We use factor analytic modeling of the genetic variance–covariance matrix (G) to reduce the dimensionality of the problem and take a multivariate approach to estimating genetic constraints. We consider a range of metrics designed to assess the effect of G on the deflection of a predicted response to selection away from the direction of fastest adaptation and on the evolvability of the traits. We found limited support for genetic constraint through genetic covariances between traits, both within sex and between sexes. We discuss these results with respect to other recent findings and to the problems of estimating these parameters for natural populations. PMID:25278555

Quaternary geology and geomorphology of the Dinosaur Provincial Park area and surrounding plains, Alberta, Canada: the identification of former glacial lobes, drainage diversions and meltwater flood tracks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, David J. A.

2000-06-01

The Quaternary geology and geomorphology of the lower Red Deer River drainage basin, centred on the Dinosaur Provincial Park badlands, provides information on pre-Late Wisconsinan drainage patterns and the dynamics of former lobes of the Laurentide Ice Sheet in western Canada. Patterns of deglaciation, proglacial lake evolution and spillway incision are also reconstructed based upon the distribution of surface materials and glacial/glaciofluvial landforms. The Empress Group fluvial and glaciolacustrine sediments, which could be as young as 27 ka BP, infill the precursor Red Deer River and its tributaries and document the initial advance of glacier ice into southern Alberta. Glaciotectonic disturbance of older sediments and bedrock, the production of deformation tills and the construction of a megafluting complex and cupola hills record the advances of a glacier lobe centred over the study area. Stratified inter- and intra-till beds record pulses of subglacial meltwater between phases of subsole deformation. The thickening of tills towards the margin of the lobe represents a till wedge, an expected product of sediment advection by glaciers moving over deformable beds. The eastern margin of the glacier lobe is demarcated by the interlobate Suffield hummocky moraine belt which contains overprinted thrust ridges, which record diachronous oscillations of neighbouring lobes within the ice sheet. Proglacial and glaciofluvial sediments were deposited in the area in association with proglacial Lake Bassano/Patricia, which drained eastwards when the Suffield moraine was dissected by spillways. Changes in the size of glacial lake Bassano/Patricia are clearly documented by a sequence of spillway incisions which culminated in the erosion of scabland topography and the initiation of a new course for the Red Deer River, a 15 km southward diversion of the main channel. In distinct contrast to the documented incision histories of other small rivers in Alberta, One Tree Creek and Little Sandhill Creek did not start major incisions of the Quaternary sediments over buried valley positions until the late-Holocene when environmental conditions were characterized by higher precipitation.

Analysis of Annual Changes in the Concentrations of Selected Macro- and Microelements, Thyroxine, and Testosterone in the Serum of Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) Stags.

PubMed

Kuba, J; Błaszczyk, B; Stankiewicz, T; Skuratko, A; Udała, J

2015-12-01

The aim of the study was to analyze seasonal changes in the concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and selenium as well as thyroxine and testosterone in adult red deer stags. The highest testosterone concentrations (mean 6.29±4.36 ng/ml) were observed from the end of August to November, confirming an increase in testicular secretory activity during the mating season. The changes in thyroxine concentration show circannual rhythms, most likely related to changes in the air temperature. The highest mean level of thyroxine was observed in spring (55.69±10.99 ng/ml). The concentration of selenium also reached the highest level during this season (0.107±0.027 μg/ml). In the case of the studied macroelements, the concentrations were stable from spring to summer but then decreased to the lowest mean values in autumn in both years of the experiment (Ca, 61.17±10.60; P, 47.08±9.59; Mg, 15.96±2.39 μg/ml). The dynamics of thyroxine secretion does not seem to affect directly the metabolism of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. In turn, sexual activity, manifested in the increase in secretion of testosterone, may affect changes in the concentration of calcium. Additionally, we cannot exclude a connection between changes in the concentrations of testosterone and selenium.

Molecular and biological characteristics of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from wildlife in France.

PubMed

Aubert, D; Ajzenberg, D; Richomme, C; Gilot-Fromont, E; Terrier, M E; de Gevigney, C; Game, Y; Maillard, D; Gibert, P; Dardé, M L; Villena, I

2010-08-04

Toxoplasma gondii isolates have been classified into 3 genetic types. Little is known about genotypes of T. gondii isolates in wild animals in Europe. In this report, genotypes of T. gondii isolates from wildlife in France are described. Sera from wildlife were tested for antibodies to T. gondii with the modified agglutination test, and the hearts from animals with titers superior or equal to 1:6 were bioassayed individually in mice. T.gondii was isolated from 9 of 14 seropositive red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), 12 of 33 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 1 of 4 deer (Cervus elaphus), 1 of 7 mouflons (Ovis gmelini musimon) and 1 of 2 common mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). No isolate was obtained by bioassay in mice of 1 fallow deer (Dama dama) and of 3 European brown hares (Lepus europaeus). Genotyping of the 24 isolates using PCR-RFLP and microsatellite markers indicated that all were type II and none of these Toxoplasma isolates was virulent for mice. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Wildlife-vehicle collisions in Croatia--a hazard for humans and animals.

PubMed

Sprem, Nikica; Duduković, Dejan; Keros, Tomislav; Konjević, Dean

2013-06-01

Wildlife-vehicle collisions (WVC) have increased and now there is a world-wide problem related to significant mortality of wildlife, habitat fragmentation, change in behavior and even disappearance of local endangered populations. Along with these deleterious effects on wildlife, WVC can also result in injuries and deaths of humans. During the three-year monitoring, a total of 7,495 wildlife-vehicle collisions were recorded, including mainly roe deer (73%), while other species were less frequently affected (wild boar--9%; brown hare--5%; and red deer and pheasant each with 4%). Incidence of wildlife-vehicle collisions were observed according to territorial distribution, seasonal and daily occurrence and type of road (total and per 1 km).

Factors affecting the ecology of tick-borne encephalitis in Slovenia.

PubMed

Knap, N; Avšič-Županc, T

2015-07-01

Recognition of factors that influence the formation of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) foci is important for assessing the risk of humans acquiring the viral infection and for establishing what can be done (within reasonable boundaries) to minimize that risk. In Slovenia, the dynamics of the TBE vector, i.e. Ixodes ricinus, was studied over a 4-year period and the prevalence of infection in ticks was established. Two groups of tick hosts were investigated: deer and small mammals. Red deer have been confirmed as having a direct influence on the incidence of TBE and rodents have been recognized as important sentinels for TBE infections, although their role in the enzootic cycle of the virus still remains to be elucidated. Last, forest and agricultural areas, which are influenced by human activity, are suitable habitats for ticks, and important for TBEV transmission and establishment. Human behaviour is also therefore an important factor and should always be considered in studies of TBE ecology.

Bovine Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) in Wildlife in Spain

PubMed Central

Aranaz, Alicia; de Juan, Lucía; Montero, Natalia; Sánchez, Celia; Galka, Margarita; Delso, Consuelo; Álvarez, Julio; Romero, Beatriz; Bezos, Javier; Vela, Ana I.; Briones, Victor; Mateos, Ana; Domínguez, Lucas

2004-01-01

Mycobacterium bovis infection in wildlife and feral species is a potential source of infection for livestock and a threat to protected and endangered species. The aim of this study was to identify Spanish wild animal species infected with M. bovis through bacteriological culture and spacer oligonucleotide typing (spoligotyping) of isolates for epidemiological purposes. This study included samples from red deer (Cervus elaphus), fallow deer (Dama dama), wild boar (Sus scrofa), Iberian lynx (Lynx pardina), hare (Lepus europaeus), and cattle (Bos taurus). They were collected in several geographical areas that were selected for their unique ecological value and/or known relationships between wildlife and livestock. In the areas included in this survey, M. bovis strains with the same spoligotyping pattern were found infecting several wild species and livestock, which indicates an epidemiological link. A locally predominant spoligotype was found in these areas. Better understanding of the transmission and distribution of disease in these populations will permit more precise targeting of control measures. PMID:15184440

Antimicrobial resistance in faecal Escherichia coli isolates from farmed red deer and wild small mammals. Detection of a multiresistant E. coli producing extended-spectrum beta-lactamase.

PubMed

Alonso, C A; González-Barrio, D; Tenorio, Carmen; Ruiz-Fons, F; Torres, C

2016-04-01

Eighty-nine Escherichia coli isolates recovered from faeces of red deer and small mammals, cohabiting the same area, were analyzed to determine the prevalence and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance and molecular typing. Antimicrobial resistance was detected in 6.7% of isolates, with resistances to tetracycline and quinolones being the most common. An E. coli strain carrying blaCTX-M-1 as well as other antibiotic resistant genes included in an unusual class 1 integron (Intl1-dfrA16-blaPSE-1-aadA2-cmlA1-aadA1-qacH-IS440-sul3-orf1-mef(B)Δ-IS26) was isolated from a deer. The blaCTX-M-1 gene was transferred by conjugation and transconjugants also acquired an IncN plasmid. This strain was typed as ST224, which seems to be well adapted to both clinical and environmental settings. The phylogenetic distribution of the 89 strains varied depending on the animal host. This work reveals low antimicrobial resistance levels among faecal E. coli from wild mammals, which reflects a lower selective pressure affecting these bacteria, compared to livestock. However, it is remarkable the detection of a multi-resistant ESBL-E. coli with an integron carrying clinically relevant antibiotic-resistance genes, which can contribute to the dissemination of resistance determinants among different ecosystems. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity of Bovine Tuberculosis Surveillance in Wildlife in France: A Scenario Tree Approach

PubMed Central

Rivière, Julie

2015-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a common disease in cattle and wildlife, with an impact on animal and human health, and economic implications. Infected wild animals have been detected in some European countries, and bTB reservoirs in wildlife have been identified, potentially hindering the eradication of bTB from cattle populations. However, the surveillance of bTB in wildlife involves several practical difficulties and is not currently covered by EU legislation. We report here the first assessment of the sensitivity of the bTB surveillance system for free-ranging wildlife launched in France in 2011 (the Sylvatub system), based on scenario tree modelling. Three surveillance system components were identified: (i) passive scanning surveillance for hunted wild boar, red deer and roe deer, based on carcass examination, (ii) passive surveillance on animals found dead, moribund or with abnormal behaviour, for wild boar, red deer, roe deer and badger and (iii) active surveillance for wild boar and badger. The application of these three surveillance system components depends on the geographic risk of bTB infection in wildlife, which in turn depends on the prevalence of bTB in cattle. We estimated the effectiveness of the three components of the Sylvatub surveillance system quantitatively, for each species separately. Active surveillance and passive scanning surveillance by carcass examination were the approaches most likely to detect at least one infected animal in a population with a given design prevalence, regardless of the local risk level and species considered. The awareness of hunters, which depends on their training and the geographic risk, was found to affect surveillance sensitivity. The results obtained are relevant for hunters and veterinary authorities wishing to determine the actual efficacy of wildlife bTB surveillance as a function of geographic area and species, and could provide support for decision-making processes concerning the enhancement of surveillance strategies. PMID:26517372

Sensitivity of Bovine Tuberculosis Surveillance in Wildlife in France: A Scenario Tree Approach.

PubMed

Rivière, Julie; Le Strat, Yann; Dufour, Barbara; Hendrikx, Pascal

2015-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a common disease in cattle and wildlife, with an impact on animal and human health, and economic implications. Infected wild animals have been detected in some European countries, and bTB reservoirs in wildlife have been identified, potentially hindering the eradication of bTB from cattle populations. However, the surveillance of bTB in wildlife involves several practical difficulties and is not currently covered by EU legislation. We report here the first assessment of the sensitivity of the bTB surveillance system for free-ranging wildlife launched in France in 2011 (the Sylvatub system), based on scenario tree modelling. Three surveillance system components were identified: (i) passive scanning surveillance for hunted wild boar, red deer and roe deer, based on carcass examination, (ii) passive surveillance on animals found dead, moribund or with abnormal behaviour, for wild boar, red deer, roe deer and badger and (iii) active surveillance for wild boar and badger. The application of these three surveillance system components depends on the geographic risk of bTB infection in wildlife, which in turn depends on the prevalence of bTB in cattle. We estimated the effectiveness of the three components of the Sylvatub surveillance system quantitatively, for each species separately. Active surveillance and passive scanning surveillance by carcass examination were the approaches most likely to detect at least one infected animal in a population with a given design prevalence, regardless of the local risk level and species considered. The awareness of hunters, which depends on their training and the geographic risk, was found to affect surveillance sensitivity. The results obtained are relevant for hunters and veterinary authorities wishing to determine the actual efficacy of wildlife bTB surveillance as a function of geographic area and species, and could provide support for decision-making processes concerning the enhancement of surveillance strategies.

The view from above: The potential of aerial surveillance in identifying CWD infected herds.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background/Introduction. Large mammals such as domestic cattle and red deer have been reported to align themselves with the magnetic North Pole. Since chronic wasting disease (CWD) affects the behavior of infected cervids, it may be possible to estimate the infection rate, at a herd level, by det...

The Power of Peers in Employee Assistance: A Unique Program for a Community College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hills, Marcia D.; And Others

1989-01-01

Describes the Red Deer College employee assistance program "Resources for Employee Assistance, Counselling and Health (REACH)" which has moved beyond this traditional approach to become an autonomous program run by employees for employees. Notes REACH is concerned with job performance and coping skills that contribute to individual and…

Towards Becoming a Values-Based Organization

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandes, Pauline J.; Stuber, Lorinda

2004-01-01

This paper describes the journey of a mid-size community college towards developing and institutionalizing a core set of values into the culture. The aim is to establish a common guidepost to integrate planning, decision-making and behaviour within the learning community of Red Deer College (RDC). Consultative process was used to engage staff and…

Endoparasites of Wild Mammals Sheltered in Wildlife Hospitals and Rehabilitation Centres in Greece

PubMed Central

Liatis, Theophanes K.; Monastiridis, Antonios A.; Birlis, Panagiotis; Prousali, Sophia; Diakou, Anastasia

2017-01-01

Wildlife parasitic diseases represent an important field of investigation as they may have a significant impact on wild animals’ health and fitness, and may also have zoonotic implications. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of endoparasites in wild mammals admitted to wildlife hospitals and rehabilitation centres in Greece. Sixty-five animals belonging to 17 species and originated from various areas of continental and insular Greece were included in the survey. The most numerous animal species examined were hedgehogs (n = 19), red foxes (n = 16), and European roe deer (n = 6). Faecal samples were collected individually and examined by floatation and sedimentation method. Parasites were found in 46 (70.7%) of the animals. Most parasites found in canids, felids, and ruminants are of great relevance to the domestic animals’ health and some of them are also of zoonotic importance. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first report of endoparasites in hedgehogs, roe deers, fallow deers, badgers, and bats, and the first report of the pulmonary nematode Troglostrongylus brevior in a wild cat in Greece. The significance of the parasites found in each animal species in regard to their health and their relevance to domestic animals and human health is discussed. PMID:29326954

Seasonal variation in concentrations of fiber, crude protein, and phenolic compounds in leaves of red alder (Alnus rubra): Nutritional implications for cervids

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gonzalez-Hernandez, M. P.; Starkey, Edward E.; Karchesy, J.

2000-01-01

We sought to determine whether changes in chemical composition could be a factor in increased utilization of red alder (Alnus rubra) by the two cervids, the Columbian black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) and Roosevelt elk (Cervus elaphus roosevelti), during the fall in parts of the Douglas fir region of the Pacific Northwest. We found that concentrations and astringency of phenolic compounds decreased from spring through fall, while crude protein content remained high. We conclude that red alder leaves provide a significant source of digestible protein for cervids during fall, when availability of nutrients in most forage species is generally declining.

Deer, predators, and the emergence of Lyme disease

PubMed Central

Levi, Taal; Kilpatrick, A. Marm; Mangel, Marc; Wilmers, Christopher C.

2012-01-01

Lyme disease is the most prevalent vector-borne disease in North America, and both the annual incidence and geographic range are increasing. The emergence of Lyme disease has been attributed to a century-long recovery of deer, an important reproductive host for adult ticks. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that Lyme disease risk may now be more dynamically linked to fluctuations in the abundance of small-mammal hosts that are thought to infect the majority of ticks. The continuing and rapid increase in Lyme disease over the past two decades, long after the recolonization of deer, suggests that other factors, including changes in the ecology of small-mammal hosts may be responsible for the continuing emergence of Lyme disease. We present a theoretical model that illustrates how reductions in small-mammal predators can sharply increase Lyme disease risk. We then show that increases in Lyme disease in the northeastern and midwestern United States over the past three decades are frequently uncorrelated with deer abundance and instead coincide with a range-wide decline of a key small-mammal predator, the red fox, likely due to expansion of coyote populations. Further, across four states we find poor spatial correlation between deer abundance and Lyme disease incidence, but coyote abundance and fox rarity effectively predict the spatial distribution of Lyme disease in New York. These results suggest that changes in predator communities may have cascading impacts that facilitate the emergence of zoonotic diseases, the vast majority of which rely on hosts that occupy low trophic levels. PMID:22711825

Copper deficiency and effects of copper supplementation in a herd of red deer (Cervus elaphus)

PubMed Central

Handeland, Kjell; Bernhoft, Aksel; Aartun, Magne S

2008-01-01

Copper (Cu) deficiency was diagnosed in a Norwegian red deer (Cervus elaphus) herd subsequent to deaths due to emaciation in late autumn 1999. The animals had free access to salt licks containing 3000 mg Cu/kg. An evaluation of the herd revealed poor calf growth rate, low weights of adult hinds, dull and light-coloured hair coats and cases of diarrhoea. The herd was subsequently monitored throughout a three-year period of Cu-supplementation. The monitoring regimen included clinical observation, copper serum examination, weighing, faecal parasitological examination, and reproduction control by ultrasound. During the period January 2000 to May 2001, the animals were treated with Cu oxid capsules (1 g CuO/10 kg liveweight) at 2–4 months intervals, with the exception of March to September 2000. The animals were fed continuously with Cu-enriched concentrates containing 300 mg Cu/kg, at a rate of 1/2 kg per head and day, from May 2001 to January 2003. Following both copper supplementation regimens adequate serum Cu concentrations were measured, and markedly improved body weights, coat quality and reproductive results were observed, except for the period from March to September 2000 when no treatment was given. The results showed that in a deer herd, with a diet low in Cu, supplementation with CuO capsules had to be given at intervals of a few months to maintain adequate serum Cu levels. Free access to Cu-containing salt licks did not meet the animals' Cu demand. Good and stable results were achieved by the daily feeding of Cu-enriched concentrates. PMID:18447913

Trap-induced mass declines in small mammals: Mass as a population index

Treesearch

Dean E. Pearson; Yvette K. Ortega; Leonard F. Ruggiero

2003-01-01

Body mass is routinely used as an index of physical condition for comparing small-mammal populations. However, trapping effects on animals may undermine the effectiveness of body mass as an index of population health. We examined the effects of live-trapping on body mass of 3 small-mammal species: deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), southern red-...

Host diversity begets parasite diversity: bird final hosts and trematodes in snail intermediate hosts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hechinger, R.F.; Lafferty, K.D.

2005-01-01

It is postulated that disease is a product of adverse habitats. Overpopulation causes overutilization of food supplies, which results in malnutrition and a decrease in resistance to diseases. Examples of such ecological relationships in populations of Canada geese, California quail, red grouse, deer, rabbits, voles, mice and lemmings are presented.

Milk drop due to leptospirosis in dairy cows.

PubMed

2015-03-07

Leptospiral milk drop in dairy cows. Pseudomonas aeruginosa mastitis in a cow. Systemic pasteurellosis in lambs. Encephalopathy due to water deprivation/salt poisoning suspected in weaned lambs. Biliary cystadenoma in a red deer hind. These are among matters discussed in the disease surveillance report for November 2014 from SAC Consulting: Veterinary Services (SAC C VS). British Veterinary Association.

Study of morphology, chemical, and amino acid composition of red deer meat.

PubMed

Okuskhanova, Eleonora; Assenova, Bahytkul; Rebezov, Maksim; Amirkhanov, Kumarbek; Yessimbekov, Zhanibek; Smolnikova, Farida; Nurgazezova, Almagul; Nurymkhan, Gulnur; Stuart, Marilyne

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate red deer (maral) meat quality based on chemical composition, pH, water-binding capacity (WBC), and amino acid content. Maral meat surface morphology measurements were obtained by scanning electron microscopy. Active acidity (pH) was determined by potentiometry. Samples were analyzed for WBC by exudation of moisture to a filter paper by the application of pressure. Chemical composition (moisture, protein, fat, and ash fractions) was obtained by drying at 150°C and by extraction, using ethylic ether, and ashing at 500-600°C. The amino acid composition was obtained by liquid chromatography. Maral meat, with a pH of 5.85 and an average moisture content of 76.82%, was found to be low in fat (2.26%). Its protein content was 18.71% while its ash content was 2.21%. The amino acid composition showed that lysine (9.85 g/100 g), threonine (5.38 g/100 g), and valine (5.84 g/100 g) predominated in maral meat, while phenylalanine (4.08 g/100 g), methionine (3.29 g/100 g), and tryptophan (0.94 g/100 g) were relatively low in maral meat compared to other meats. The average WBC was found to be 65.82% and WBC was found to inversely correlate with moisture content. Low-fat content, high mineral content, and balanced amino-acid composition qualify maral meat as a worthy dietary and functional food.

Study of morphology, chemical, and amino acid composition of red deer meat

PubMed Central

Okuskhanova, Eleonora; Assenova, Bahytkul; Rebezov, Maksim; Amirkhanov, Kumarbek; Yessimbekov, Zhanibek; Smolnikova, Farida; Nurgazezova, Almagul; Nurymkhan, Gulnur; Stuart, Marilyne

2017-01-01

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate red deer (maral) meat quality based on chemical composition, pH, water-binding capacity (WBC), and amino acid content. Materials and Methods: Maral meat surface morphology measurements were obtained by scanning electron microscopy. Active acidity (pH) was determined by potentiometry. Samples were analyzed for WBC by exudation of moisture to a filter paper by the application of pressure. Chemical composition (moisture, protein, fat, and ash fractions) was obtained by drying at 150°C and by extraction, using ethylic ether, and ashing at 500-600°C. The amino acid composition was obtained by liquid chromatography. Results: Maral meat, with a pH of 5.85 and an average moisture content of 76.82%, was found to be low in fat (2.26%). Its protein content was 18.71% while its ash content was 2.21%. The amino acid composition showed that lysine (9.85 g/100 g), threonine (5.38 g/100 g), and valine (5.84 g/100 g) predominated in maral meat, while phenylalanine (4.08 g/100 g), methionine (3.29 g/100 g), and tryptophan (0.94 g/100 g) were relatively low in maral meat compared to other meats. The average WBC was found to be 65.82% and WBC was found to inversely correlate with moisture content. Conclusion: Low-fat content, high mineral content, and balanced amino-acid composition qualify maral meat as a worthy dietary and functional food. PMID:28717313

Response of red deer stags ( Cervus elaphus) to playback of harsh versus common roars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, Maxime; Wyman, Megan T.; Charlton, Benjamin D.; Tecumseh Fitch, W.; Reby, David

2014-10-01

Red deer stags ( Cervus elaphus) give two distinct types of roars during the breeding season, the "common roar" and the "harsh roar." Harsh roars are more frequent during contexts of intense competition, and characterized by a set of features that increase their perceptual salience, suggesting that they signal heightened arousal. While common roars have been shown to encode size information and mediate both male competition and female choice, to our knowledge, the specific function of harsh roars during male competition has not yet been studied. Here, we investigate the hypothesis that the specific structure of male harsh roars signals high arousal to competitors. We contrast the behavioral responses of free ranging, harem-holding stags to the playback of harsh roars from an unfamiliar competitor with their response to the playback of common roars from the same animal. We show that males react less strongly to sequences of harsh roars than to sequences of common roars, possibly because they are reluctant to escalate conflicts with highly motivated and threatening unfamiliar males in the absence of visual information. While future work should investigate the response of stags to harsh roars from familiar opponents, our observations remain consistent with the hypothesis that harsh roars may signal motivation during male competition, and illustrate how intrasexual selection can contribute to the diversification of male vocal signals.

Colour and oxidative stability of mince produced from fresh and frozen/thawed fallow deer (Dama dama) meat.

PubMed

Chakanya, Chido; Arnaud, Elodie; Muchenje, Voster; Hoffman, Louwrens C

2017-04-01

Colour and oxidative stability of minced meat from fresh and frozen/thawed fallow deer was investigated. For the seven fallow deer harvested, half of the meat was minced fresh and half was frozen (-20°C) for 2months under vacuum prior to grinding. Surface colour attributes, myoglobin content and surface redox forms, pH and lipid oxidation of the mince were measured during eight days of display storage. Proximate composition was determined in mince on day 0, fatty acid composition on day 0 and 8. Freezing had no effect on the proximate composition or fatty acid composition of the mince. Frozen meat mince had lower (P≤0.05) total myoglobin content but higher (P≤0.05) decrease in redness (a*) during display storage, higher (P≤0.05) accumulation of metmyoglobin at the surface from day 2 and higher (P≤0.05) TBARS values. Results showed shorter colour and oxidative stability for frozen meat mince as compared to mince from fresh meat. Display storage however did not affect fatty acid composition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radionuclide uptake by red deer (Cervus elaphus) on mountain grazing.

PubMed

McGee, E J; Synnott, H J; O'Keefe, C; Colgan, P A

1995-01-01

Forty-two red deer (Cervus elaphus) were shot during the 1992 annual cull in Glenveagh National Park, Ireland. Samples of rumen, kidney and faeces were removed from each animal. Kidney samples were used to estimate flesh radiocaesium (137Cs) concentrations and the 95% confidence interval for the mean was 203 +/- 12 Bq kg-1. The maximum recorded 137Cs concentration in kidney was 367 Bq kg-1 (fresh weight). The altitude of the cull, the age and sex of each animal were recorded. Neither age nor sex correlated with concentrations of 137Cs in rumen, kidneys or faeces. Despite the limited altitudinal range of the study and the free ranging behaviour of deer, there was a highly significant positive correlation between rumen, kidney and faecal 137Cs concentrations and the altitude of the cull. 40K concentrations in rumen, kidney and faeces did not correlate with the altitude of cull, age or sex of slaughtered animals. Significant 137Cs concentration differences were identified in the sequence: rumen < faeces = faeces. 137Cs concentrations in rumen, kidney and faeces for individual animals were all significantly correlated. Statistical testing showed that the concentration sequence for 40K was: rumen < kidney = faeces; a sequence which differs from that of 137Cs. A comparison of ratios test for rumen:faecal ratios demonstrated that significantly more 137Cs was excreted in faeces than was the case for 40K. The concentration of 137Cs excreted in faeces relative to concentrations in forage (rumen), is approximately twice that for 40K. Linear regression of faecal 137Cs concentrations (y) on kidney concentrations (x) was carried out, the regression equation is y = -86.90 + 0.97x. This equation (R2 = 0.73, F1,40 = 107) may be used to predict 137Cs concentrations in flesh by measurement of faecal concentrations. This is a useful preliminary assessment method, particularly with herds of wild animals that prove difficult to capture for in vivo monitoring.

Prenatal histomorphological development of the rumen in Dama dama.

PubMed

Redondo, Eloy; García, Ángela; Ortega, Cristina; Peña, Fernando J; Masot, A Javier

2018-06-12

This work studies the morphological changes taking place in the Dama dama rumen during prenatal development using histomorphometrics, surface micro-structure and immunohistochemistry analysis as well as carrying out a comparative analysis of this species with other wild (red deer) and domestic-type ruminants. A total of 25 fallow deer embryos and fetuses were used, from the first stage of prenatal life until birth. The appearance of the rumen from the primitive gastric tube was observed at 51 days of prenatal life (CRL 3 cm, 21% gestation). By 57 days (CRL 4.3 cm, 24% gestation) the ruminal wall comprised three layers: an internal epithelial layer, a middle layer of pluripotential blastemic tissue and an external layer or serosa. Ruminal pillars were visible at 72 days (CRL 6 cm, 30% gestation), and by 85 days (CRL 7.2 cm, 35% gestation) ruminal papillae were starting to appear. Under scanning electron microscopy, by 80 days (CRL 7 cm, 33% gestation) small ruminal papillae were observed protruding from the surface. Morphometric results showed accelerated growth of the epithelial layer and the tunica muscularis at 180 days (75% gestation). By contrast, the growth-rate of the lamina propria and submucosa declined from the early embryonic stages until birth. The serosa maintained a steady rate of growth until birth. Neuroendocrine cells (synaptophysin) were detected at 85 days (CRL 7.2 cm CRL, 35% gestation), while glial cell markers (glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin) were found at 108 days (CRL 31 cm, 45% gestation) and 63 days (CRL 4.4 cm, 26% gestation) respectively. Neuropeptide Y and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide were detected immunohistochemically at 180 days (CRL 33 cm, 75% gestation) and 192 days (CRL 35 cm, 80% gestation) respectively. In comparison to other wild and domestic-type ruminants, histomorphogenesis of the rumen in Dama dama was similar to that reported in red deer and goats, but rather slower than that observed for sheep or cattle.

Movement and habitat use of Sika and White-tailed Deer on Assateague Island national seashore, Maryland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Diefenbach, Duane R.; Christensen, Sonja

2009-01-01

This research project was conducted to describe habitat use of sika deer (Cervus nippon) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and possibly attribute the effects of ungulate herbivory to specific deer species, if spatial separation in habitat use could be identified. Sturm (2007) conducted an exclosure study to document the effect of feral horse (Equus caballus) herbivory, deer herbivory, and horse and deer herbivory combined on plant communities. Sturm (2007) found that ungulate herbivory reduced plant species richness, evenness, and diversity in the maritime forest and affected species composition in all habitats studied. Sturm (2007) also found that herbivory on some species could be directly attributable to either horse or deer. However, the effects of sika and white-tailed deer herbivory could not be separated via an exclosure study design because of the difficulty of passively excluding one deer species but not the other. We captured white-tailed deer and sika deer in January–March of 2006 and 2007 throughout the Maryland portion of Assateague Island. Deer were fitted with radio-collars and their survival and locations monitored via ground telemetry. Up to four locations were acquired per deer each week during early (May–June) and late (August–September) growth periods for vegetation on the island. Also, we estimated deer locations during a dormant vegetation period (November– December 2006). We used these data to estimate survival and harvest rates, document movements, and model habitat use. We captured and fitted 50 deer with radio-collars over the course of the study. Of these 50 deer, 36 were sika and 14 were white-tailed deer. Of the 36 sika deer, 10 were harvested, three were likely killed by hunters but not recovered, and one died of natural causes while giving birth. Of the 14 white-tailed deer, three were harvested, one was illegally killed, and two were censored because of study-related mortality. Annual survival was 0.48 (95% CI = 0.16–0.82) for male white-tailed deer, 0.74 (95% CI = 0.44–0.91) for female white-tailed deer, 0.56 (95% CI = 0.35–0.75) for male sika deer, and 0.86 (95% CI = 0.70–0.94) for female sika deer. The harvest rate was 0.12 (95% CI = 0.04–0.27) for female sika deer, 0.44 (95% CI = 0.25–0.65) for male sika deer, 0.18 (95% CI = 0.05–0.51) for female white-tailed deer, and 0.38 (95% CI = 0.10–0.78) for male white-tailed deer. Annual survival rates for both species were similar to what has been observed in other populations. Unfortunately, small sample sizes for male white-tailed deer limited inferences about harvest and survival rates, but harvest rates of females for both species were similar to other published studies. Hunting was the primary cause of mortality, and outside the hunting season survival was 0.98–1.00 for all species and sexes. We found that the home range area of sika deer was much greater than the home range area of white-tailed deer, but failed to detect any difference between sexes or among seasons. Sika deer also made long-distance movements and left the Maryland portion of Assateague Island. No sika deer left Assateague island during our study, but we did document the dispersal of a male whitetailed deer to the mainland. In their native range, sika deer have been able to readily expand populations and occupy vacant habitat (Kaji et al. 2000; Kaji et al. 2004). The long distance movements we observed on Assateague Island, especially relative to white-tailed deer, may reflect the ability of this species to exploit food resources that may be limited in quality or quantity, or both. However, we did not collect data to assess use of food resources by sika deer and whether this may have influenced long distance movements. We found both species of deer were less likely to use a habitat the further it was located from cover, which was defined as tall shrub or forest vegetation. For every 10 m (32 ft) from cover each species of deer was 1.23–1.38 times less likely to use any given habitat. Patterns in use of vegetation classes were similar across species and seasons. Relative to forest habitat, both species avoided dune herbaceous, disturbed lands, sand, and water categories. Both species neither avoided nor preferred developed herbaceous, low shrub, marsh herbaceous, and tall shrub categories compared to the forest category. However, there were consistent differences between the two species. During spring, white-tailed deer were more likely than sika deer to use forested, tall shrub, disturbed herbaceous, and sand areas, but were less likely to use all other habitats. During summer, habitat use was similar between the two species except that white-tailed deer tended to use forested habitat more. During winter, white-tailed deer were less likely to use dune herbaceous, low shrub, and forested habitats than sika deer. Sturm (2007) identified differential browsing on plant species between horses and deer, but his experimental design did not permit detection of differential browsing between sika and whitetailed deer. Our study of habitat use did not provide information to identify plant species that may be differentially consumed by sika and white-tailed deer based on differences in habitat use. We envision two approaches to addressing the effects of deer browsing. One approach would be further research that identifies the food habits of both deer species at the plant species level. This would be similar to food habits research conducted by Keiper (1985) and others or could involve direct observation of food consumption by both species. However, both fecal analysis and direct observation would be time-consuming and not guaranteed to identify differences. If the goal of ungulate population management is to protect the island ecosystem, another approach involving manipulation of deer abundance and monitoring the response of plant species known to be preferentially consumed by deer would be a more direct method of assessing effects of deer herbivory (Sturm 2007). Moreover, such an approach is not predicated on detecting differences between deer species. Direct manipulation of deer abundance could be incorporated into an adaptive management program (Williams et al. 2007) and may provide greater benefits to the management of ASIS in the long term. Harvest management decisions for white-tailed deer and sika deer are made on an ongoing basis and by coupling these decisions with a vegetative monitoring program it may be possible to reduce or minimize adverse effects of ungulate herbivory. Furthermore, management of feral horses could be incorporated into the decision process. 

Two alternative DNA extraction methods to improve the detection of Mycobacterium-tuberculosis-complex members in cattle and red deer tissue samples.

PubMed

Fell, Shari; Bröckl, Stephanie; Büttner, Mathias; Rettinger, Anna; Zimmermann, Pia; Straubinger, Reinhard K

2016-09-15

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB), which is caused by Mycobacterium bovis and M. caprae, is a notifiable animal disease in Germany. Diagnostic procedure is based on a prescribed protocol that is published in the framework of German bTB legislation. In this protocol small sample volumes are used for DNA extraction followed by real-time PCR analyses. As mycobacteria tend to concentrate in granuloma and the infected tissue in early stages of infection does not necessarily show any visible lesions, it is likely that DNA extraction from only small tissue samples (20-40 mg) of a randomly chosen spot from the organ and following PCR testing may result in false negative results. In this study two DNA extraction methods were developed to process larger sample volumes to increase the detection sensitivity of mycobacterial DNA in animal tissue. The first extraction method is based on magnetic capture, in which specific capture oligonucleotides were utilized. These nucleotides are linked to magnetic particles and capture Mycobacterium-tuberculosis-complex (MTC) DNA released from 10 to 15 g of tissue material. In a second approach remaining sediments from the magnetic capture protocol were further processed with a less complex extraction protocol that can be used in daily routine diagnostics. A total number of 100 tissue samples from 34 cattle (n = 74) and 18 red deer (n = 26) were analyzed with the developed protocols and results were compared to the prescribed protocol. All three extraction methods yield reliable results by the real-time PCR analysis. The use of larger sample volume led to a sensitivity increase of DNA detection which was shown by the decrease of Ct-values. Furthermore five samples which were tested negative or questionable by the official extraction protocol were detected positive by real time PCR when the alternative extraction methods were used. By calculating the kappa index, the three extraction protocols resulted in a moderate (0.52; protocol 1 vs 3) to almost perfect agreement (1.00; red deer sample testing with all protocols). Both new methods yielded increased detection rates for MTC DNA detection in large sample volumes and consequently improve the official diagnostic protocol.

Characterization of a xylanolytic bacterial strain C10 isolated from the rumen of a red deer (Cervus elaphus) closely related of the recently described species Actinomyces succiniciruminis, A. glycerinitolerans, and A. ruminicola.

PubMed

Šimůnek, Jiří; Killer, Jiří; Sechovcová, Hana; Šimůnek, Jiří; Pechar, Radko; Rada, Vojtěch; Švec, Pavel; Sedláček, Ivo

2018-05-01

Gram-stain-positive, catalase and oxidase-negative and short rod-shaped bacterium C10 with occasional branching was isolated under strictly anaerobic conditions from the rumen fluid of a red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the course of study attempting to uncover new xylanolytic and cellulolytic rumen bacteria inhabiting the digestive tract of wild ruminants in the Czech Republic. The anaerobic M10 medium containing bovine rumen fluid and carboxymethylcellulose as a defined source of organic carbon was used in the process of bacterial isolation. The 16S rRNA gene similarity revealed recently characterized new species Actinomyces succiniciruminis Am4 T (GenBank accession number of the gene retrieved from the complete genome: LK995506) and Actinomyces glycerinitolerans G10 T (GenBank accession number from the complete genome: NZFQTT01000017) as the closest relatives (99.7 and 99.6% gene pairwise identity, respectively), followed by the Actinomyces ruminicola DSM 27982 T (97.2%, in all compared fragment of 41468 pb). Due to the taxonomic affinity of the examined strain to both species A. succiniciruminis and A. glycerinitolerans, its taxonomic status towards these species was evaluated using variable regions of rpsA (length of 519 bp) and rplB (597 bp) gene sequences amplified based on specific primers designed so as to be applicable in differentiation, classification, and phylogeny of Actinomyces species/strains. Comparative analyses using rpsA and rplB showed 98.5 and 97.9% similarities of C10 to A. succiniciruminis, respectively, and 97.5 and 97.6% similarities to A. glycerinitolerans, respectively. Thus, gene identities revealed that the evaluated isolate C10 (=DSM 100236 = LMG 28777) is a little more related to the species A. succiniciruminis isolated from the rumen of a Holstein-Friesian cow than A. glycerinitolerans. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed affinity of strain C10 to both recently characterized species. Unfortunately, they did not allow the bacterial strain to be classified into a particular species. Phenotypic characterization suggested similar conclusions. This brief contribution is aimed at classification and detailed phenotypic characterization of bacterial strain C10 isolated from the rumen of a wild red deer exhibiting, from the point of view of Actinomyces species, noteworthy cellulolytic and xylanolytic activities.

Efficiency of semi-automated fluorescent multiplex PCRs with 11 microsatellite markers for genetic studies of deer populations.

PubMed

Bonnet, A; Thévenon, S; Maudet, F; Maillard, J C

2002-10-01

Thirty bovine and eight ovine microsatellite primer pairs were tested on four tropical deer species: Eld's and Swamp deer (highly threatened) and Rusa and Vietnamese Sika deer (economically important). Thirty markers gave an amplified product in all four species (78.9%). The number of polymorphic microsatellite markers varied among the species from 14 in Eld's deer (47%) to 20 in Swamp deer (67%). Among them, 11 microsatellite loci were multiplexed in three polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) and labelled with three different fluorochromes that can be loaded in one gel-lane. To test the efficiency of the multiplex, primary genetic studies (mean number of alleles, expected heterozygosities and Fis values) were carried out on four deer populations. Parentage exclusion probability and probability of identity were computed and discussed on a Swamp deer population. These multiplexes PCRs were also tested on several other deer species and subspecies. The aim of this study is to establish a tool useful for genetic studies of population structure and diversity in four tropical deer species which with few modifications can be applied to other species of the genus Cervus.

VERY LOW INFLUENZA A VIRUS PREVALENCE IN CERVIDS IN GERMAN NATIONAL PARKS.

PubMed

Soilemetzidou, Sanatana-Eirini; Greenwood, Alex D; Czirják, Gábor Á

2018-03-01

Influenza A viruses are one of the most important and most studied pathogens in humans and domestic animals but little is known about viral prevalence in non-avian wildlife. Serum samples from three free-ranging cervid species (red [ Cervus elaphus], fallow [ Dama dama] , and roe deer [ Capreolus capreolus]) were collected from six German national parks between 2000 and 2002. The serum was tested for the presence of influenza A antibodies using a commercial competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Only one of 137 samples tested positive.

Bovine tuberculosis in free-ranging carnivores from Michigan.

PubMed

Bruning-Fann, C S; Schmitt, S M; Fitzgerald, S D; Fierke, J S; Friedrich, P D; Kaneene, J B; Clarke, K A; Butler, K L; Payeur, J B; Whipple, D L; Cooley, T M; Miller, J M; Muzo, D P

2001-01-01

During a survey of carnivores and omnivores for bovine tuberculosis conducted in Michigan (USA) since 1996, Mycobacterium bovis was cultured from lymph nodes pooled from six coyotes (Canis latrans) (four adult female, two adult male), two adult male raccoons (Procyon lotor), one adult male red fox (Vulpes vulpes), and one 1.5-yr-old male black bear (Ursus americanus). One adult, male bobcat (Felis rufus) with histologic lesions suggestive of tuberculosis was negative on culture but positive for organisms belonging to the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex when tested by polymerase chain reaction. All the tuberculous animals were taken from three adjoining counties where M. bovis is known to be endemic in the free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population. There were two coyotes, one raccoon, one red fox, and one bobcat infected in Alpena county. Montmorency County had two coyotes and one raccoon with M. bovis. Two coyotes and a bear were infected from Alcona County. These free-ranging carnivores/omnivores probably became infected with M. bovis through consumption of tuberculous deer. Other species included in the survey were opossum (Didelphis virginiana), gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), and badger (Taxidea taxus); these were negative for M. bovis.

Mitochondrial and nuclear genetic relationships of deer (Odocoileus spp.) in western North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cronin, Matthew A.

1991-01-01

Odocoileus hemionus (mule deer and black-tailed deer) and Odocoileus virginanus (white-tailed deer) are sympatric in western North America and are characterized by distinct morphology, behavior, and allozyme allele frequencies. However, there is discordance among nuclear and mitochondrial genetic relationships, as mule deer (O. h. hemionus) and white-tailed deer have similar mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) which is very different from that of black-tailed deer (O. h. columbianus, O. h. sitkensis). I expanded previous studies to clarify the genetic relationships of these groups by determining mtDNA haplotype and allozyme genotypes for 667 deer from several locations in northwestern North America. Different mtDNA haplotypes in mule deer, black-tailed deer, and white-tailed deer indicate that mitochondrial gene flow is restricted. Allozyme allele frequencies indicate that there is also restriction of nuclear gene flow between O. virginianus and O. hemionus, and to a lesser extent between mule deer and black-tailed deer. There is a low level of introgressive hybridization of mtDNA from mule deer and black-tailed deer into white-tailed deer populations and considerable interbreeding of mule deer and black-tailed deer in a contact zone. The discordance of mitochondrial and nuclear genomes is apparent only if mtDNA sequence divergences, and not haplotype frequencies, are considered.

Should legislation regarding maximum Pb and Cd levels in human food also cover large game meat?

PubMed

Taggart, Mark A; Reglero, Manuel M; Camarero, Pablo R; Mateo, Rafael

2011-01-01

Game meat may be contaminated with metals and metalloids if animals reside in anthropogenically polluted areas, or if ammunition used to kill the game contaminates the meat. Muscle tissue from red deer and wild boar shot in Ciudad Real province (Spain) in 2005-06 was analysed for As, Pb, Cu, Zn, Se and Cd. Samples were collected from hunting estates within and outside an area that has been historically used for mining, smelting and refining various metals and metalloids. Meat destined for human consumption, contained more Pb, As and Se (red deer) and Pb (boar) when harvested from animals that had resided in mined areas. Age related accumulation of Cd, Zn and As (in deer) and Cd, Cu and Se (in boar) was also observed. Two boar meat samples contained high Pb, at 352 and 2408 μg/g d.w., and these were likely to have been contaminated by Pb ammunition. Likewise, 19-84% of all samples (depending on species and sampling area) had Pb levels > 0.1 μg/g w.w., the EU maximum residue level (MRL) for farm reared meat. Between 9 and 43% of samples exceeded comparable Cd limits. Such data highlight a discrepancy between what is considered safe for human consumption in popular farmed meat (chicken, beef, lamb), and what in game may often exist. A risk assessment is presented which describes the number of meals required to exceed current tolerable weekly intakes (PTWIs) for Pb and Cd, and the potential contribution of large game consumption to such intake limit criteria. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Results of deer exclosure studies in northeastern Pennsylvania

Treesearch

E.L. Shafer; T. J. Grisez; Ed Sowa

1961-01-01

To demonstrate how deer browsing affects natural tree seedling and sprout reproduction, two groups of deer exclosures were established in the Pocono Mountains of northeastern Pennsylvania. Study of these exclosures after seven growing seasons confirms what other studies elsewhere have found: that when deer are too numerous for their natural food supply, it is...

Transmission of Helminths between Species of Ruminants in Austria Appears More Likely to Occur than Generally Assumed

PubMed Central

Winter, Jakob; Rehbein, Steffen; Joachim, Anja

2018-01-01

Helminth infections of the gastrointestinal tract and lungs can lead to devastating economical losses to the pastoral based animal production. Farm animals can suffer from malnutrition, tissue damage, and blood loss resulting in impaired production traits and reproduction parameters. In Austria, pastures grazed by sheep, goats, and cattle overlap with the habitats of several species of wild cervids (roe deer, red deer, sika deer, and fallow deer) and bovids (mouflon, chamois, and ibex), and transmission of parasites between different ruminant species seems likely. A complete and updated overview on the occurrence of helminths of domestic and wild ruminants in Austria is presented. Based on these data, intersections of the host spectrum of the determined parasites were depicted. The “liability index” was applied to identify the ruminant species, which most likely transmit parasites between each other. A degree for host specificity was calculated for each parasite species based on the average taxonomic distance of their host species. Of the 73 identified helminth species 42 were identified as generalists, and 14 transmission experiments supported the assumed broad host specificity for 14 generalists and 1 specialist helminth species. Overall, 61 helminths were found to infect more than one host species, and 4 were found in all 10 ruminant species investigated. From these analyses, it can be concluded that a number of helminth parasites of the gastrointestinal tract and the lungs are potentially transmitted between domestic and wild ruminants in Austria. For some parasites and host species, experimental evidence is in support for possible transmission, while for other such studies are lacking. Host preference of different genotypes of the same parasite species may have a confounding effect on the evaluation of cross-transmission, but so far this has not been evaluated systematically in helminths in Austria. Further studies focusing on experimental cross-transmission and genetic characterization are needed to define the potential consequences for the epidemiology of those parasites, animal welfare, and economic impact. PMID:29662884

Patterns of Cattle Farm Visitation by White-Tailed Deer in Relation to Risk of Disease Transmission in a Previously Infected Area with Bovine Tuberculosis in Minnesota, USA.

PubMed

Ribeiro-Lima, J; Carstensen, M; Cornicelli, L; Forester, J D; Wells, S J

2017-10-01

The main objective of this study was to characterize spatial patterns of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) movement related to bovine tuberculosis (bTB) transmission risk to cattle in north-western Minnesota. Twenty-one adult deer (16 females and 5 males) were captured during winter (January-March) 2011 in areas adjacent to where an outbreak (2005-2009) of bTB occurred in deer and cattle. Deer were fitted with GPS collars programmed to collect deer location information every 90 min over a 15-month period. The exact locations of cattle, cattle feeding areas, and stored forage that were available to collared deer were assessed seasonally. In total, 47% (n = 9) of collared deer survived to the end of the study. Causes of mortality included wolves (n = 6), hunters (n = 1) and unknown (n = 2); additionally, 2 deer were censored due to collar malfunctions. Our results indicated that 5 deer (25%) had home ranges that included 6 cattle farms (20%). Most (77%) of the deer visits occurred in areas where cattle were present, with most visits (60%) from 00:00 to 06:00. March to May revealed the most farm visitations by deer (37%). This study provided baseline information regarding cattle-deer interactions critical to transmission of bTB in this region and suggested that risk mitigation practices should be implemented to separate wildlife and domestic livestock when feasible. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Winter fasting and refeeding effects on urine characteristics in white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Mech, L.D.; Seal, U.S.; Karns, P.D.

1987-01-01

The effects of dietary protein, fasting, and refeeding on urinary characteristics of 9 captive, female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were studied from 23 February to 3 May 1984. Urinary sodium (na) and potassium (K) were diminished in fasted deer after 2 and 4 weeks. Renal excretion of Na and K were lower, whereas urinary phosphorus (P) was higher in fasted deer compared to deer fed high protein-high energy (HPHE) diets. Urinary P excretion of the fasted deer was also greater than in a low protein-high energy (LPHE)-fed group. Urinary area excretion of fasted deer was similar to that of deer fed low and high protein diets. One fasted deer died during the study and exhibited notably high excretion of urea, Na, K, and calcium (Ca). No effects of the 2 levels of dietary protein on urinary characteristics were detected. Urinary Na:C and K:C ratios wer significantly correlated with Na and K intake. Urinalysis has potential as a sensitive means of monitoring the nutritional status of white-tailed deer. Data are presented as reference values for interpretation of data from deer under less controlled circumstances.

Do terrestrial animals avoid areas close to turbines in functioning wind farms in agricultural landscapes?

PubMed

Łopucki, Rafał; Klich, Daniel; Gielarek, Sylwia

2017-07-01

Most studies on the effects of wind energy on animals have focused on avian and bat activity, habitat use, and mortality, whereas very few have been published on terrestrial, non-volant wildlife. In this paper, we studied the utilization of functioning wind farm areas by four terrestrial animals common to agricultural landscapes: European roe deer, European hare, red fox, and the common pheasant. Firstly, we expected that the studied animals do not avoid areas close to turbines and utilize the whole area of functioning wind farms with a frequency similar to the control areas. Secondly, we expected that there is no relation between the turbine proximity and the number of tracks of these animals. The study was conducted over two winter seasons using the snow-tracking method along 100 m linear transects. In total, 583 transects were recorded. Wind farm operations may affect terrestrial animals both in wind farm interiors and in a 700-m buffer zone around the edge of turbines. The reactions of animals were species specific. Herbivorous mammals (roe deer and European hare) avoided wind farm interiors and proximity to turbines. The common pheasant showed a positive reaction to wind turbine proximity. The red fox had the most neutral response to wind turbines. Although this species visited wind farm interiors less often than the control area, there was no relation between fox track density and turbine proximity. Greater weight should be given to the effects of wind farms on non-flying wildlife than at present. Investors and regulatory authorities should always consider the likely impacts of wind farms during environmental impact assessments and try to reduce these negative effects.

Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Studying Spatial Abundance of Ungulates: Relevance to Spatial Epidemiology

PubMed Central

Barasona, José A.; Mulero-Pázmány, Margarita; Acevedo, Pelayo; Negro, Juan J.; Torres, María J.; Gortázar, Christian; Vicente, Joaquín

2014-01-01

Complex ecological and epidemiological systems require multidisciplinary and innovative research. Low cost unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) can provide information on the spatial pattern of hosts’ distribution and abundance, which is crucial as regards modelling the determinants of disease transmission and persistence on a fine spatial scale. In this context we have studied the spatial epidemiology of tuberculosis (TB) in the ungulate community of Doñana National Park (South-western Spain) by modelling species host (red deer, fallow deer and cattle) abundance at fine spatial scale. The use of UAS high-resolution images has allowed us to collect data to model the environmental determinants of host abundance, and in a further step to evaluate their relationships with the spatial risk of TB throughout the ungulate community. We discuss the ecological, epidemiological and logistic conditions under which UAS may contribute to study the wildlife/livestock sanitary interface, where the spatial aggregation of hosts becomes crucial. These findings are relevant for planning and implementing research, fundamentally when managing disease in multi-host systems, and focusing on risky areas. Therefore, managers should prioritize the implementation of control strategies to reduce disease of conservation, economic and social relevance. PMID:25551673

Reliability and precision of pellet-group counts for estimating landscape-level deer density

Treesearch

David S. deCalesta

2013-01-01

This study provides hitherto unavailable methodology for reliably and precisely estimating deer density within forested landscapes, enabling quantitative rather than qualitative deer management. Reliability and precision of the deer pellet-group technique were evaluated in 1 small and 2 large forested landscapes. Density estimates, adjusted to reflect deer harvest and...

Energy metabolism and hematology of white-tailed deer fawns

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rawson, R.E.; DelGiudice, G.D.; Dziuk, H.E.; Mech, L.D.

1992-01-01

Resting metabolic rates, weight gains and hematologic profiles of six newborn, captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns (four females, two males) were determined during the first 3 mo of life. Estimated mean daily weight gain of fawns was 0.2 kg. The regression equation for metabolic rate was: Metabolic rate (kcal/kg0.75/day) = 56.1 +/- 1.3 (age in days), r = 0.65, P less than 0.001). Regression equations were also used to relate age to red blood cell count (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (Hb), packed cell volume, white blood cell count, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), and mean corpuscular hemoglobin. The age relationships of Hb, MCHC, and smaller RBC's were indicative of an increasing and more efficient oxygen-carrying and exchange capacity to fulfill the increasing metabolic demands for oxygen associated with increasing body size.

Deer presence rather than abundance determines the population density of the sheep tick, Ixodes ricinus, in Dutch forests.

PubMed

Hofmeester, Tim R; Sprong, Hein; Jansen, Patrick A; Prins, Herbert H T; van Wieren, Sipke E

2017-09-19

Understanding which factors drive population densities of disease vectors is an important step in assessing disease risk. We tested the hypothesis that the density of ticks from the Ixodes ricinus complex, which are important vectors for tick-borne diseases, is determined by the density of deer, as adults of these ticks mainly feed on deer. We performed a cross-sectional study to investigate I. ricinus density across 20 forest plots in the Netherlands that ranged widely in deer availability to ticks, and performed a deer-exclosure experiment in four pairs of 1 ha forest plots in a separate site. Ixodes ricinus from all stages were more abundant in plots with deer (n = 17) than in plots without deer (n = 3). Where deer were present, the density of ticks did not increase with the abundance of deer. Experimental exclosure of deer reduced nymph density by 66% and adult density by 32% within a timeframe of two years. In this study, deer presence rather than abundance explained the density of I. ricinus. This is in contrast to previous studies and might be related to the relatively high host-species richness in Dutch forests. This means that reduction of the risk of acquiring a tick bite would require the complete elimination of deer in species rich forests. The fact that small exclosures (< 1 ha) substantially reduced I. ricinus densities suggests that fencing can be used to reduce tick-borne disease risk in areas with high recreational pressure.

Toxoplasma gondii in sympatric domestic and wild ungulates in the Mediterranean ecosystem.

PubMed

Almería, S; Cabezón, O; Paniagua, J; Cano-Terriza, D; Jiménez-Ruiz, S; Arenas-Montes, A; Dubey, J P; García-Bocanegra, I

2018-03-01

Toxoplasma gondii is a zoonotic protozoan of worldwide distribution. The present study provides information on risk factors affecting T. gondii infection in domestic and free-ranging wild ungulates sharing habitats in Mediterranean ecosystems in Spain. Serum samples from 482 extensively reared domestic ruminants and 2351 wild ungulates were tested for T. gondii antibodies using the modified agglutination test (MAT, cut-off 1:25). Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence was 41.2% of 194 sheep, 18.6% of 199 cattle and 5.6% of 89 goats. The main risk factors associated with infection in livestock were the presence of cats, feeding on the ground and at stubble fields. In wild ungulates, T. gondii antibodies were detected in 10.5% of 1063 red deer, 15.6% of 294 fallow deer, 5.6% of 216 European mouflon, 5.6% of 90 Spanish ibex, 13.6% of 22 roe deer and 18.6% of 666 wild boars. The risk factors affecting T. gondii infection in wildlife were species, age and hunting season. Significantly higher seroprevalence was found in domestic ruminants, particularly in sheep, compared to the wild species tested. The present study indicates widespread exposure to T. gondii among domestic and wild ungulates in Southern Spain, with significant differences among species sharing the same ecosystem. The high seroprevalence observed in domestic ruminants, particularly in sheep, reinforces the need for farm management practices to control the risk factors associated with T. gondii infection in extensively reared livestock. Consumption of raw and undercooked food products from domestic and wildlife species may have important implications for public health.

Mercury and selenium binding biomolecules in terrestrial mammals (Cervus elaphus and Sus scrofa) from a mercury exposed area.

PubMed

Ropero, M J Patiño; Fariñas, N Rodríguez; Krupp, E; Mateo, R; Nevado, J J Berzas; Martín-Doimeadios, R C Rodríguez

2016-06-01

Mercury (Hg) is likely bound to large biomolecules (e.g. proteins) in living organisms, and in order to assess Hg metabolic pathways and possible toxicological effects, it is essential to study these Hg containing biomolecules. However, the exact nature of most metal binding biomolecules is unknown. Such studies are still in their infancy and information on this topic is scarce because the analysis is challenging, mainly due to their lability upon digestion or extraction from the tissue. New analytical methods that allow complex Hg-biomolecules to be analysed intact are needed and only few very recent studies deal with this approach. Therefore, as an initial step towards the characterization of Hg containing biomolecules, an analytical procedure has been optimised using size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection. We applied this technique to elucidate the distribution and elution profile of Hg and Se, and some physiological important elements such as Fe, Ni, Zn and Cu, to assess metal binding profiles in liver and kidney samples of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wild boar (Sus scrofa) who roam freely within the largest Hg mining district on Earth, Almadén in Spain. Elemental fractionation profiles of the extracts from different tissues were obtained using two different SEC columns (BioSep-SEC-S2000 GL 300-1kDa and Superdex 75 10/300 GL 70-3kDa). Similar profiles of Hg were observed in red deer and wild boar; however, significant differences were evident for liver and kidney. Moreover, the profiles of Se showed a single peak at high-medium molecular weight in all investigated tissues, while co-elution of Hg with Fe, Ni, Zn and Cu was observed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Observations of captive Rocky Mountain mule deer behavior

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Halford, D.K.; Arthur, W.J. III; Alldredge, A.W.

1987-01-31

Observations were made near Fort Collins, Colorado on the behavior of a captive herd of Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus). Comparisons in general behavior patterns were made between captive and wild deer. Similar behavior was exhibited by captive and wild deer. Captive deer (as well as other species) may be useful for study of certain behavioral aspects of their wild counterparts.

Movements of female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in relation to timber harvests in the central Appalachians

Treesearch

Tyler A. Campbell; Benjamin R. Laseter; W. Mark Ford; Karl V. Miller

2004-01-01

Deer movements in relation to timber harvests have not been studied within nonmigratory white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations.We compared home range and core area size and overlap, deer movements during timber harvests, and habitat use before and after harvests for deer associated and not associated with clearcuts. We radio-monitored...

Influence of landscape characteristics on migration strategies of white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grovenburg, T.W.; Jacques, C.N.; Klaver, R.W.; Deperno, C.S.; Brinkman, T.J.; Swanson, C.C.; Jenks, J.A.

2011-01-01

A trade-off exists for migrating animals as to whether to migrate or remain residents. Few studies have documented relationships between landscape variables and deer migration strategies. From 2000 to 2007 we captured 267 adult female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) at 7 study sites in Minnesota and South Dakota and monitored 149 individuals through ≥3 seasonal migration periods (585 deer-migration seasons). All deer classified as obligate migrators with ≥3 migrations (range 3–9 migration seasons) maintained their obligate status for the duration of the study. Multinomial logistic odds ratios from generalized estimating equations indicated that the odds of being a resident increased by 1.4 and 1.3 per 1-unit increase in forest patch density and mean area, respectively, compared to migrating deer. Odds of being an obligate migrator increased by 0.7 and 0.8 per 1-unit decrease in forest patch density and mean area, respectively, compared to resident or conditional migrating deer. Areas inhabited by resident deer were characterized by greater number of forest patches per 100 ha and larger mean forest patch area than conditional and obligate migrant areas. Odds of migrating increased by 1.1 per 1-unit increase in deer winter severity index. Migration behavior of white-tailed deer varied among regions, and land-cover and landscape characteristics provided predictive indicators of migration strategies for deer that could have important implications for conservation, metapopulation dynamics, and species management.

Detection and characterisation of Yersinia enterocolitica strains in cold-stored carcasses of large game animals in Poland.

PubMed

Bancerz-Kisiel, Agata; Socha, Piotr; Szweda, Wojciech

2016-02-01

Yersinia enterocolitica is an important foodborne pathogen. The aim of the present study was to identify the bioserotypes and virulence markers of Y.enterocolitica strains isolated from three different anatomical regions of cold-stored carcasses of large game animals intended for human consumption. Y.enterocolitica strains were found in 12/20 (60%) of the roe deer carcasses examined, 7/16 (43.8%) of red deer carcasses and 11/20 (55%) of wild boar carcasses. Of the 52 Y.enterocolitica strains, 19 were isolated from the perineum, followed by 17 strains from the peritoneum of the longissimus dorsi muscle and 16 from the tonsils. Only one strain was isolated from warm culture. Bioserotype 1A/NI was the most commonly found and was detected in 29/52 isolates. All isolates contained amplicons corresponding to ystB gene fragments. The relatively high degree of carcass contamination with Y.enterocolitica is of concern due to the growing popularity of game meat with consumers. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating a strategy to deliver vaccine to white-tailed deer at a landscape level

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fischer, Justin W.; Blass, Chad R.; Walter, W. David; Anderson, Charles W.; Lavelle, Michael J.; Hall, Wayne H.; VerCauterren, Kurt C.

2016-01-01

Effective delivery of vaccines and other pharmaceuticals to wildlife populations is needed when zoonotic diseases pose a risk to public health and natural resources or have considerable economic consequences. The objective of our study was to develop a bait-distribution strategy for potential delivery of oral bovine tuberculosis (bTB) vaccine to white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) where deer are reservoirs for the disease. During 17 February and 2 March 2011, we created a grid of experimental bait stations (n = 64) on Sandhill Wildlife Management Area, Wisconsin, USA, to assess station densities needed to attract and deliver placebo baits to free-ranging white-tailed deer and look for associations among deer density, number of bait stations per deer, and bait consumption. We placed 1 L of commercially available alfalfa cubes at bait stations 652 m apart, and monitored stations with motion-activated cameras for 5 days to document visitation and consumption by deer and nontarget species. Deer discovered 38% of all bait stations within 37 hr, on average (SE = 3.91 hr), and consumed variable amounts of bait at each station. Deer were documented in 94% of all photographs of wildlife at bait stations. We found no correlation between bait consumption and deer density or the number of bait stations per deer. We provide the first information on use of baits by free-ranging deer and nontarget wildlife to eventually vaccinate deer against bTB at a landscape level. The results of this study can further the development of strategies in delivery of pharmaceuticals to free-ranging white-tailed deer.

Beyond mice and men: Environmental change, immunity and infections in wild ungulates

PubMed Central

Jolles, Anna E.; Beechler, Brianna R.; Dolan, Brian P.

2014-01-01

In the face of rapid environmental change, anticipating shifts in microparasite and macroparasite dynamics, including emergence events, is an enormous challenge. We argue that immunological studies in natural populations are pivotal to meeting this challenge: Many components of environmental change – shifts in biotic assemblages, altered climate patterns, and reduced environmental predictability – may affect host immunity. We suggest that wild ungulates can serve as model systems aiding the discovery of immunological mechanisms that link environmental change with parasite transmission dynamics. Our review of eco-immunological studies in wild ungulates reveals progress in understanding how co-infections affect immunity and parasite transmission; and how environmental and genetic factors interact to shape immunity. Changes in bioavailability of micronutrients have been linked to immunity and health in wild ungulates. Although physiological stress in response to environmental change has been assessed, downstream effects on immunity have not been studied. Moreover, the taxonomic range of ungulates studied is limited to bovids (bighorn sheep, Soay sheep, chamois, musk oxen, bison, African buffalo) and a few cervids (red deer, black-tailed deer). We discuss areas where future studies in ungulates could lead to significant contributions in understanding patterns of immunity and infection in natural populations and across species. PMID:25354672

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hansen, Leslie A.; Biggs, James; Bennett, Kathryn D.

In 2009, approximately 260,000 animal-vehicle collisions were reported in the United States, resulting in 12,000 human injuries and 173 human fatalities. Research has focused on identifying factors associated with high densities of animal-vehicle collisions, including variables such as traffic speed and volume, road design, topographic features, vegetative cover, and local deer or elk (Cervus elaphus) abundance. The purposes of this study were to document how often and where mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) crossed roads in a western United States wildland-urban interface area, and to relate deer road-crossing behavior to deer-vehicle collision locations. Seven adult mule deer (four males [M] andmore » three females [F]) were captured and collared with GPS-enabled collars during December 2001 and January 2002. Five of the seven deployed collars were recovered. None of the roads in the study area appeared to act as a substantial barrier to deer passage. Deer home ranges straddled highways and primary, secondary, and tertiary arterial roads. Deer crossed all types of roads. The average number of times deer crossed road during 24 hours of monitoring ranged from 2.1 to 7.0. Deer in the Los Alamos townsite avoided crossing roads during day and before sunset. Deer-vehicle accidents occurred at 350 percent of the level expected after sunset. All other time periods had fewer accidents than expected. The distribution of accidents across time periods was not similar to the distribution of road crossings across time periods for any deer. Within Los Alamos County there was a clear trend for deer-vehicle collisions to occur on roads with speed limits > 35 mph. Deer in the townsite frequently crossed roads with lower speed limits; therefore, the reason for the paucity of accidents along these roads was evidently the ability of drivers to detect deer (or the ability of deer to detect vehicles) and respond before an accident occurred. There was a significant but not strong correlation between the density of accidents and the density of road crossings. This was probably related to the high number of deer crossings of tertiary arterial roads, where accidents were not likely to occur.« less

Elemental composition of game meat from Austria.

PubMed

Ertl, Kathrin; Kitzer, Roland; Goessler, Walter

2016-06-01

Concentrations of 26 elements (B, Na, Mg, P, S, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Cd, Sb, Ba, Hg, Pb, U) in wild game meat from Austria were analysed using an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer. All investigated animals were culled during the hunting season 2012/2013, including 10 chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra), 9 hare (Lepus europaeus), 10 pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), 10 red deer (Cervus elaphus), 12 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 10 wild boar (Sus scrofa). In 19 out of 61 meat samples lead concentrations were higher than 0.1 mg/kg, the maximum limit in meat as set by the European Commission (Regulation EC No 1881/2006), which is most likely caused by ammunition residues. Especially, pellet shot animals and chamois show a high risk for lead contamination. Despite ammunition residues all investigated muscle samples show no further health risk with respect to metal contamination.

The Potential for Transmission of BCG from Orally Vaccinated White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to Cattle (Bos taurus) through a Contaminated Environment: Experimental Findings

PubMed Central

Nol, Pauline; Rhyan, Jack C.; Robbe-Austerman, Suelee; McCollum, Matt P.; Rigg, Tara D.; Saklou, Nadia T.; Salman, Mo D.

2013-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) experimentally infected with a virulent strain of Mycobacterium bovis have been shown to transmit the bacterium to other deer and cattle (Bos taurus) by sharing of pen waste and feed. The risk of transmission of M. bovis bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine from orally vaccinated white-tailed deer to other deer and cattle, however, is not well understood. In order to evaluate this risk, we orally vaccinated 14 white-tailed deer with 1×109 colony forming units BCG in lipid-formulated baits and housed them with nine non-vaccinated deer. Each day we exposed the same seven naïve cattle to pen space utilized by the deer to look for transmission between the two species. Before vaccination and every 60 days until the end of the study, we performed tuberculin skin testing on deer and cattle, as well as interferon-gamma testing in cattle, to detect cellular immune response to BCG exposure. At approximately 27 weeks all cattle and deer were euthanized and necropsied. None of the cattle converted on either caudal fold, comparative cervical tests, or interferon-gamma assay. None of the cattle were culture positive for BCG. Although there was immunological evidence that BCG transmission occurred from deer to deer, we were unable to detect immunological or microbiological evidence of transmission to cattle. This study suggests that the risk is likely to be low that BCG-vaccinated white-tailed deer would cause domestic cattle to react to the tuberculin skin test or interferon-gamma test through exposure to a BCG-contaminated environment. PMID:23565211

Seasonal food selection and digestibility by tame white-tailed deer in central Maine

Treesearch

Hewlette S. Crawford

1982-01-01

Seasonal food selection and digestibility by tame white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were studied in the white pine (Pinus strobus)–Canada hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) and lowland conifer types, areas representative of important deer habitat in the northeastern United States. Deer selected highly...

Winter nutrition and population ecology of white-tailed deer in the central Superior National Forest.

Treesearch

Glenn D. DelGuidice; Michael E. Nelson; L. David Mech

1991-01-01

Summarizes 15 years of studying white-tailed deer social ecology, movements, winter nutritional physiology, reproduction, survival, mortality, and population changes in the central Superior National Forest. Applied results of nutritional experiments with captive deer to interpretation of data from wild deer.

Environmental Factors Influencing White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Exposure to Livestock Pathogens in Wisconsin

PubMed Central

Kern, Bryant; Mahoney, Kathleen; Norton, Andrew; Patnayak, Devi; Van Deelen, Timothy

2015-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are commonly exposed to disease agents that affect livestock but environmental factors that predispose deer to exposure are unknown for many pathogens. We trapped deer during winter months on two study areas (Northern Forest and Eastern Farmland) in Wisconsin from 2010 to 2013. Deer were tested for exposure to six serovars of Leptospira interrogans (grippotyphosa, icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, bratislava, pomona, and hardjo), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV-1 and BVDV-2), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBR), and parainfluenza 3 virus (PI3). We used logistic regression to model potential intrinsic (e.g., age, sex) and extrinsic (e.g., land type, study site, year, exposure to multiple pathogens) variables we considered biologically meaningful to exposure of deer to livestock pathogens. Deer sampled in 2010–2011 did not demonstrate exposure to BVDV, so we did not test for BVDV in subsequent years. Deer had evidence of exposure to PI3 (24.7%), IBR (7.9%), Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona (11.7%), L. i. bratislava (1.0%), L. i. grippotyphosa (2.5%) and L. i. hardjo (0.3%). Deer did not demonstrate exposure to L. interrogans serovars canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae. For PI3, we found that capture site and year influenced exposure. Fawns (n = 119) were not exposed to L. i. pomona, but land type was an important predictor of exposure to L. i. pomona for older deer. Our results serve as baseline exposure levels of Wisconsin white-tailed deer to livestock pathogens, and helped to identify important factors that explain deer exposure to livestock pathogens. PMID:26030150

Environmental Factors Influencing White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) Exposure to Livestock Pathogens in Wisconsin.

PubMed

Dubay, Shelli; Jacques, Christopher; Golden, Nigel; Kern, Bryant; Mahoney, Kathleen; Norton, Andrew; Patnayak, Devi; Van Deelen, Timothy

2015-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) are commonly exposed to disease agents that affect livestock but environmental factors that predispose deer to exposure are unknown for many pathogens. We trapped deer during winter months on two study areas (Northern Forest and Eastern Farmland) in Wisconsin from 2010 to 2013. Deer were tested for exposure to six serovars of Leptospira interrogans (grippotyphosa, icterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, bratislava, pomona, and hardjo), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV-1 and BVDV-2), infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBR), and parainfluenza 3 virus (PI3). We used logistic regression to model potential intrinsic (e.g., age, sex) and extrinsic (e.g., land type, study site, year, exposure to multiple pathogens) variables we considered biologically meaningful to exposure of deer to livestock pathogens. Deer sampled in 2010-2011 did not demonstrate exposure to BVDV, so we did not test for BVDV in subsequent years. Deer had evidence of exposure to PI3 (24.7%), IBR (7.9%), Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona (11.7%), L. i. bratislava (1.0%), L. i. grippotyphosa (2.5%) and L. i. hardjo (0.3%). Deer did not demonstrate exposure to L. interrogans serovars canicola and icterohaemorrhagiae. For PI3, we found that capture site and year influenced exposure. Fawns (n = 119) were not exposed to L. i. pomona, but land type was an important predictor of exposure to L. i. pomona for older deer. Our results serve as baseline exposure levels of Wisconsin white-tailed deer to livestock pathogens, and helped to identify important factors that explain deer exposure to livestock pathogens.

White-tailed deer are a biotic filter during community assembly, reducing species and phylogenetic diversity.

PubMed

Begley-Miller, Danielle R; Hipp, Andrew L; Brown, Bethany H; Hahn, Marlene; Rooney, Thomas P

2014-06-09

Community assembly entails a filtering process, where species found in a local community are those that can pass through environmental (abiotic) and biotic filters and successfully compete. Previous research has demonstrated the ability of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to reduce species diversity and favour browse-tolerant plant communities. In this study, we expand on our previous work by investigating deer as a possible biotic filter altering local plant community assembly. We used replicated 23-year-old deer exclosures to experimentally assess the effects of deer on species diversity (H'), richness (SR), phylogenetic community structure and phylogenetic diversity in paired browsed (control) and unbrowsed (exclosed) plots. Additionally, we developed a deer-browsing susceptibility index (DBSI) to assess the vulnerability of local species to deer. Deer browsing caused a 12 % reduction in H' and 17 % reduction in SR, consistent with previous studies. Furthermore, browsing reduced phylogenetic diversity by 63 %, causing significant phylogenetic clustering. Overall, graminoids were the least vulnerable to deer browsing based on DBSI calculations. These findings demonstrate that deer are a significant driver of plant community assembly due to their role as a selective browser, or more generally, as a biotic filter. This study highlights the importance of knowledge about the plant tree of life in assessing the effects of biotic filters on plant communities. Application of such knowledge has considerable potential to advance our understanding of plant community assembly. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

Evaluating the tuberculosis hazard posed to cattle from wildlife across Europe.

PubMed

Hardstaff, Joanne L; Marion, Glenn; Hutchings, Michael R; White, Piran C L

2014-10-01

Tuberculosis (TB) caused by infection with Mycobacterium bovis (M. bovis) and other closely related members of the M. tuberculosis complex (MTC) infects many domestic and wildlife species across Europe. Transmission from wildlife species to cattle complicates the control of disease in cattle. By determining the level of TB hazard for which a given wildlife species is responsible, the potential for transmission to the cattle population can be evaluated. We undertook a quantitative review of TB hazard across Europe on a country-by-country basis for cattle and five widely-distributed wildlife species. Cattle posed the greatest current and potential TB hazard other cattle for the majority of countries in Europe. Wild boar posed the greatest hazard of all the wildlife species, indicating that wild boar have the greatest ability to transmit the disease to cattle. The most common host systems for TB hazards in Europe are the cattle-deer-wild boar ones. The cattle-roe deer-wild boar system is found in 10 countries, and the cattle-red deer-wild boar system is found in five countries. The dominance of cattle with respect to the hazards in many regions confirms that intensive surveillance of cattle for TB should play an important role in any TB control programme. The significant contribution that wildlife can make to the TB hazard to cattle is also of concern, given current population and distribution increases of some susceptible wildlife species, especially wild boar and deer, and the paucity of wildlife TB surveillance programmes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Failure of fallow deer (Dama dama) to develop chronic wasting disease when exposed to a contaminated environment and infected mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).

PubMed

Rhyan, Jack C; Miller, Michael W; Spraker, Terry R; McCollum, Matt; Nol, Pauline; Wolfe, Lisa L; Davis, Tracy R; Creekmore, Lynn; O'Rourke, Katherine I

2011-07-01

We monitored a herd of fallow deer (Dama dama) for evidence of prion infection for 7 yr by periodic postmortem examination of animals from the herd. The fallow deer were exposed to the chronic wasting disease (CWD) agent from mule deer by living in a paddock considered contaminated with infectivity from its history of housing CWD infected deer and, after the first year of the study, by comingling with infected mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus). At least 8 of 12 mule deer serving as sentinels for prion transmission and 25 additional mule deer serving as sources of infectivity developed clinical CWD or were otherwise confirmed to be infected with CWD via lymphoid tissue immunohistochemistry (IHC). In contrast, none of the 41 exposed fallow deer showed clinical signs suggestive of CWD, IHC staining of disease-associated prion in lymphoid or brain tissues, or evidence of spongiform degeneration in sections of brain stem at the level of the obex when sampled 18 mo to 7 yr after entering the mule deer paddock. The absence of clinical disease and negative IHC results in fallow deer housed in the same contaminated paddock for up to 7 yr and almost continuously exposed to CWD-infected mule deer for up to 6 yr suggests a species barrier or other form of resistance preventing fallow deer infection by the CWD agent or delaying progression of the disease in this species.

Sperm Flagellum Volume Determines Freezability in Red Deer Spermatozoa

PubMed Central

Ros-Santaella, José Luis; Domínguez-Rebolledo, Álvaro Efrén; Garde, José Julián

2014-01-01

The factors affecting the inter-individual differences in sperm freezability is a major line of research in spermatology. Poor sperm freezability is mainly characterised by a low sperm velocity, which in turn is associated with low fertility rates in most animal species. Studies concerning the implications of sperm morphometry on freezability are quite limited, and most of them are based on sperm head size regardless of the structural parts of the flagellum, which provides sperm motility. Here, for the first time, we determined the volumes of the flagellum structures in fresh epididymal red deer spermatozoa using a stereological method under phase contrast microscopy. Sperm samples from thirty-three stags were frozen and classified as good freezers (GF) or bad freezers (BF) at two hours post-thawing using three sperm kinetic parameters which are strongly correlated with fertility in this species. Fourteen stags were clearly identified as GF, whereas nineteen were BF. No significant difference in sperm head size between the two groups was found. On the contrary, the GF exhibited a lower principal piece volume than the BF (6.13 µm3 vs 6.61 µm3, respectively, p = 0.006). The volume of the flagellum structures showed a strong negative relationship with post-thawing sperm velocity. For instance, the volume of the sperm principal piece was negatively correlated with sperm velocity at two hours post-thawing (r = −0.60; p<0.001). Our results clearly show that a higher volume of the sperm principal piece results in poor freezability, and highlights the key role of flagellum size in sperm cryopreservation success. PMID:25380133

Effects of feed supplementation on mineral composition, mechanical properties and structure in femurs of Iberian red deer hinds (Cervus elaphus hispanicus).

PubMed

Olguin, Cesar A; Landete-Castillejos, Tomas; Ceacero, Francisco; García, Andrés J; Gallego, Laureano

2013-01-01

Few studies in wild animals have assessed changes in mineral profile in long bones and their implications for mechanical properties. We examined the effect of two diets differing in mineral content on the composition and mechanical properties of femora from two groups each with 13 free-ranging red deer hinds. Contents of Ca, P, Mg, K, Na, S, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, Zn, B and Sr, Young's modulus of elasticity (E), bending strength and work of fracture were assessed in the proximal part of the diaphysis (PD) and the mid-diaphysis (MD). Whole body measures were also recorded on the hinds. Compared to animals on control diets, those on supplemented diets increased live weight by 6.5 kg and their kidney fat index (KFI), but not carcass weight, body or organ size, femur size or cortical thickness. Supplemental feeding increased Mn content of bone by 23%, Cu by 9% and Zn by 6%. These differences showed a mean fourfold greater content of these minerals in supplemental diet, whereas femora did not reflect a 5.4 times greater content of major minerals (Na and P) in the diet. Lower content of B and Sr in supplemented diet also reduced femur B by 14% and Sr by 5%. There was a subtle effect of diet only on E and none on other mechanical properties. Thus, greater availability of microminerals but not major minerals in the diet is reflected in bone composition even before marked body effects, bone macro-structure or its mechanical properties are affected.

Effects of Feed Supplementation on Mineral Composition, Mechanical Properties and Structure in Femurs of Iberian Red Deer Hinds (Cervus elaphus hispanicus)

PubMed Central

Olguin, Cesar A.; Landete-Castillejos, Tomas; Ceacero, Francisco; García, Andrés J.; Gallego, Laureano

2013-01-01

Few studies in wild animals have assessed changes in mineral profile in long bones and their implications for mechanical properties. We examined the effect of two diets differing in mineral content on the composition and mechanical properties of femora from two groups each with 13 free-ranging red deer hinds. Contents of Ca, P, Mg, K, Na, S, Cu, Fe, Mn, Se, Zn, B and Sr, Young’s modulus of elasticity (E), bending strength and work of fracture were assessed in the proximal part of the diaphysis (PD) and the mid-diaphysis (MD). Whole body measures were also recorded on the hinds. Compared to animals on control diets, those on supplemented diets increased live weight by 6.5 kg and their kidney fat index (KFI), but not carcass weight, body or organ size, femur size or cortical thickness. Supplemental feeding increased Mn content of bone by 23%, Cu by 9% and Zn by 6%. These differences showed a mean fourfold greater content of these minerals in supplemental diet, whereas femora did not reflect a 5.4 times greater content of major minerals (Na and P) in the diet. Lower content of B and Sr in supplemented diet also reduced femur B by 14% and Sr by 5%. There was a subtle effect of diet only on E and none on other mechanical properties. Thus, greater availability of microminerals but not major minerals in the diet is reflected in bone composition even before marked body effects, bone macro-structure or its mechanical properties are affected. PMID:23750262

Deployment of deer-resistant western redcedar (Thuja plicata)

Treesearch

John Russell

2008-01-01

Protecting planted western redcedar (Thuja plicata) seedlings from deer browse in the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia is estimated to cost up to CAN$ 25 million annually. Recent studies linking deer browse and needle monoterpenes has resulted in the initiation of a breeding program for deer-resistant western redcedar at Cowichan Lake Research...

Cultural Resources Reconnaissance. Appalachian Regional Commission’s Stream Rehabilitation Project, Upper Cumberland River Basin, Kentucky and Tennessee, January and February 1980,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

1980 Prepared by Archeologist Environmental Planning Section ABERT ARWEDSKY Archeologist Environmental Planning Section It ABSTRACT In accordance with...terrestrial species presently found in eastern Kentucky include cottontail rabbit, gray squirrel , raccoon, oppossum, skunk, muskrat, red fox, grey fox, quail...and ruffed grouse. Less abundant species include fox squirrel , white-tailed deer, mink, mourning dove, wild turkey, ducks and geese (Casey 1965

Mining-related metals in terrestrial food webs of the upper Clark Fork River basin

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pastorok, R.A.; LaTier, A.J.; Butcher, M.K.

1994-12-31

Fluvial deposits of tailings and other mining-related waste in selected riparian habitats of the Upper Clark Fork River basin (Montana) have resulted in metals enriched soils. The significance of metals exposure to selected wildlife species was evaluated by measuring tissue residues of metals (arsenic, cadmium, copper, lead, zinc) in key dietary species, including dominant grasses (tufted hair grass and redtop), willows, alfalfa, barley, invertebrates (grasshoppers, spiders, and beetles), and deer mice. Average metals concentrations in grasses, invertebrates, and deer mice collected from tailings-affected sites were elevated relative to reference to reference levels. Soil-tissue bioconcentration factors for grasses and invertebrates weremore » generally lower than expected based on the range of values in the literature, indicating the reduced bioavailability of metals from mining waste. In general, metals concentrations in willows, alfalfa, and barley were not elevated above reference levels. Using these data and plausible assumptions for other exposure parameters for white-tailed deer, red fox, and American kestrel, metals intake was estimated for soil and diet ingestion pathways. Comparisons of exposure estimates with toxicity reference values indicated that the elevated concentrations of metals in key food web species do not pose a significant risk to wildlife.« less

First ancient DNA sequences from the Late Pleistocene red deer (Cervus elaphus) in the Crimea, Ukraine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanković, Ana; Nadachowski, Adam; Doan, Karolina; Stefaniak, Krzysztof; Baca, Mateusz; Socha, Paweł; Wegleński, Piotr; Ridush, Bogdan

2010-05-01

The Late Pleistocene has been a period of significant population and species turnover and extinctions among the large mammal fauna. Massive climatic and environmental changes during Pleistocene significantly influenced the distribution and also genetic diversity of plants and animals. The model of glacial refugia and habitat contraction to southern peninsulas in Europe as areas for the survival of temperate animal species during unfavourable Pleistocene glaciations is at present widely accepted. However, both molecular data and the fossil record indicate the presence of northern and perhaps north-eastern refugia in Europe. In recent years, much new palaeontological data have been obtained in the Crimean Peninsula, Ukraine, following extensive investigations. The red deer (Cervus elaphus) samples for aDNA studies were collected in Emine-Bair-Khosar Cave, situated on the north edge of Lower Plateau of the Chatyrdag Massif (Crimean Mountains). The cave is a vertical shaft, which functioned as a huge mega-trap over a long period of time (probably most of the Pleistocene). The bone assemblages provided about 5000 bones belonging to more than 40 species. The C. elaphus bones were collected from three different stratigraphical levels, radiocarbon dated by accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) method. The bone fragments of four specimens of red deer were used for the DNA isolation and analysis. The mtDNA (Cytochome b) was successfully isolated from three bone fragments and the cytochrome b sequences were amplified by multiplex PCR. The sequences obtained so far allowed for the reconstruction of only preliminary phylogenetic trees. A fragment of metatarsus from level dated to ca. 48,500±2,000 years BP, yielded a sequence of 513 bp, allowing to locate the specimen on the phylogenetic tree within modern C. elaphus specimens from southern and middle Europe. The second bone fragment, a fragment of mandible, collected from level dated approximately to ca. 33,500±400 years BP, yielded a sequence (696 bp) locating this specimen much closer to the modern C. elaphus specimens from China and Far East. From the third bone fragment (metatarsus), dated between ca. 12,000 years BP and 30,000 years BP, the sequence of only 346 bp has been obtained. It locates this specimen between European and Asiatic haplogroups. The preliminary results of analysis of the DNA from Crimean C. elaphus fossils reveal the great genetic heterogeneity and a complex phylogeographical pattern of the material studied. The obtained results support the opinion that Crimean Peninsula was the most north-eastern refugium in Europe during Late Pleistocene playing a major role in recolonization and dispersal processes of temperate species during and after the Late Pleistocene in this part of the Euro-Asian continent.

Evaluating immunocontraception for managing suburban white-tailed deer in Irondequoit, New York

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rudolph, B.A.; Porter, W.F.; Underwood, H.B.

2000-01-01

Immunocontraception is frequently proposed as an alternative to lethal removal of females for deer management. However, little information is available for evaluating the potential of applying immunocontraceptives to free-ranging populations. Our objectives were to estimate effort required to apply porcine zona pellucida (PZP) to individual deer and assess the utility of using immunocontraception to control growth of deer populations. The study was conducted in a 43-km2 suburban community with about 400 deer. Effort per deer was measured as time required to capture and mark deer, and then to apply booster immunocontraceptive treatments by remote injection. Estimates of numbers of females to treat to control population growth were based on the generalized sustained-yield (SY) model adapted for contraception of females. The SY curve was calibrated using data on deer abundance acquired from aerial population surveys and nutritional condition of females removed by a concurrent culling program. Effort was influenced by 4 factors: deer population density, approachability of individual deer, access to private and public land, and efficacy of the contraceptive treatment. Effort and deer density were inversely related. Cumulative effort for treatment increased exponentially because some deer were more difficult to approach than others. Potential of using immunocontraception at low deer population densities (<25% ecological carrying capacity) is limited by the interaction of the proportion of breeding-age females in the population and treatment efficacy, as well as encounter rates. Immunocontraception has the best potential for holding suburban deer populations between 30 and 70% of ecological carrying capacity, but is likely to be useful only in localized populations when the number of females to be treated is small (e.g., <200 deer).

Genotyping Toxoplasma gondii from wildlife in Pennsylvania and identification of natural recombinants virulent to mice.

PubMed

Dubey, J P; Van Why, K; Verma, S K; Choudhary, S; Kwok, O C H; Khan, A; Behinke, M S; Sibley, L D; Ferreira, L R; Oliveira, S; Weaver, M; Stewart, R; Su, C

2014-02-24

Recent studies indicated the predominance of Toxoplasma gondii haplogroup 12 in wildlife in the USA. However, still little is known of the genetic diversity of this parasite circulating in wildlife. In the present study, we tested coyotes (Canis latrans), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and geese (Branta canadensis) from the state of Pennsylvania for T. gondii infection. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 160 of 367 animals, including 92 (34.5%) of 266 coyotes, 49 (62.0%) of 79 white-tailed deer, 17 (85.0%) of 20 red fox, and two of two Canada geese tested by the modified agglutination test (cut off titer 1:25). Tissues from 105 seropositive animals were bioassayed in mice, and viable T. gondii was isolated from 29 animals, including 10 of 53 coyotes, 11 of 16 foxes, 7 of 49 deer, and one of one goose. DNA isolated from culture-derived tachyzoites of these isolates was characterized initially using multilocus PCR-RFLP markers. Nine genotypes were revealed, including ToxoDB PCR-RFLP #1 (4 isolates), #2 (2 isolates), #3 (4 isolates), #4 (6 isolates), #5 (4 isolates), #54 (1 isolate), #141 (1 isolate), #143 (1 isolate), and #216 (6 isolates), indicating high genetic diversity of T. gondii in wildlife in Pennsylvania. Pathogenicity of six T. gondii isolates (5 of #216 and #141) was determined in outbred Swiss Webster mice. Three of #216 and the #141 isolates were acute virulent to mice, and the other 2 #216 isolates were intermediate virulent. To determine the extent of genetic variation of these as well as a few recently reported virulent isolates from wildlife in North America, intron sequences were generated. Analysis of intron sequences and PCR-RFLP genotyping results indicated that the #216 isolates are likely derived from recombination of the clonal type I and III lineages. To determine if T. gondii virulence can be predicted by typing, we genotyped a collection of strains using PCR-RFLP markers for polymorphic genes ROP5, ROP16, ROP18 and GRA15, which are known to interact with host immune response. The results showed that there is an association of genotypes of ROP5 and ROP18 with mouse-virulence, however, additional gene(s) may also contribute to virulence in distinct T. gondii genotypes. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Escherichia coli Survival in, and Release from, White-Tailed Deer Feces

PubMed Central

Fry, Jessica; Ives, Rebecca L.; Rose, Joan B.

2014-01-01

White-tailed deer are an important reservoir for pathogens that can contribute a large portion of microbial pollution in fragmented agricultural and forest landscapes. The scarcity of experimental data on survival of microorganisms in and release from deer feces makes prediction of their fate and transport less reliable and development of efficient strategies for environment protection more difficult. The goal of this study was to estimate parameters for modeling Escherichia coli survival in and release from deer (Odocoileus virginianus) feces. Our objectives were as follows: (i) to measure survival of E. coli in deer pellets at different temperatures, (ii) to measure kinetics of E. coli release from deer pellets at different rainfall intensities, and (iii) to estimate parameters of models describing survival and release of microorganisms from deer feces. Laboratory experiments were conducted to study E. coli survival in deer pellets at three temperatures and to estimate parameters of Chick's exponential model with temperature correction based on the Arrhenius equation. Kinetics of E. coli release from deer pellets were measured at two rainfall intensities and used to derive the parameters of Bradford-Schijven model of bacterial release. The results showed that parameters of the survival and release models obtained for E. coli in this study substantially differed from those obtained by using other source materials, e.g., feces of domestic animals and manures. This emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive studies of survival of naturally occurring populations of microorganisms in and release from wildlife animal feces in order to achieve better predictions of microbial fate and transport in fragmented agricultural and forest landscapes. PMID:25480751

Diversity of formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase genes in the rumens of roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) and sika deer (Cervus nippon) fed different diets.

PubMed

Li, Zhipeng; Henderson, Gemma; Yang, Yahan; Li, Guangyu

2017-01-01

Reductive acetogenesis by homoacetogens represents an alternative pathway to methanogenesis to remove metabolic hydrogen during rumen fermentation. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of homoacetogen in the rumens of pasture-fed roe deer (Capreolus pygargus) and sika deer (Cervus nippon) fed either oak-leaf-based (tannin-rich, 100 mg/kg dried matter), corn-stover-based, or corn-silage-based diets, by using formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase (FTHFS) gene sequences as a marker. The diversity and richness of FTHFS sequences was lowest in animals fed oak leaf, indicating that tannin-containing plants may affect rumen homoacetogen diversity. FTHFS amino acid sequences in the rumen of roe deer significantly differed from those of sika deer. The phylogenetic analyses showed that 44.8% of sequences in pasture-fed roe deer, and 72.1%, 81.1%, and 37.5% of sequences in sika deer fed oak-leaf-, corn-stover-, and corn-silage-based diets, respectively, may represent novel bacteria that have not yet been cultured. These results demonstrate that the rumens of roe deer and sika deer harbor potentially novel homoacetogens and that diet may influence homoacetogen community structure.

Weak Population Structure in European Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Evidence of Introgressive Hybridization with Siberian Roe Deer (C. pygargus) in Northeastern Poland

PubMed Central

Olano-Marin, Juanita; Plis, Kamila; Sönnichsen, Leif; Borowik, Tomasz; Niedziałkowska, Magdalena; Jędrzejewska, Bogumiła

2014-01-01

We investigated contemporary and historical influences on the pattern of genetic diversity of European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). The study was conducted in northeastern Poland, a zone where vast areas of primeval forests are conserved and where the European roe deer was never driven to extinction. A total of 319 unique samples collected in three sampling areas were genotyped at 16 microsatellites and one fragment (610 bp) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region. Genetic diversity was high, and a low degree of genetic differentiation among sampling areas was observed with both microsatellites and mtDNA. No evidence of genetic differentiation between roe deer inhabiting open fields and forested areas was found, indicating that the ability of the species to exploit these contrasting environments might be the result of its phenotypic plasticity. Half of the studied individuals carried an mtDNA haplotype that did not belong to C. capreolus, but to a related species that does not occur naturally in the area, the Siberian roe deer (C. pygargus). No differentiation between individuals with Siberian and European mtDNA haplotypes was detected at microsatellite loci. Introgression of mtDNA of Siberian roe deer into the genome of European roe deer has recently been detected in eastern Europe. Such introgression might be caused by human-mediated translocations of Siberian roe deer within the range of European roe deer or by natural hybridization between these species in the past. PMID:25271423

Canopy gap replacement failure in a Pennsylvania forest preserve subject to extreme deer herbivory

Treesearch

Brian S. Pedersen; Angela M. Wallis

2003-01-01

While research has demonstrated the adverse effects of deer herbivory on forest regeneration in forests managed for timber production, less study has been devoted to the long term effects of deer on the dynamics of forests set aside as natural areas. At sufficiently high population densities, deer could interrupt the typical cycle of canopy gap formation and...

The Use of Deer Vehicle Accidents as a Proxy for Measuring the Degree of Interaction Between Human and Deer Populations and Its Correlation With the Incidence Rate of Lyme Disease

PubMed Central

Wiznia, Daniel H.; Christos, Paul J.; LaBonte, Andrew M.

2014-01-01

The study described in this article examined the relationship between the incidence rate of deer vehicle accidents (DVAs), a proxy for measuring the interaction between populations of humans and deer, and human Lyme disease incidence rate. The authors also examined the relationship between deer population density and human Lyme incidence rate. They analyzed data from Connecticut’s Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Public Health from 1999 through 2008 by deer management zone (DMZ) and town. For DVA incidence rate versus Lyme incidence rate for both DMZs and towns, most of the correlation coefficients computed yearly were moderate to strong and all of the p-values were significant. A weak correlation was observed between deer population density and Lyme disease incidence rate by DMZ. The authors propose DVAs as a proxy for measuring the interaction between coexisting populations of humans and deer. The authors’ study suggests that additional investigations of DVAs and their relationship to Lyme disease to further assess the utility of public health interventions are warranted. PMID:23621054

Occurrence of antibodies anti -Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum and Leptospira interrogans in a captive deer herd in Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Zimpel, Cristina Kraemer; Grazziotin, Ana Laura; de Barros Filho, Ivan Roque; Guimaraes, Ana Marcia de Sa; dos Santos, Leonilda Correia; de Moraes, Wanderlei; Cubas, Zalmir Silvino; de Oliveira, Marcos Jose; Pituco, Edviges Maristela; Lara, Maria do Carmo Custódio de Souza Hunold; Villalobos, Eliana Monteforte Cassaro; Silva, Lília Marcia Paulin; Cunha, Elenice Maria Sequetin; Castro, Vanessa; Biondo, Alexander Welker

2015-01-01

A large number of Brazilian zoos keep many endangered species of deer, however, very few disease surveillance studies have been conducted among captive cervids. Blood samples from 32 Brazilian deer (Blastocerus dichotomus, Mazama nana and Mazama americana) kept in captivity at Bela Vista Biological Sanctuary (Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil) were investigated for 10 ruminant pathogens, with the aims of monitoring deer health status and evaluating any potential zoonotic risk. Deer serum samples were tested for Brucella abortus, Leptospira (23 serovars), Toxoplasma gondii, Neospora caninum, bovine viral diarrhea virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, foot-and-mouth disease virus, western equine encephalitis virus, eastern equine encephalitis virus and Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus. Antibodies against T. gondii (15.6%), N. caninum (6.2%) and L. interrogans serogroup Serjoe (3.1%) were detected. The serological results for all other infectious agents were negative. The deer were considered to be clinically healthy and asymptomatic regarding any disease. Compared with studies on free-ranging deer, the prevalences of the same agents tested among the captive deer kept at the Sanctuary were lower, thus indicating good sanitary conditions and high-quality management practices at the zoo.

A deer study at Aberdeen Proving Ground: Project planning, data assimilation, and risk assessment

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Whaley, J.; Leach, G.; Lee, R.

1995-12-31

For more than 75 years, Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) has been in the business of research, development, and testing of munitions and military vehicles for the US Army. Currently, APG is on the National Priorities List and an installation wide human health risk assessment is underway. Like many Department of the Army facilities, APG has an active hunting program. Hunters harvest approximately 800 whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginanus) from APG annually. To assure public safety, the authors completed a study during the 1993 hunting season to identify any potential human health hazards associated with consumption of venison from APG. This papermore » will discuss the unique strategy behind the experimental design, the actual assimilation of the data, and the results of the human health risk assessment to establish an appropriate contaminant levels in APG deer. Also, based on information in the literature, the authors considered gender, age, and season in the study design. The list of chemicals for residue analysis included explosives, PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, and metals (As, Cd, Cr, Pb, Hg). Of the 150 deer sampled, metals were the only chemicals detected. The authors compared these data to metal levels in deer collected from an off post background site. Metal levels did not differ significantly between APG deer and off post deer. Finally, the authors completed a health risk assessment of eating deer harvested from both APG and off post. From a survey distributed to the hunters, they incorporated actual consumption data into the exposure assessment. Their findings concluded that the risk of eating APG deer was no higher than eating off post deer; however, total arsenic levels in muscle did appear to elevate the risk.« less

Tolazoline-induced apnea in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).

PubMed

Mortenson, Jack Alan; Robison, Jason Andrew

2011-03-01

Eighteen mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and six Columbia black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) were held in pens and repeatedly anesthetized from April 2004 through June 2005 as part of an external parasite study. Deer were anesthetized using a combination of Telazol and xylazine hydrochloride (HCL) administered intramuscularly. Tolazoline HCL was slowly administered at 4 mg/kg intravenously to reverse the effects of xylazine with good results. For 17 of the 19 mule deer anesthesias in the fall of 2004, a mean dose of 7.3 mg/kg of intravenous tolazoline (range 6.1-8.4 mg/kg) was given by mistake. This paper describes clinical signs of apnea, muscle tensing, and fasciculations immediately following intravenous administration of tolazoline HCL in mule deer (O. hemionus) at 1.5-3 times the recommended dose. Mean dose for black-tailed deer during this time was 8.1 mg/kg (range 5.5-12.4 mg/kg) with no clinical signs as seen in the mule deer. Based on these findings, intravenous tolazoline use in mule deer is recommended at < or = 4 mg/kg.

Preventing the Establishment of a Wildlife Disease Reservoir: A Case Study of Bovine Tuberculosis in Wild Deer in Minnesota, USA

PubMed Central

Carstensen, Michelle; DonCarlos, Michael W.

2011-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) has been found in 12 cattle operations and 27 free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in northwestern Minnesota, following the state's most recent outbreak of the disease in 2005 in the northwest part of the state. Both deer and cattle have the same strain of bTB. The Minnesota Board of Animal Health has been leading efforts to eradicate the disease in Minnesota's cattle, which have included the depopulation of all infected herds, a cattle buy-out program, and mandatory fencing of stored feeds. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources began surveillance efforts in free-ranging white-tailed deer in fall 2005. All bTB-infected deer have been found within a 16 km2 area in direct association with infected cattle farms. Aggressive efforts to reduce deer densities through liberalized hunting and sharpshooting have resulted in a 55% decline in deer densities. Also, recreational feeding of wild deer has been banned. Disease prevalence in deer has decreased from 1.2% in 2005 to an undetectable level in 2010. PMID:21647335

Dead space and tidal volume of the giraffe compared with some other mammals.

PubMed

Hugh-Jones, P; Barter, C E; Hime, J M; Rusbridge, M M

1978-10-01

The ventilation, tidal volume and anatomical dead-space were measured in a living giraffe and compared with similar measurements in a camel, red deer, llama and man. The giraffe had a resting tidal volume of about 3.3 litres with a dead-space/tidal-volume ratio of 0.34. The giraffe breathes slowly, apparently because of the unusually small diameter of its trachea relative to its length, compared with known measurement in other mammals.

Do deer and shrubs override canopy gap size effects on growth and survival of yellow birch, northern red oak, eastern white pine, and eastern hemlock seedlings?

Treesearch

Cristel C. Kern; Peter B. Reich; Rebecca A. Montgomery; Terry F. Strong

2012-01-01

Innovative forestry practices that use natural disturbance and stand developmental processes as models to increase forest complexity are now being considered as a way to conserve biodiversity while managing for a range of objectives.We evaluated the influence of harvest-created gap size (6, 10, 20, 30, and 46 m diameter gaps and uncut references) over 12 growing...

Environmental Assessment for Wing Infrastructure Development Outlook (WINDO) Plan Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-01

officially established on August 30, 1941 and was named after 1st Lt. Ervin D. Shaw, a Sumter County resident who was killed in action during World War I...Examples of the animal species likely to occur within this community include the cottontail, mockingbird , American robin, and crow. At the Poinsett...include the white-tailed deer, red fox, raccoon, opossum, striped skunk, cottontail, meadowlark, mockingbird , American kestrel, fence lizard, and

Do multiple herbivores maintain chemical diversity of Scots pine monoterpenes?

PubMed Central

Iason, Glenn R.; O'Reilly-Wapstra, Julianne M.; Brewer, Mark J.; Summers, Ron W.; Moore, Ben D.

2011-01-01

A central issue in our understanding of the evolution of the diversity of plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) is whether or not compounds are functional, conferring an advantage to the plant, or non-functional. We examine the hypothesis that the diversity of monoterpene PSMs within a plant species (Scots pine Pinus sylvestris) may be explained by different compounds acting as defences against high-impact herbivores operating at different life stages. We also hypothesize that pairwise coevolution, with uncorrelated interactions, is more likely to result in greater PSM diversity, than diffuse coevolution. We tested whether up to 13 different monoterpenes in Scots pine were inhibitory to herbivory by slugs (Arion ater), bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), each of which attack trees at a different life stage. Plants containing more α-pinene were avoided by both slugs and capercaillie, which may act as reinforcing selective agents for this dominant defensive compound. Herbivory by red deer and capercaillie were, respectively, weakly negatively associated with δ3-carene, and strongly negatively correlated with the minor compound β-ocimene. Three of the four herbivores are probably contributory selective agents on some of the terpenes, and thus maintain some, but by no means all, of the phytochemical diversity in the species. The correlated defensive function of α-pinene against slugs and capercaillie is consistent with diffuse coevolutionary processes. PMID:21444308

Seasonal and Diel Activity Patterns of Eight Sympatric Mammals in Northern Japan Revealed by an Intensive Camera-Trap Survey.

PubMed

Ikeda, Takashi; Uchida, Kenta; Matsuura, Yukiko; Takahashi, Hiroshi; Yoshida, Tsuyoshi; Kaji, Koichi; Koizumi, Itsuro

2016-01-01

The activity patterns of mammals are generally categorized as nocturnal, diurnal, crepuscular (active at twilight), and cathemeral (active throughout the day). These patterns are highly variable across regions and seasons even within the same species. However, quantitative data is still lacking, particularly for sympatric species. We monitored the seasonal and diel activity patterns of terrestrial mammals in Hokkaido, Japan. Through an intensive camera-trap survey a total of 13,279 capture events were recorded from eight mammals over 20,344 camera-trap days, i.e., two years. Diel activity patterns were clearly divided into four categories: diurnal (Eurasian red squirrels), nocturnal (raccoon dogs and raccoons), crepuscular (sika deer and mountain hares), and cathemeral (Japanese martens, red foxes, and brown bears). Some crepuscular and cathemeral mammals shifted activity peaks across seasons. Particularly, sika deer changed peaks from twilight during spring-autumn to day-time in winter, possibly because of thermal constraints. Japanese martens were cathemeral during winter-summer, but nocturnal in autumn. We found no clear indication of predator-prey and competitive interactions, suggesting that animal densities are not very high or temporal niche partitioning is absent among the target species. This long-term camera-trap survey was highly cost-effective and provided one of the most detailed seasonal and diel activity patterns in multiple sympatric mammals under natural conditions.

Large Impact of Eurasian Lynx Predation on Roe Deer Population Dynamics

PubMed Central

Andrén, Henrik; Liberg, Olof

2015-01-01

The effects of predation on ungulate populations depend on several factors. One of the most important factors is the proportion of predation that is additive or compensatory respectively to other mortality in the prey, i.e., the relative effect of top-down and bottom-up processes. We estimated Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) kill rate on roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) using radio-collared lynx. Kill rate was strongly affected by lynx social status. For males it was 4.85 ± 1.30 S.E. roe deer per 30 days, for females with kittens 6.23 ± 0.83 S.E. and for solitary females 2.71 ± 0.47 S.E. We found very weak support for effects of prey density (both for Type I (linear) and Type II (non-linear) functional responses) and of season (winter, summer) on lynx kill rate. Additionally, we analysed the growth rate in a roe deer population from 1985 to 2005 in an area, which lynx naturally re-colonized in 1996. The annual roe deer growth rate was lower after lynx re-colonized the study area, but it was also negatively influenced by roe deer density. Before lynx colonized the area roe deer growth rate was λ = 1.079 (± 0.061 S.E.), while after lynx re-colonization it was λ = 0.94 (± 0.051 S.E.). Thus, the growth rate in the roe deer population decreased by Δλ = 0.14 (± 0.080 S.E.) after lynx re-colonized the study area, which corresponded to the estimated lynx predation rate on roe deer (0.11 ± 0.042 S.E.), suggesting that lynx predation was mainly additive to other mortality in roe deer. To conclude, this study suggests that lynx predation together with density dependent factors both influence the roe deer population dynamics. Thus, both top-down and bottom-up processes operated at the same time in this predator-prey system. PMID:25806949

137Cs levels in deer following the Three Mile Island accident.

PubMed

Field, R W

1993-06-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virgianus) tongues were assayed to assess whether or not significant widespread 137Cs contamination occurred in the vicinity of Three Mile Island Nuclear Station as a result of the 1979 accident. White-tailed deer tongues harvested from 10 Pennsylvania counties more than 88 km away from Three Mile Island had significantly higher 137Cs levels than deer tongues harvested from counties surrounding the nuclear plant. The mean deer tongue 137Cs levels found in Pennsylvania white-tailed deer were lower than 137Cs levels found in deer from other parts of the U.S. sampled shortly after culmination of major atmospheric nuclear testing. These findings support the conclusions of previous studies suggesting that only minimal quantities of 137Cs escaped from the damaged Three Mile Island plant after the accident.

The effect of deer management on the abundance of Ixodes ricinus in Scotland.

PubMed

Gilbert, L; Maffey, G L; Ramsay, S L; Hester, A J

2012-03-01

The management of wildlife hosts for controlling parasites and disease has a history of mixed success. Deer can be important hosts for ticks, such as Ixodes ricinus, which is the primary vector of disease-causing zoonotic pathogens in Europe. Deer are generally managed by culling and fencing for forestry protection, habitat conservation, and commercial hunting, and in this study we test whether these deer management methods can be useful for controlling ticks, with implications for tick-borne pathogens. At different spatial scales and habitats we tested the hypotheses that tick abundance is reduced by (1) culling deer and (2) deer exclusion using fencing. We compared abundance indices of hosts and questing I. ricinus nymphs using a combination of small-scale fencing experiments on moorland, a large-scale natural experiment of fenced and unfenced pairs of forests, and cross-sectional surveys of forest and moorland areas with varying deer densities. As predicted, areas with fewer deer had fewer ticks, and fenced exclosures had dramatically fewer ticks in both large-scale forest and small-scale moorland plots. Fencing and reducing deer density were also associated with higher ground vegetation. The implications of these results on other hosts, pathogen prevalence, and disease risk are discussed. This study provides evidence of how traditional management methods of a keystone species can reduce a generalist parasite, with implications for disease risk mitigation.

Health status and relative exposure of mule deer and white-tailed deer to soil contaminants at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Creekmore, T.E.; Franson, J.C.; Whittaker, D.G.

1999-02-01

The authors evaluated the health of 18 radio-collared deer [13 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and 5 white-tailed deer (O. virginianus)] from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, near Denver, Colorado, USA, a Superfund site contaminated with a variety of materials, including organochlorine pesticides, metals and nerve gas production by-products. Radio-collared deer were tracked for 1 to 3 years (1989--1992) to identify relative exposure to contaminants based on telemetry locations plotted on grid maps depicting known soil contaminant concentrations. At the end of the study, all animals were in fair or good body condition at the time of necropsy. Mean ages of mulemore » deer and white-tailed deer were 7.4 and 10.6 years, respectively. At necropsy, tissues were collected from the deer for serology, histopathology, and analysis for eight chlorinated hydrocarbons and two metals. Detectable residues of mercury were found in the kidneys of 10 deer, dieldrin was found in fat, liver, and brain, and DDE was found in the muscle of one animal. Relative exposure estimates derived from telemetry and soil contamination data were correlated with tissue levels of dieldrin and mercury. Two mule deer had severe testicular atrophy, and one of these animals also had antler deformities. The prevalence of antibodies against epizootic hemorrhagic disease serotype 2 was 85%.« less

The impact of deer browsing on Allegheny hardwood regeneration

Treesearch

David A. Marquis

1974-01-01

To evaluate the impact of deer browsing on Allegheny hardwood regeneration, surveys were made of vegetation inside and outside deer exclosures in 13 stands that had been clearcut 5 to 16 years earlier. The surveys showed that browsing by white-tailed deer has resulted in regeneration failures in 25 to 40 percent of the areas studied. Pin cherry and sugar maple were the...

Experimental Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) from Elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) and White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to Fallow Deer (Dama dama) by Intracerebral Route: Final Report

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this communication we report final observations on experimental transmission of chronic wasting disease (CWD) from elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) and white tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to fallow deer (Dama dama). The study was terminated 5 years after it was initiated. Thirteen fawns were i...

Host defense responses associated with experimental hemorrhagic disease in white-tailed deer.

PubMed

Quist, C F; Howerth, E W; Stallknecht, D E; Brown, J; Pisell, T; Nettles, V F

1997-07-01

Our objectives were to examine the immunity conferred by epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2 (EHDV-2) infection in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and determine if this immunity was protective during challenge with homologous (EHDV-2) or heterologous (bluetongue virus serotype 10; BTV-10) virus. Trials were conducted in the fall of 1992 and 1993. In the first experiment, naive white-tailed deer were infected intradermally and subcutaneously with EHDV-2 and monitored via physical examinations, complete blood counts, alpha and beta interferon (IFN) assays, viral isolation, and serology. Infected deer had a wide range of clinical signs in response to infection. Eleven of the 16 deer had body temperature elevations > or = 0.5 C between post-infection day (PID) 4 and 8. Infected deer had decreased lymphocyte counts between PID 6 and 10 that returned to normal levels by PID 17. Severely lymphopenic animals had the most severe clinical signs; five of 10 deer with lymphocyte counts less than 1000 cells/microliters succumbed to the infection. Viremia was detected in all 16 EHDV-2 infected animals by PID 4, and peak viremias occurred between PID 4 and PID 10. Three deer remained viremic until PID 56, the study endpoint. Interferon was first detected between PID 2 and 6. Peak alpha and beta IFN levels coincided with peak viremia in 11 deer. Precipitating and neutralizing antibodies were detected in infected deer by PID 10. In the second experiment, convalescent deer were challenged subcutaneously and intradermally with either EHDV-2 or BTV-10 and similarly monitored. Virus was detected in the blood of all four deer challenged with BTV-10, but viremia was not detected in three EHDV-2-challenged deer. Temperature fluctuations, blood cell parameter changes, and IFN and antibody responses seen in BTV-10-challenged deer were similar to those seen in the initial experiment. Deer challenged with EHDV-2 had mildly increased temperatures, but minimal IFN response and lymphocyte alterations.

Interactive effects of deer exclusion and exotic plant removal on deciduous forest understory communities

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bourg, Norman; McShea, William J.; Herrmann, Valentine; Stewart, Chad M.

2017-01-01

Mammalian herbivory and exotic plant species interactions are an important ongoing research topic, due to their presumed impacts on native biodiversity. The extent to which these interactions affect forest understory plant community composition and persistence was the subject of our study. We conducted a 5-year, 2 × 2 factorial experiment in three mid-Atlantic US deciduous forests with high densities of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and exotic understory plants. We predicted: (i) only deer exclusion and exotic plant removal in tandem would increase native plant species metrics; and (ii) deer exclusion alone would decrease exotic plant abundance over time. Treatments combining exotic invasive plant removal and deer exclusion for plots with high initial cover, while not differing from fenced or exotic removal only plots, were the only ones to exhibit positive richness responses by native herbaceous plants compared to control plots. Woody seedling metrics were not affected by any treatments. Deer exclusion caused significant increases in abundance and richness of native woody species >30 cm in height. Abundance changes in two focal members of the native sapling community showed that oaks (Quercus spp.) increased only with combined exotic removal and deer exclusion, while shade-tolerant maples (Acer spp.) showed no changes. We also found significant declines in invasive Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) abundance in deer-excluded plots. Our study demonstrates alien invasive plants and deer impact different components and life-history stages of the forest plant community, and controlling both is needed to enhance understory richness and abundance. Alien plant removal combined with deer exclusion will most benefit native herbaceous species richness under high invasive cover conditions while neither action may impact native woody seedlings. For larger native woody species, only deer exclusion is needed for such increases. Deer exclusion directly facilitated declines in invasive species abundance. Resource managers should consider addressing both factors to achieve their forest management goals.

Escherichia coli survival in, and release from, white-tailed deer feces.

PubMed

Guber, Andrey K; Fry, Jessica; Ives, Rebecca L; Rose, Joan B

2015-02-01

White-tailed deer are an important reservoir for pathogens that can contribute a large portion of microbial pollution in fragmented agricultural and forest landscapes. The scarcity of experimental data on survival of microorganisms in and release from deer feces makes prediction of their fate and transport less reliable and development of efficient strategies for environment protection more difficult. The goal of this study was to estimate parameters for modeling Escherichia coli survival in and release from deer (Odocoileus virginianus) feces. Our objectives were as follows: (i) to measure survival of E. coli in deer pellets at different temperatures, (ii) to measure kinetics of E. coli release from deer pellets at different rainfall intensities, and (iii) to estimate parameters of models describing survival and release of microorganisms from deer feces. Laboratory experiments were conducted to study E. coli survival in deer pellets at three temperatures and to estimate parameters of Chick's exponential model with temperature correction based on the Arrhenius equation. Kinetics of E. coli release from deer pellets were measured at two rainfall intensities and used to derive the parameters of Bradford-Schijven model of bacterial release. The results showed that parameters of the survival and release models obtained for E. coli in this study substantially differed from those obtained by using other source materials, e.g., feces of domestic animals and manures. This emphasizes the necessity of comprehensive studies of survival of naturally occurring populations of microorganisms in and release from wildlife animal feces in order to achieve better predictions of microbial fate and transport in fragmented agricultural and forest landscapes. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

A comparison of 2 techniques for estimating deer density

USGS Publications Warehouse

Storm, G.L.; Cottam, D.F.; Yahner, R.H.; Nichols, J.D.

1977-01-01

We applied mark-resight and area-conversion methods to estimate deer abundance at a 2,862-ha area in and surrounding the Gettysburg National Military Park and Eisenhower National Historic Site during 1987-1991. One observer in each of 11 compartments counted marked and unmarked deer during 65-75 minutes at dusk during 3 counts in each of April and November. Use of radio-collars and vinyl collars provided a complete inventory of marked deer in the population prior to the counts. We sighted 54% of the marked deer during April 1987 and 1988, and 43% of the marked deer during November 1987 and 1988. Mean number of deer counted increased from 427 in April 1987 to 582 in April 1991, and increased from 467 in November 1987 to 662 in November 1990. Herd size during April, based on the mark-resight method, increased from approximately 700-1,400 from 1987-1991, whereas the estimates for November indicated an increase from 983 for 1987 to 1,592 for 1990. Given the large proportion of open area and the extensive road system throughout the study area, we concluded that the sighting probability for marked and unmarked deer was fairly similar. We believe that the mark-resight method was better suited to our study than the area-conversion method because deer were not evenly distributed between areas suitable and unsuitable for sighting within open and forested areas. The assumption of equal distribution is required by the area-conversion method. Deer marked for the mark-resight method also helped reduce double counting during the dusk surveys.

Isolation of novel microsatellite markers and their application for genetic diversity and parentage analyses in sika deer.

PubMed

Yang, Wanyun; Zheng, Junjun; Jia, Boyin; Wei, Haijun; Wang, Guiwu; Yang, Fuhe

2018-02-15

Every part of the sika deer (Cervus nippon) body is valuable traditional Chinese medicine. And sika deer is the most important semi-domestic medicinal animal that is widely bred in Jilin province northeast of China. But few studies had been conducted to characterize the microsatellite markers derived from sika deer. We firstly used IlluminaHiSeq™2500 sequencing technology obtained 125Mbp genomic data of sika deer. Using microsatellite identification tool (MISA), 22,479 microsatellites were identified. From these data, 100 potential primers were selected for further polymorphic validation, finally, 76 primer pairs were successfully amplified and 29 primer pairs were found to be obvious polymorphic in 8 different individuals. Using those polymorphic microsatellite markers, we analyzed the genetic diversity of Jilin sika deer population. The mean number of alleles of the 29 loci is 9.31 based on genotyping blood DNA from 96 Jilin sika deer; The mean expected heterozygosity and polymorphic information content (PIC) value of the 29 loci is 0.72 and 0.68 respectively, and among which 26 loci are highly polymorphic (PIC>0.50). According to the electrophoretic results and PIC value of these 29 loci, 10 loci with combined paternity exclusion probabilities>99.99% were selected to use in parentage verification for 16 sika deer. All the offspring of a family could be successfully assigned to their biological father. These microsatellite markers generated in this study could greatly facilitate future studies of molecular breeding in sika deer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Lions and prions and deer demise.

PubMed

Miller, Michael W; Swanson, Heather M; Wolfe, Lisa L; Quartarone, Fred G; Huwer, Sherri L; Southwick, Charles H; Lukacs, Paul M

2008-01-01

Contagious prion diseases--scrapie of sheep and chronic wasting disease of several species in the deer family--give rise to epidemics that seem capable of compromising host population viability. Despite this prospect, the ecological consequences of prion disease epidemics in natural populations have received little consideration. Using a cohort study design, we found that prion infection dramatically lowered survival of free-ranging adult (>2-year-old) mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus): estimated average life expectancy was 5.2 additional years for uninfected deer but only 1.6 additional years for infected deer. Prion infection also increased nearly fourfold the rate of mountain lions (Puma concolor) preying on deer, suggesting that epidemics may alter predator-prey dynamics by facilitating hunting success. Despite selective predation, about one fourth of the adult deer we sampled were infected. High prevalence and low survival of infected deer provided a plausible explanation for the marked decline in this deer population since the 1980s. Remarkably high infection rates sustained in the face of intense predation show that even seemingly complete ecosystems may offer little resistance to the spread and persistence of contagious prion diseases. Moreover, the depression of infected populations may lead to local imbalances in food webs and nutrient cycling in ecosystems in which deer are important herbivores.

Investigation of anatomical anomalies in Hanford Site mule deer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tiller, B.L.; Cadwell, L.L.; Poston, T.M.

Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus), common residents of the Hanford Site, are an important part of the shrub-steppe ecosystem as well as being valued for aesthetics and hunting. Because mule deer have been protected from hunting on the Site for 50 years, the herd has developed unique population characteristics, including a large number of old animals and males with either large or atypically developed antlers, in contrast to other herds in the semi-arid regions of the Northwest. Hanford Site mule deer have been studied since 1991 because of the herd`s unique nature and high degree of public interest.more » A special study of the mule deer herd was initiated in 1993 after observations were made of a relatively large number of male deer with atypical, velvet-covered antlers. This report specifically describes our analyses of adult male deer found on the Site with atypical antlers. The report includes estimates of population densities and composition; home ranges, habitat uses, and dietary habits; natural and human-induced causes of mortality; and the herd`s overall health and reproductive status.« less

The effect of terrain and female density on survival of neonatal white-tailed deer and mule deer fawns.

PubMed

Bonar, Maegwin; Manseau, Micheline; Geisheimer, Justin; Bannatyne, Travis; Lingle, Susan

2016-07-01

Juvenile survival is a highly variable life-history trait that is critical to population growth. Antipredator tactics, including an animal's use of its physical and social environment, are critical to juvenile survival. Here, we tested the hypothesis that habitat and social characteristics influence coyote (Canis latrans) predation on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and mule deer (O. hemionus) fawns in similar ways during the neonatal period. This would contrast to winter when the habitat and social characteristics that provide the most safety for each species differ. We monitored seven cohorts of white-tailed deer and mule deer fawns at a grassland study site in Alberta, Canada. We used logistic regression and a model selection procedure to determine how habitat characteristics, climatic conditions, and female density influenced fawn survival during the first 8 weeks of life. Fawn survival improved after springs with productive vegetation (high integrated Normalized Difference Vegetation Index values). Fawns that used steeper terrain were more likely to survive. Fawns of both species had improved survival in years with higher densities of mule deer females, but not with higher densities of white-tailed deer females, as predicted if they benefit from protection by mule deer. Our results suggest that topographical variation is a critical resource for neonates of many ungulate species, even species like white-tailed deer that use more gentle terrain when older. Further, our results raise the possibility that neonatal white-tailed fawns may benefit from associating with mule deer females, which may contribute to the expansion of white-tailed deer into areas occupied by mule deer.

Traditional cattle vs. introduced deer management in Chaco Serrano woodlands (Argentina): Analysis of environmental sustainability at increasing densities.

PubMed

Charro, José Luis; López-Sánchez, Aida; Perea, Ramón

2018-01-15

Wild ungulate populations have increased and expanded considerably in many regions, including austral woodlands and forests where deer (Cervus elaphus) have been introduced as an alternative management to traditional cattle grazing. In this study, we compared traditional cattle with introduced deer management at increasing deer densities in the "Chaco Serrano" woodlands of Argentina to assess their ecological sustainability. We used three ecological indicators (abundance of tree regeneration, woody plant diversity and browsing damage) as proxies for environmental sustainability in woody systems. Our results indicate that traditional cattle management, at stocking rates of ∼10 ind km -2 , was the most ecologically sustainable management since it allowed greater tree regeneration abundance, higher richness of woody species and lower browsing damage. Importantly, cattle management and deer management at low densities (10 ind km -2 ) showed no significant differences in species richness and abundance of seedlings, although deer caused greater browsing damage on saplings and juveniles. However, management regimes involving high deer densities (∼35 deer km 2 ) was highly unsustainable in comparison to low (∼10 deer km -2 ) and medium (∼20 deer km -2 ) densities, with 40% probability of unsustainable browsing as opposed to less than 5% probability at low and medium densities. In addition, high deer densities caused a strong reduction in tree regeneration, with a 19-30% reduction in the abundance of seedlings and young trees when compared to low deer densities. These results showed that the effect of increasing deer densities on woody plant conservation was not linear, with high deer densities causing a disproportional deleterious effect on tree regeneration and sustainable browsing. Our results suggest that traditional management at low densities or the use of introduced ungulates (deer breeding areas) at low-medium densities (<20 deer km -2 ) are compatible with woody vegetation conservation. However, further research is needed on plant palatability, animal habitat use (spatial heterogeneity) and species turnover and extinction (comparison to areas of low-null historical browsing) to better estimate environmental sustainability of Neotropical ungulate-dominated woodlands. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tagging studies of mule deer fawns on the Hanford Site, 1969 to 1977

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eberhardt, L.E.; Hedlund, J.D.; Rickard, W.H.

1979-10-01

From 1969 to 1977, 346 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) fawns were tagged and released on islands and shoreline habitat associated with the Columbia River on the Hanford Site in south-central Washington. The purpose was to determine the movement of mule deer along the Columbia River shoreline from the Hanford Site through tag recovery. Twenty-one tagged deer have been killed primarily by hunters near the Hanford Site or on areas of the Hanford Site open to public access. Movements of up to 113 km from Hanford have been documented. Although the Columbia River at Hanford is one of the largest andmore » most swift-flowing rivers in North America it is not an impassable barrier to mule deer. River islands are important and perhaps critical fawining habitat for the local deer herd. The selection of these islands by pregnant female deer is apparently influenced by predation, human access, and recreational use of islands. The number of fawns captured decreased during the latter years of the study (1974 to 1977). This is probably a reflection of an actual decrease in deer productivity, particularly along the upper stretch of the Columbia flowing through the Hanford Site. The reasons for this apparent decrease are unkown.« less

Colorimetric Sensor for Label Free Detection of Porcine PCR Product (ID: 18)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, M. E.; Hashim, U.; Bari, M. F.; Dhahi, Th. S.

2011-05-01

This report described the use of 40±5 nm in diameter citrate-coated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) as colorimetric sensor to visually detect the presence of a 17-base swine specific conserved sequence and nucleotide mismatch in the mixed PCR products of pig, deer and shad cytochrome b genes. The size of these PCR amplicons was 109 base-pair and was amplified with a pair of common primers. Colloidal GNPs changed color from pinkish- red to purple-gray in 2 mM PBS buffer by losing its characteristic surface plasmon resonance peak at 530 nm and gaining new features between 620 and 800 nm in the absorption spectrum indicating strong aggregation. The particles were stabilized against salt induced aggregation, retained spectral features and characteristic color upon adsorption of single-stranded DNA. The PCR products without any additional processing were hybridized with a 17-nucleotide swine probe prior to exposure to GNPs. At a critical annealing temperature (55° C) that differentiated between the match and mismatch pairing, the probe was hybridized with the pig PCR product and dehybridized from the deer's and shad's. The interaction of dehybridized probe to GNPs prevented them from salt-induced aggregation, retaining their characteristic red color. The assay did not need any surface modification chemistry or labeling steps. The results were determined visually and validated by absorption spectroscopy. The entire assay (hybridization plus visual detection) was performed in less than 10 min. The assay obviated the need of complex RFLP, sequencing or blotting to differentiate the same size PCR products. We find the application of the assay for species assignment in food analysis, mismatch detection in genetic screening and homology study among closely related species.

Erosion of the Alberta badlands produces highly variable and elevated heavy metal concentrations in the Red Deer River, Alberta.

PubMed

Kerr, Jason G; Cooke, Colin A

2017-10-15

Erosion is important in the transport of heavy metals from terrestrial to fluvial environments. In this study, we investigated riverine heavy metal (Cd, Cu, Hg and Pb) dynamics in the Red Deer River (RDR) watershed at sites upstream (n=2) and downstream (n=7) of the Alberta badlands, an area of naturally high erosion. At sites draining the badlands, total water column Cd, Cu, Hg and Pb concentrations frequently exceeded guidelines for the protection of freshwater biota. Furthermore, peak concentrations of total Cd (9.8μgL -1 ), Cu (212μgL -1 ), Hg (649ngL -1 ) and Pb (361μgL -1 ) were higher than, or comparable to, values reported for rivers and streams heavily impacted by anthropogenic activities. Total suspended solids (TSS) explained a large proportion (r 2 =0.34-0.83) of the variation in total metal concentrations in the RDR and tributaries and metal fluxes were dominated by the particulate fraction (60-98%). Suspended sediment concentrations (C sed ) and metal to aluminum ratios were generally not indicative of substantial sediment enrichment. Rather, the highly variable and elevated metal concentrations in the RDR watershed were a function of the high and variable suspended sediment fluxes which characterize the river system. While the impact of this on aquatic biota requires further investigation, we suggest erosion in the Alberta badlands may be contributing to Hg-based fish consumption advisories in the RDR. Importantly, this highlights a broader need for information on contaminant dynamics in watersheds subject to elevated rates of erosion. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Potential wildlife sources of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis for farmed deer (Cervus elaphus).

PubMed

Mackintosh, C G; Henderson, T

1984-12-01

During 1982 and 1983 15 serotype I, 6 serotype II, 1 serotype III and 3 untyped strains of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis were isolated from 675 apparently normal small mammals and birds from the Invermay farm and nearby rubbish tip with the following prevalence rates: feral cats 27.8%, Norway rats 8.6%, mice 5.5%, hares 3.8% rabbits 1.9% ducks 5.3%, sparrows 2.3%, seagulls 2.3% and starlings 1.7%. For rabbits a significantly higher prevalence of infection was found in the autumn/winter period (4.8%) than the spring/summer period (0%). Insufficient numbers of other mammals were obtained to demonstrate any seasonal difference in prevalence. All bird isolations were obtained between March and July (8/158) compared with none from August to October (0/144). It appears that a number of free-living species of small mammal and birds may be reservoir hosts for Y. pseudotuberculosis and potential sources of infection for red deer on the Invermay farm.

A geographic analysis of the status of mountain lions in Oklahoma

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pike, J.R.; Shaw, J.H.; Leslie, David M.; Shaw, M.G.

1999-01-01

The geographic distribution of sightings and sign of mountain lions (Puma concolor) in Oklahoma was investigated. Mail survey questionnaires were sent to natural resource professionals throughout Oklahoma to gather temporal and spatial information on sightings of mountain lions from 1985 to 1995. We used a geographic information system (GIS) to compare locations of sightings and sign in the state with ecoregions, deer harvest, human population densities, locations of licensed owners and breeders of mountain lions, and generalized topography. Sightings and sign of mountain lions occurred significantly more often in the Central Rolling Red Plains than elsewhere in the state. Sightings of mountain lions increased with total deer harvest statewide (R2=0.828, P<0.001). Numbers of sightings of mountain lions were correlated negatively with density of the human population (R2=0.885, P=0.017). Surveys are a valuable method to assess the status of rare wildlife species when other methods are not available and when those receiving the survey are qualified.

General Reevaluation and Environmental Impact Statement for Flood Control and Related Purposes, Sheyenne River, North Dakota

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-01-01

major loss of trees and understory shrubs and forbs would have significant adverse impact on dependent wildlife species such as white-tailed deer...wildlife d identifies cres of separable lands have been recommended mitigate habitat for these losses . The indicate that separable lande could be...however, »..At*..» • n ne*£#c n csuirc addi nine, any additional red as uneconomic If none of these ildlife losses , then accomplish the that due

Regional hospital improves efficiency with co-generation retrofit.

PubMed

Knutson, D; Anderson, L

1999-11-01

Feasibility analysis of the co-generation retrofit of the Red Deer Regional Hospital pointed to a reasonable payback of capital cost and increased efficiency in operation of the facility. Budget restrictions nearly stopped the project from proceeding. Innovative construction procedures proposed by the Facility Management Group, in particular, Mr Keith Metcalfe, Director of Maintenance, allowed a worthwhile project to reach successful completion. We feel that this model can perhaps be used by similar facilities in the future to achieve their energy efficiency goals.

Environmental Assessment for the Construction and Operation of a New Facility to House the Center for Character and Leadership Development Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-30

OF FORMULATION OF ALTERNATIVES A series of meetings between a jury of advisors and stakeholders resulted in two proposals (Alternative 1 and...following: mule and white-tail deer, black bear, mountain lion , small-footed bat, least ch ipmunk, several mouse species, cottontail rabbit, red fox ...Page I 21 Table 3-2 National and Colorado Ambient Air Quality Standards Pollutant National Colorado Carbon Monoxide (CO) 8-hour average 9 ppm 10 mg

First Report of Hepatitis E Virus Infection in Sika Deer in China

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiao-Xuan; Qin, Si-Yuan; Zhang, Yuan; Meng, Qing-Feng; Jiang, Jing; Yang, Gui-Lian; Zhao, Quan; Zhu, Xing-Quan

2015-01-01

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), a single stranded RNA, nonenveloped virus, belongs to the genus Hepevirus, in the family of Hepeviridae. In this study, 46 (5.43%) out of the 847 serum samples from sika deer (Cervus nippon) were detected as seropositive with hepatitis E virus (HEV) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These samples were collected from Inner Mongolia and Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in China, between October 2012 and October 2013. Seroprevalence of HEV infection in male and female deer was 4.82% and 6.52%, respectively. HEV seroprevalence in sika deer from different geographical locations varied from 3.13% to 6.73%. There was no significant difference in HEV seroprevalence between sika deer collected in autumn (5.65%) and winter (4.85%). This is the first report of HEV seroprevalence in sika deer in China, which will provide foundation information for estimating the effectiveness of future measures to control HEV infection in sika deer in China and assessing the potential risk of humans infected with HEV after consumption of undercooked or raw meat from infected sika deer. PMID:25949999

First report of hepatitis E virus infection in sika deer in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiao-Xuan; Qin, Si-Yuan; Zhang, Yuan; Meng, Qing-Feng; Jiang, Jing; Yang, Gui-Lian; Zhao, Quan; Zhu, Xing-Quan

2015-01-01

Hepatitis E virus (HEV), a single stranded RNA, nonenveloped virus, belongs to the genus Hepevirus, in the family of Hepeviridae. In this study, 46 (5.43%) out of the 847 serum samples from sika deer (Cervus nippon) were detected as seropositive with hepatitis E virus (HEV) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). These samples were collected from Inner Mongolia and Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces in China, between October 2012 and October 2013. Seroprevalence of HEV infection in male and female deer was 4.82% and 6.52%, respectively. HEV seroprevalence in sika deer from different geographical locations varied from 3.13% to 6.73%. There was no significant difference in HEV seroprevalence between sika deer collected in autumn (5.65%) and winter (4.85%). This is the first report of HEV seroprevalence in sika deer in China, which will provide foundation information for estimating the effectiveness of future measures to control HEV infection in sika deer in China and assessing the potential risk of humans infected with HEV after consumption of undercooked or raw meat from infected sika deer.

Seroprevalence and risk factors of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis infection in domestic sika deer in China.

PubMed

Meng, Qing-Feng; Li, Ying; Yang, Fan; Yao, Gui-Zhi; Qian, Ai-Dong; Wang, Wei-Li; Cong, Wei

2015-06-01

Paratuberculosis or Johne's disease (JD), caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), is a chronic infectious granulomatous enteritis of ruminants and other animals, which has a worldwide occurrence, but little is known of MAP infection in domestic sika deer in Jilin Province, China. The objective of the present investigation was to examine seroprevalence and risk factors of MAP infection in Jilin Province. Serum samples collected from 1400 sika deer from 16 sika deer herds were collected in the 4 districts of the province between May 2013 and August 2014 and were tested independently for the presence of antibodies against MAP. A total of 247 (17.64 %) sika deer tested positive for MAP antibodies using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay kit. The management level of farm and collecting region of sika deer was the main risk factor associated with MAP infection. The present study revealed the seroprevalence of MAP infection in sika deer in Jilin Province, China, which provided the baseline data for taking comprehensive countermeasures and measures in effectively preventing and controlling MAP infection in sika deer.

Camera traps reveal an apparent mutualism between a common mesocarnivore and an endangered ungulate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cove, Michael V.; Maurer, Andrew S.; O'Connell, Allan F.

2017-01-01

Camera traps are commonly used to study mammal ecology and they occasionally capture previously undocumented species interactions. The key deer (Odocoileus virginianus clavium) is an endangered endemic subspecies of the Florida Keys, where it exists with few predators. We obtained a camera trap sequence of 80 photos in which a key deer interacted with two northern raccoons (Procyon lotor). One of the raccoons groomed the deer’s face for ∼1 min. This interaction is peculiar and appears mutualistic because the deer was not concerned and willingly remained still throughout the physical contact. Although mutualistic relationships between deer and birds are common, we are unaware of any previously documented mesocarnivore-deer mutualisms. Key deer have evolved in the absence of mammalian predators and we hypothesize that they exhibit reduced vigilance or concern when encountering other species because of predator naivety. Key deer and raccoons are commonly associated with humans and urbanization and an alternative hypothesis is that the interactions are a consequence of heightened deer density, causing a greater probability of sustained interactions with the common mesocarnivores.

Morphometric and immunohistochemical study of the rumen of red deer during prenatal development.

PubMed

Franco, A J; Masot, A J; Aguado, Ma C; Gómez, L; Redondo, E

2004-06-01

Abstract A detailed study of the ontogenesis of deer stomach has not been undertaken to date, and our aim was to sequence several histological phenomena that occur during the ontogenesis of one of the gastric compartments, the rumen. Histomorphometric and immunohistochemical analyses were carried out on 50 embryos and fetuses of deer from the initial stages of prenatal life until birth. For the purposes of testing, the animals were divided into five experimental groups: group I, 1.4-3.6 cm crown-rump length, 30-60 days, 1-25% of gestation; group II, 4.5-7.2 cm crown-rump length, 67-90 days, 25-35% of gestation; group III, 8-19 cm crown-rump length, 97-135 days, 35-50% of gestation; group IV, 21-33 cm crown-rump length, 142-191 days, 45-70% of gestation; and group V, 36-40 cm crown-rump length, 205-235 days, 75-100% of gestation. The rumen of the primitive gastric tube was observed at approximately 60 days. At 67 days the rumen consisted of three layers: internal or mucosal, middle or muscular, and external or serosal layer. The stratification of the epithelial layer was accompanied by changes in its structure with the appearance of ruminal pillars and papillae. The outline of the ruminal papillae began to appear at 142 days of prenatal development as evaginations of the basal zone toward the ruminal lumen, pulling with it in its configuration the stratum basale, the lamina propria and the submucosa. From the pluripotential blastemic tissue at 60 days we witnessed the histodifferentiation of the primitive tunica muscularis, composed of two layers of myoblasts with a defined arrangement. It was also from the pluripotential blastemic tissue, at 97 days, that the lamina propria and the submucosa were differentiated. The serosa showed continuity in growth as well as differentiation, already detected in the undifferentiated outline phase. The tegumentary mucosa of deer rumen was shown without secretory capacity in the initial embryonic phases; neutral mucopolysaccharides appeared from 67 days. The presence of neuroendocrine cells (non-neuronal enolase) in the ruminal wall of deer during development was not detected until 97 days. The glial cells were detected at 142 days for glial fibrillary acidic protein and at 67 days for vimentin. The immunodetection of neuropeptides vasointestinal peptide and neuropeptide Y progressively increased with gestation period, starting from 97 days. In terms of the structure of the rumen of the primitive gastric tube, our observations revealed that the deer is less precocious than small and large domestic ruminants. Thus its secretory capacity, detected by the presence of neutral mucopolysaccharides, and its neuroendocrine nature, determined by the presence of positive non-neuronal enolase cells, were evident in more advanced stages of prenatal development than those detected in the sheep, goat and cow.

Morphometric and immunohistochemical study of the rumen of red deer during prenatal development

PubMed Central

Franco, A J; Masot, A J; Aguado, MaC; Gómez, L; Redondo, E

2004-01-01

A detailed study of the ontogenesis of deer stomach has not been undertaken to date, and our aim was to sequence several histological phenomena that occur during the ontogenesis of one of the gastric compartments, the rumen. Histomorphometric and immunohistochemical analyses were carried out on 50 embryos and fetuses of deer from the initial stages of prenatal life until birth. For the purposes of testing, the animals were divided into five experimental groups: group I, 1.4–3.6 cm crown–rump length, 30–60 days, 1–25% of gestation; group II, 4.5–7.2 cm crown–rump length, 67–90 days, 25–35% of gestation; group III, 8–19 cm crown–rump length, 97–135 days, 35–50% of gestation; group IV, 21–33 cm crown–rump length, 142–191 days, 45–70% of gestation; and group V, 36–40 cm crown–rump length, 205–235 days, 75–100% of gestation. The rumen of the primitive gastric tube was observed at approximately 60 days. At 67 days the rumen consisted of three layers: internal or mucosal, middle or muscular, and external or serosal layer. The stratification of the epithelial layer was accompanied by changes in its structure with the appearance of ruminal pillars and papillae. The outline of the ruminal papillae began to appear at 142 days of prenatal development as evaginations of the basal zone toward the ruminal lumen, pulling with it in its configuration the stratum basale, the lamina propria and the submucosa. From the pluripotential blastemic tissue at 60 days we witnessed the histodifferentiation of the primitive tunica muscularis, composed of two layers of myoblasts with a defined arrangement. It was also from the pluripotential blastemic tissue, at 97 days, that the lamina propria and the submucosa were differentiated. The serosa showed continuity in growth as well as differentiation, already detected in the undifferentiated outline phase. The tegumentary mucosa of deer rumen was shown without secretory capacity in the initial embryonic phases; neutral mucopolysaccharides appeared from 67 days. The presence of neuroendocrine cells (non-neuronal enolase) in the ruminal wall of deer during development was not detected until 97 days. The glial cells were detected at 142 days for glial fibrillary acidic protein and at 67 days for vimentin. The immunodetection of neuropeptides vasointestinal peptide and neuropeptide Y progressively increased with gestation period, starting from 97 days. In terms of the structure of the rumen of the primitive gastric tube, our observations revealed that the deer is less precocious than small and large domestic ruminants. Thus its secretory capacity, detected by the presence of neutral mucopolysaccharides, and its neuroendocrine nature, determined by the presence of positive non-neuronal enolase cells, were evident in more advanced stages of prenatal development than those detected in the sheep, goat and cow. PMID:15198691

Natural History of Plasmodium odocoilei Malaria Infection in Farmed White-Tailed Deer.

PubMed

Guggisberg, Ann M; Sayler, Katherine A; Wisely, Samantha M; Odom John, Audrey R

2018-04-25

White-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ), an ecologically and economically important species, are the most widely distributed large animals in North America. A recent study indicated that up to 25% of all white-tailed deer may be infected with Plasmodium odocoilei , a malaria parasite belonging to the distinct clade of ungulate-infecting Plasmodium spp. Because the clinical impact of P. odocoilei on deer health and survival is unknown, we undertook a retrospective longitudinal study of farmed Floridian O. virginianus fawns. We found that a substantial proportion (21%) of fawns acquire malaria infection during the first 8 months of life. Some animals naturally clear P. odocoilei infection, while other animals remain persistently positive. Importantly, we found that animals that acquire malaria parasites very early in life have poor survival compared to animals that remain uninfected. Our report thus provides the first evidence of a clinically significant impact of malaria infection in young deer. IMPORTANCE Malaria parasites of the genus Plasmodium are known to infect a variety of vertebrate hosts, including ungulates (hoofed mammals). A recent study found that up to a quarter of white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) in North America are infected with the parasite Plasmodium odocoilei In addition to occupying an important ecological niche, white-tailed deer are popular game animals and deer farming represents a rapidly growing industry. However, the effect of P. odocoilei infection in this ecologically and economically important ungulate species is unknown. Our work is significant because (i) we identified a high prevalence of P. odocoilei in farmed deer and (ii) we found evidence for both cleared and persistent infection, as well as an association with decreased survival of young fawns. Copyright © 2018 Guggisberg et al.

Recolonizing gray wolves increase parasite infection risk in their prey.

PubMed

Lesniak, Ines; Heckmann, Ilja; Franz, Mathias; Greenwood, Alex D; Heitlinger, Emanuel; Hofer, Heribert; Krone, Oliver

2018-02-01

The recent recolonization of Central Europe by the European gray wolf ( Canis lupus ) provides an opportunity to study the dynamics of parasite transmission for cases when a definitive host returns after a phase of local extinction. We investigated whether a newly established wolf population increased the prevalence of those parasites in ungulate intermediate hosts representing wolf prey, whether some parasite species are particularly well adapted to wolves, and the potential basis for such adaptations. We recorded Sarcocystis species richness in wolves and Sarcocystis prevalence in ungulates harvested in study sites with and without permanent wolf presence in Germany using microscopy and DNA metabarcoding. Sarcocystis prevalence in red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) was significantly higher in wolf areas (79.7%) than in control areas (26.3%) but not in roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus ) (97.2% vs. 90.4%) or wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) (82.8% vs. 64.9%). Of 11 Sarcocystis species, Sarcocystis taeniata and Sarcocystis grueneri occurred more often in wolves than expected from the Sarcocystis infection patterns of ungulate prey. Both Sarcocystis species showed a higher increase in prevalence in ungulates in wolf areas than other Sarcocystis species, suggesting that they are particularly well adapted to wolves, and are examples of "wolf specialists". Sarcocystis species richness in wolves was significantly higher in pups than in adults. "Wolf specialists" persisted during wolf maturation. The results of this study demonstrate that (1) predator-prey interactions influence parasite prevalence, if both predator and prey are part of the parasite life cycle, (2) mesopredators do not necessarily replace the apex predator in parasite transmission dynamics for particular parasites of which the apex predator is the definitive host, even if meso- and apex predators were from the same taxonomic family (here: Canidae, e.g., red foxes Vulpes vulpes ), and (3) age-dependent immune maturation contributes to the control of protozoan infection in wolves.

Spoligotype diversity and 5-year trends of bovine tuberculosis in Extremadura, southern Spain.

PubMed

García-Jiménez, Waldo L; Cortés, María; Benítez-Medina, José M; Hurtado, Inés; Martínez, Remigio; García-Sánchez, Alfredo; Risco, David; Cerrato, Rosario; Sanz, Cristina; Hermoso-de-Mendoza, Miguel; Fernández-Llario, Pedro; Hermoso-de-Mendoza, Javier

2016-12-01

Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) causes significant losses to farming economies worldwide. A better understanding on the epidemiology of this disease and the role that the different hosts develop in the maintenance and spread of bTB is vital to control this zoonotic disease. This study reports the spoligotype diversity and temporal evolution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex (MTBC) isolates obtained from Extremadura (southern Spain). Genotyping data of Mycobacterium bovis (n = 2102) and Mycobacterium caprae (n = 96) isolates from cattle and wildlife species, collected between 2008 and 2012, were used in this study. The isolates resulted clustered into 88 spoligotypes which varied largely in frequency and occurrence in the three hosts. The 20 most frequent patterns represented 91.99 % of the isolates, the spoligotype SB0121 being the clearly predominant and most widely dispersed geographically. The major variety of the spoligotype patterns (78 out of 88) was isolated from the cattle, in fact 50 (56.83 %) of the patterns were found only in this species. Within the spoligotypes shared between the cattle and wildlife species, 17 patterns (1747 isolates) were shared with wild boar and Iberian red deer, 10 patterns (308 isolates) were exclusively shared with wild boar, and only one pattern (two isolates) was shared exclusively with Iberian red deer. The significant number of spoligotypes shared between the three hosts (79.49 %) highlights the components of the multi-host system that allows the bTB maintenance in our study area. The greater percentage of isolates shared by the wild boar and cattle (93.50 %) supports the role of wild boar as main maintenance host for bTB in cattle. These results could be extrapolated to areas with a similar epidemiological scenario and could be helpful for other countries where wild reservoirs represent a handicap for the successful eradication of bTB from livestock.

Compensatory mortality in mule deer populations: Final technical report, January 1, 1985--December 31, 1988

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

White, G.C.

1989-03-01

The hypothesis of compensatory mortality is critical to understanding population dynamics of wildlife species. This knowledge is vital regardless of whether populations are managed for recreational hunting or habitats are altered via energy development projects. This research tested for compensatory mortality in the juvenile (fawn) portion of a mule deer population. Two experimental manipulations were used employing radio-collared deer. In this study, /approximately/20% of the population was moved from a treatment area and fawn survival rates compared to those on the control area. In the pasture study, deer were stocked in pastures at 3 densities of 44, 89, and 139more » deer/km/sup 2/. Lowering of density in the field portion of the study did not appear to affect fawn survival. This is attributed to not removing enough animals for existing range conditions that have been imparted by high deer densities during the last 3 decades. Also, the effect of removal was tempered by an increase in yearling males brought about by antler-point restrictions during the harvest. Deer removed from the treatment area were used to stock 3 large pastures at low, medium, and high densities of 44, 89, and 139 deer/km/sup 2/, respectively. Fawn survival was significantly different between densities (P < 0.001), with the low density pasture showing the highest survival and the high density pasture showing the lowest survival. The main cause of death was starvation suggesting that food supplies were limiting. A strong compensatory mortality process is operating in this mule deer population as evidenced by the pasture data. We did not detect this process in the field portion of the study because the removal of /approximately/20% of the population was insufficient to allow an immediate improvement in fawn nutrition. The density-dependent survival response in the controlled pasture study demonstrated that compensatory mortality is operating in this population. 57 refs., 7 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Mule deer and energy development-Long-term trends of habituation and abundance.

PubMed

Sawyer, Hall; Korfanta, Nicole M; Nielson, Ryan M; Monteith, Kevin L; Strickland, Dale

2017-11-01

As the extent and intensity of energy development in North America increases, so do disturbances to wildlife and the habitats they rely upon. Impacts to mule deer are of particular concern because some of the largest gas fields in the USA overlap critical winter ranges. Short-term studies of 2-3 years have shown that mule deer and other ungulates avoid energy infrastructure; however, there remains a common perception that ungulates habituate to energy development, and thus, the potential for a demographic effect is low. We used telemetry data from 187 individual deer across a 17-year period, including 2 years predevelopment and 15 years during development, to determine whether mule deer habituated to natural gas development and if their response to disturbance varied with winter severity. Concurrently, we measured abundance of mule deer to indirectly link behavior with demography. Mule deer consistently avoided energy infrastructure through the 15-year period of development and used habitats that were an average of 913 m further from well pads compared with predevelopment patterns of habitat use. Even during the last 3 years of study, when most wells were in production and reclamation efforts underway, mule deer remained >1 km away from well pads. The magnitude of avoidance behavior, however, was mediated by winter severity, where aversion to well pads decreased as winter severity increased. Mule deer abundance declined by 36% during the development period, despite aggressive onsite mitigation efforts (e.g. directional drilling and liquid gathering systems) and a 45% reduction in deer harvest. Our results indicate behavioral effects of energy development on mule deer are long term and may affect population abundance by displacing animals and thereby functionally reducing the amount of available habitat. © 2017 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Cadmium, lead, and mercury exposure assessment among croatian consumers of free-living game.

PubMed

Lazarus, Maja; Prevendar Crnić, Andreja; Bilandžić, Nina; Kusak, Josip; Reljić, Slaven

2014-09-29

Free-living game can be an important source of dietary cadmium and lead; the question is whether exposure to these two elements is such that it might cause adverse health effects in the consumers. The aim of this study was to estimate dietary exposure to cadmium, lead, and mercury from free-living big game (fallow deer, roe deer, red deer, wild boar, and brown bear), and to mercury from small game (pheasant and hare), hunted in Croatia from 1990 to 2012. The exposure assessment was based on available literature data and our own measurements of metal levels in the tissues of the game, by taking into account different consumption frequencies (four times a year, once a month and once a week). Exposure was expressed as percentage of (provisional) tolerable weekly intake [(P)TWI] values set by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Consumption of game meat (0.002-0.5 % PTWI) and liver (0.005-6 % PTWI) assumed for the general population (four times a year) does not pose a health risk to consumers from the general population, nor does monthly (0.02-6 % PTWI) and weekly (0.1-24 % PTWI) consumption of game meat. However, because of the high percentage of free-living game liver and kidney samples exceeding the legislative limits for cadmium (2-99 %) and lead (1-82 %), people should keep the consumption of certain game species' offal as low as possible. Children and pregnant and lactating women should avoid eating game offal altogether. Free-living game liver could be an important source of cadmium if consumed on a monthly basis (3-74 % TWI), and if consumed weekly (11-297 % TWI), it could even give rise to toxicological concern.

Babesia spp. identified by PCR in ticks collected from domestic and wild ruminants in southern Switzerland.

PubMed

Hilpertshauser, Heidi; Deplazes, Peter; Schnyder, Manuela; Gern, Lise; Mathis, Alexander

2006-10-01

Concurrent infections with vector-borne pathogens affected a cattle herd in Switzerland, and one of the pathogens was identified as Babesia bigemina, which had never been observed in this country before. Therefore, a survey of the occurrence of ruminant Babesia spp. and their tick vectors in Switzerland was conducted. A total of 2,017 ticks were collected from sheep, goats, cattle, and wild ruminants (deer, roe deer, and chamois) in southern parts of Switzerland and identified morphologically. The vast majority of the ticks (99.2%) were Ixodes ricinus, but 14 ticks from sheep and goats were identified as Dermacentor marginatus and two ticks from wild ruminants were identified as Hemaphysalis punctata. PCR analyses of 700 ticks revealed the presence of Babesia divergens (n = 6), Babesia sp. genotype EU1 (n = 14), and B. major (n = 2), whose suggested occurrence was confirmed in this study by molecular analysis, and the presence of novel Babesia sp. genotype CH1 (n = 4), which is closely related to B. odocoilei and to Babesia sp. genotype RD61 reported from North America. The identification of B. divergens and B. major in ticks collected from wild ruminants cast doubt on the postulated strict host specificity of these bovine Babesia species. Furthermore, the zoonotic Babesia sp. genotype EU1 was detected in ticks collected from domestic animals but was obtained predominantly from ticks collected from wild ruminants. More than one tick containing DNA of different Babesia spp. were collected from two red deer. Hence, the role of these game animals as reservoir hosts of Babesia spp. seems to be important but requires further investigation.

Manganese Supplementation in Deer under Balanced Diet Increases Impact Energy and Contents in Minerals of Antler Bone Tissue.

PubMed

Cappelli, Jamil; Garcia, Andrés; Ceacero, Francisco; Gomez, Santiago; Luna, Salvador; Gallego, Laureano; Gambin, Pablo; Landete-Castillejos, Tomás

2015-01-01

Bone ash, collagen, Ca and P composition, are considered the main factors affecting mechanical properties in bones. However, a series of studies in bone and antler have shown that some trace minerals, such as manganese, may play a role whose importance exceeds what may be expected considering their low content. A previous study showed that a reduction in manganese in antlers during a year of late winter frosts led to generalized antler breakage in Spain, which included a reduction of 30% of cortical thickness, 27% reduction in impact energy, and 10% reduction in work to peak force. Starting for this observation, we experimentally studied the effects of manganese supplementation in adults and yearling (yearlings) red deer under a balanced diet. Subjects were 29 deer of different age classes (adult n = 19, yearlings n = 10) that were divided in a manganese injected group (n = 14) and a control group (n = 15). Antler content in ashes and minerals, intrinsic mechanical properties and cross section structure were examined at 4 points along the antler beam. A one way ANOVA (mean per antler) showed that in yearlings, manganese supplementation only increased its content and that of Fe. However, in adults, Mn supplementation increased the mean content per antler of Ca, Na, P, B, Co, Cu, K, Mn, Ni, Se (while Si content was reduced), and impact work but not Young's modulus of elasticity, bending strength or work to peak force. A GLM series on characteristics in the uppermost part examined in the antler, often showing physiological exhaustion and depletion of body stores, showed also a 16% increase in work to peak force in the antlers of the treated group. Thus, manganese supplementation altered mineral composition of antler and improved structure and some mechanical properties despite animals having a balanced diet.

Manganese Supplementation in Deer under Balanced Diet Increases Impact Energy and Contents in Minerals of Antler Bone Tissue

PubMed Central

Cappelli, Jamil; Garcia, Andrés; Ceacero, Francisco; Gomez, Santiago; Luna, Salvador; Gallego, Laureano; Gambin, Pablo; Landete-Castillejos, Tomás

2015-01-01

Bone ash, collagen, Ca and P composition, are considered the main factors affecting mechanical properties in bones. However, a series of studies in bone and antler have shown that some trace minerals, such as manganese, may play a role whose importance exceeds what may be expected considering their low content. A previous study showed that a reduction in manganese in antlers during a year of late winter frosts led to generalized antler breakage in Spain, which included a reduction of 30% of cortical thickness, 27% reduction in impact energy, and 10% reduction in work to peak force. Starting for this observation, we experimentally studied the effects of manganese supplementation in adults and yearling (yearlings) red deer under a balanced diet. Subjects were 29 deer of different age classes (adult n = 19, yearlings n = 10) that were divided in a manganese injected group (n = 14) and a control group (n = 15). Antler content in ashes and minerals, intrinsic mechanical properties and cross section structure were examined at 4 points along the antler beam. A one way ANOVA (mean per antler) showed that in yearlings, manganese supplementation only increased its content and that of Fe. However, in adults, Mn supplementation increased the mean content per antler of Ca, Na, P, B, Co, Cu, K, Mn, Ni, Se (while Si content was reduced), and impact work but not Young’s modulus of elasticity, bending strength or work to peak force. A GLM series on characteristics in the uppermost part examined in the antler, often showing physiological exhaustion and depletion of body stores, showed also a 16% increase in work to peak force in the antlers of the treated group. Thus, manganese supplementation altered mineral composition of antler and improved structure and some mechanical properties despite animals having a balanced diet. PMID:26177083

Single-treatment porcine zona pellucida immunocontraception associated with reduction of a population of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

PubMed

Rutberg, Allen T; Naugle, Ricky E; Verret, Frank

2013-12-01

Previous reports have demonstrated gradual reductions of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations through immunocontraception, with stabilization occurring after 2-4 yr of treatment, and subsequent reductions of 6-10% annually. These studies employed porcine zona pellucida (PZP) vaccines that required two initial treatments and annual retreatments. From 2005 to 2010, 258 adult and yearling female deer on Fripp Island, South Carolina, were treated with one of several PZP preparations designed to produce 2+ yr of effective contraception with a single treatment. These included several preparations of SpayVac and of native PZP-adjuvant emulsion plus PZP and QA-21 in timed-release pellets. Deer were chemically immobilized, ear-tagged, and administered initial treatments by hand in February-March. Some treated deer were boosted remotely with PZP-adjuvant emulsion 1.5 - 4.5 yr after initial treatments. Ground-based distance sampling was used to estimate deer population density at Fripp Island, a resort community, and at a relatively undeveloped neighboring control site, Hunting Island. Most vaccine preparations tested reduced fawning rates by 75% to 95% for at least 1 yr. From 2005 to 2011, deer density on Fripp Island declined by 50%, from 72 deer/km(2) to 36 deer/km(2), an average annual reduction of 11%. In contrast, population density on the Hunting Island control site fluctuated between 2005 and 2011, averaging 23 deer/km(2) (range, 19-28 deer/km(2)). Population declines on Fripp Island were associated with an increase in the proportion of treated females and with a progressive decrease in winter fawn:doe ratios, from 1.21 fawns/doe in 2005 to 0.19 fawns/doe in 2010. Winter fawn:doe ratios averaged 1.36 fawns/doe (range, 0.84 - 1.62 fawns/doe) at the Hunting Island control site. Annual survivorship averaged approximately 79% among ear-tagged females. The rate at which deer populations diminished in association with PZP treatments on Fripp Island was higher than that seen at other study sites, although the reasons for the more rapid decline on Fripp Island are not well understood.

Management practices used by white-tailed deer farms in Pennsylvania and herd health problems.

PubMed

Brooks, Jason W; Jayarao, Bhushan M

2008-01-01

To determine current management practices used by white-tailed deer farms in Pennsylvania and identify animal health problems that exist in these herds. Cross-sectional study. Owners and managers of 233 farms in Pennsylvania that raised white-tailed deer. A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to participants. Herds ranged in size from 1 to 350 deer. Land holdings ranged from 0.07 to 607 hectares (0.17 to 1,500 acres). Stocking density ranged from 0.1 to 118.6 deer/hectare (0.04 to 48 deer/acre). Most (84%) respondents raised deer for breeding or hunting stock; 13% raised deer exclusively as pets or for hobby purposes, and purpose varied by herd size. Multiple associations were identified between management or disease factors and herd size. The use of vaccines, use of veterinary and diagnostic services, use of pasture, and use of artificial insemination increased as herd size increased. The most common conditions in herds of all sizes were respiratory tract disease, diarrhea, parasitism, and sudden death. The prevalence of respiratory tract disease increased as herd size increased. Results suggested that many aspects of herd management for white-tailed deer farms in Pennsylvania were associated with herd size, but that regardless of herd size, many preventive medicine practices were improperly used or underused in many herds.

Spatial and temporal trends of deer harvest and deer-vehicle accidents in Ohio

Treesearch

Aaron L. Iverson; Louis R. Iverson

1999-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus} have been increasing dramatically in the eastern United States, with concomitant increases in impacts resulting from deer browsing and deer-vehicle collisions. In Ohio, the number of deer were estimated at near zero in 1940 to over 450,000 in 1995. We analyzed estimates of deer harvest and deer-vehicle...

Will Culling White-Tailed Deer Prevent Lyme Disease?

PubMed

Kugeler, K J; Jordan, R A; Schulze, T L; Griffith, K S; Mead, P S

2016-08-01

White-tailed deer play an important role in the ecology of Lyme disease. In the United States, where the incidence and geographic range of Lyme disease continue to increase, reduction of white-tailed deer populations has been proposed as a means of preventing human illness. The effectiveness of this politically sensitive prevention method is poorly understood. We summarize and evaluate available evidence regarding the effect of deer reduction on vector tick abundance and human disease incidence. Elimination of deer from islands and other isolated settings can have a substantial impact on the reproduction of blacklegged ticks, while reduction short of complete elimination has yielded mixed results. To date, most studies have been conducted in ecologic situations that are not representative to the vast majority of areas with high human Lyme disease risk. Robust evidence linking deer control to reduced human Lyme disease risk is lacking. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to recommend deer population reduction as a Lyme disease prevention measure, except in specific ecologic circumstances. © 2015 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Will Culling White-Tailed Deer Prevent Lyme Disease?

PubMed Central

Kugeler, K. J.; Jordan, R. A.; Schulze, T. L.; Griffith, K. S.; Mead, P. S.

2015-01-01

Summary White-tailed deer play an important role in the ecology of Lyme disease. In the United States, where the incidence and geographic range of Lyme disease continue to increase, reduction of white-tailed deer populations has been proposed as a means of preventing human illness. The effectiveness of this politically sensitive prevention method is poorly understood. We summarize and evaluate available evidence regarding the effect of deer reduction on vector tick abundance and human disease incidence. Elimination of deer from islands and other isolated settings can have a substantial impact on the reproduction of blacklegged ticks, while reduction short of complete elimination has yielded mixed results. To date, most studies have been conducted in ecologic situations that are not representative to the vast majority of areas with high human Lyme disease risk. Robust evidence linking deer control to reduced human Lyme disease risk is lacking. Currently, there is insufficient evidence to recommend deer population reduction as a Lyme disease prevention measure, except in specific ecologic circumstances. PMID:26684932

Comparison Between the Fecal Bacterial Microbiota of Healthy and Diarrheic Captive Musk Deer

PubMed Central

Li, Yimeng; Hu, Xiaolong; Yang, Shuang; Zhou, Juntong; Qi, Lei; Sun, Xiaoning; Fan, Mengyuan; Xu, Shanghua; Cha, Muha; Zhang, Meishan; Lin, Shaobi; Liu, Shuqiang; Hu, Defu

2018-01-01

Diarrhea constitutes one of the most common diseases affecting the survival of captive musk deer and is usually caused by an imbalance in intestinal microbiota. Currently, research regarding the structure and function of intestinal microbiota in diarrheic musk deer is lacking. Therefore, in the present study, high-throughput 16S-rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze the intestinal microbiota in feces of healthy captive musk deer (HMD) (n = 8) and musk deer with mild (MMD) (n = 8), and severe (n = 5) (SMD) diarrhea to compare the difference in intestinal microbiota of musk deer under various physiological conditions. The results showed that the diversity of HMD fecal microbiota was significantly higher than that of the two diarrhea samples. β Diversity results indicated that there were extremely significant differences in bacterial communities between the HMD sample and the MMD and SMD samples. However, no significant difference was found between the two diarrhea samples. LefSe analysis showed that the degree of intestinal physiological dysfunction in musk deer was correlated with the types of major pathogens. The main pathogen in the MMD group is Escherichia–Shigella, whereas Fusobacterium is the main pathogen in the SMD group. PICRUSt functional profile prediction indicated that the intestinal microbiota disorder could also lead to changes in the abundance of genes in metabolic pathways of the immune system. Altogether, this study provides a theoretical basis for the exploration of treatments for diarrhea in captive musk deer, which is of considerable significance to the implementation of the musk deer release into the wild program. PMID:29551996

Transcriptome analysis of sika deer in China.

PubMed

Jia, Bo-Yin; Ba, Heng-Xing; Wang, Gui-Wu; Yang, Ying; Cui, Xue-Zhe; Peng, Ying-Hua; Zheng, Jun-Jun; Xing, Xiu-Mei; Yang, Fu-He

2016-10-01

Sika deer is of great commercial value because their antlers are used in tonics and alternative medicine and their meat is healthy and delicious. The goal of this study was to generate transcript sequences from sika deer for functional genomic analyses and to identify the transcripts that demonstrate tissue-specific, age-dependent differential expression patterns. These sequences could enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying sika deer growth and development. In the present study, we performed de novo transcriptome assembly and profiling analysis across ten tissue types and four developmental stages (juvenile, adolescent, adult, and aged) of sika deer, using Illumina paired-end tag (PET) sequencing technology. A total of 1,752,253 contigs with an average length of 799 bp were generated, from which 1,348,618 unigenes with an average length of 590 bp were defined. Approximately 33.2 % of these (447,931 unigenes) were then annotated in public protein databases. Many sika deer tissue-specific, age-dependent unigenes were identified. The testes have the largest number of tissue-enriched unigenes, and some of them were prone to develop new functions for other tissues. Additionally, our transcriptome revealed that the juvenile-adolescent transition was the most complex and important stage of the sika deer life cycle. The present work represents the first multiple tissue transcriptome analysis of sika deer across four developmental stages. The generated data not only provide a functional genomics resource for future biological research on sika deer but also guide the selection and manipulation of genes controlling growth and development.

Living on the edge: roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) density in the margins of its geographical range.

PubMed

Valente, Ana M; Fonseca, Carlos; Marques, Tiago A; Santos, João P; Rodrigues, Rogério; Torres, Rita Tinoco

2014-01-01

Over the last decades roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) populations have increased in number and distribution throughout Europe. Such increases have profound impacts on ecosystems, both positive and negative. Therefore monitoring roe deer populations is essential for the appropriate management of this species, in order to achieve a balance between conservation and mitigation of the negative impacts. Despite being required for an effective management plan, the study of roe deer ecology in Portugal is at an early stage, and hence there is still a complete lack of knowledge of roe deer density within its known range. Distance sampling of pellet groups coupled with production and decay rates for pellet groups provided density estimates for roe deer in northeastern Portugal (Lombada National Hunting Area--LNHA, Serra de Montesinho--SM and Serra da Nogueira--SN; LNHA and SM located in Montesinho Natural Park). The estimated roe deer density using a stratified detection function was 1.23/100 ha for LNHA, 4.87/100 ha for SM and 4.25/100 ha in SN, with 95% confidence intervals (CI) of 0.68 to 2.21, 3.08 to 7.71 and 2.25 to 8.03, respectively. For the entire area, the estimated density was about 3.51/100 ha (95% CI - 2.26-5.45). This method can provide estimates of roe deer density, which will ultimately support management decisions. However, effective monitoring should be based on long-term studies that are able to detect population fluctuations. This study represents the initial phase of roe deer monitoring at the edge of its European range and intends to fill the gap in this species ecology, as the gathering of similar data over a number of years will provide the basis for stronger inferences. Monitoring should be continued, although the study area should be increased to evaluate the accuracy of estimates and assess the impact of management actions.

Ecological studies of the timber wolf in Northeastern Minnesota.

Treesearch

L. David Mech; L.D. Jr. Frenzel

1971-01-01

Aerial observations and radio tracking showed that wolves had ranges of 43 to 1,000 square miles. Kill rate during usual winters was one deer per wolf per 18 days, but harsher winters allowed increased kill. Wolf-killed deer generally were older and had more abnormalities than hunter-killed deer.

Comparison of the gut microbiota composition between wild and captive sika deer (Cervus nippon hortulorum) from feces by high-throughput sequencing.

PubMed

Guan, Yu; Yang, Haitao; Han, Siyu; Feng, Limin; Wang, Tianming; Ge, Jianping

2017-11-23

The gut microbiota is characterized as a complex ecosystem that has effects on health and diseases of host with the interactions of many other factors together. Sika deer is the national level for the protection of wild animals in China. The available sequencing data of gut microbiota from feces of wild sika deer, especially for Cervus nippon hortulorum in Northeast China, are limited. Here, we characterized the gastrointestinal bacterial communities of wild (7 samples) and captive (12 samples) sika deer from feces, and compared their gut microbiota by analyzing the V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA gene using high-throughput sequencing technology on the Illumina Hiseq platform. Firmicutes (77.624%), Bacteroidetes (18.288%) and Tenericutes (1.342%) were the most predominant phyla in wild sika deer. While in captive sika deer, Firmicutes (50.710%) was the dominant phylum, followed by Bacteroidetes (31.996%) and Proteobacteria (4.806%). A total of 9 major phyla, 22 families and 30 genera among gastrointestinal bacterial communities showed significant differences between wild and captive sika deer. The specific function and mechanism of Tenericutes in wild sika deer need further study. Our results indicated that captive sika deer in farm had higher fecal bacterial diversity than the wild. Abundance and quantity of diet source for sika deer played crucial role in shaping the composition and structure of gut microbiota.

Co-Infection and Genetic Diversity of Tick-Borne Pathogens in Roe Deer from Poland

PubMed Central

Werszko, Joanna; Cydzik, Krystian; Bajer, Anna; Michalik, Jerzy; Behnke, Jerzy M.

2013-01-01

Abstract Wild species are essential hosts for maintaining Ixodes ticks and the tick-borne diseases. The aim of our study was to estimate the prevalence, the rate of co-infection with Babesia, Bartonella, and Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and the molecular diversity of tick-borne pathogens in roe deer in Poland. Almost half of the tested samples provided evidence of infection with at least 1 species. A. phagocytophilum (37.3%) was the most common and Bartonella (13.4%) the rarest infection. A total of 18.3% of all positive samples from roe deer were infected with at least 2 pathogens, and one-third of those were co-infected with A. phagocytophilum, Bartonella, and Babesia species. On the basis of multilocus molecular studies we conclude that: (1) Two different genetic variants of A. phagocytophilum, zoonotic and nonzoonotic, are widely distributed in Polish roe deer population; (2) the roe deer is the host for zoonotic Babesia (Bab. venatorum, Bab. divergens), closely related or identical with strains/species found in humans; (3) our Bab. capreoli and Bab. divergens isolates differed from reported genotypes at 2 conserved base positions, i.e., positions 631 and 663; and (4) this is the first description of Bart. schoenbuchensis infections in roe deer in Poland. We present 1 of the first complex epidemiological studies on the prevalence of Babesia, Bartonella, and A. phagocytophilum in naturally infected populations of roe deer. These game animals clearly have an important role as reservoir hosts of tick-borne pathogens, but the pathogenicity and zoonotic potential of the parasite genotypes hosted by roe deer requires further detailed investigation. PMID:23473225

Use of yohimbine and 4-aminopyridine to antagonize xylazine-induced immobilization in North American Cervidae.

PubMed

Renecker, L A; Olsen, C D

1985-12-01

Four captive moose (Alces alces), 4 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and 5 white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were immobilized with xylazine (0.63 to 1.29 mg/kg of body weight, IM). Mean induction times for the moose were 17 minutes and for the deer, 14 and 10 minutes, respectively. According to published data and past experience, the dosage of xylazine used would be expected to provide 115, 120, and 100 minutes of immobilization in captive moose, mule deer, and white-tailed deer, respectively. In the present study, maximal sedation of the moose and deer was reversed with successive injections (given IV) of yohimbine (0.15 mg/kg) and 4-aminopyridine (0.26 to 0.29 mg/kg). These produced sternal recumbency-to-arousal intervals of 1 to 15 minutes and recumbency-to-standing or walking intervals of 1 to 24 minutes. Relapses to recumbency were not observed. The injections of the reversal drugs produced marked increases in respiratory rate and heart in the moose and deer, without occurrence of muscle tremors or convulsions. The administrations of yohimbine and 4-aminopyridine markedly enhanced the speed of recovery from xylazine-induced immobilization in moose and deer.

Re-mating across years and intralineage polygyny are associated with greater than expected levels of inbreeding in wild red deer

PubMed Central

Stopher, K V; Nussey, D H; Clutton-Brock, T H; Guinness, F; Morris, A; Pemberton, J M

2012-01-01

The interaction between philopatry and nonrandom mating has important consequences for the genetic structure of populations, influencing co-ancestry within social groups but also inbreeding. Here, using genetic paternity data, we describe mating patterns in a wild population of red deer (Cervus elaphus) which are associated with marked consequences for co-ancestry and inbreeding in the population. Around a fifth of females mate with a male with whom they have mated previously, and further, females frequently mate with a male with whom a female relative has also mated (intralineage polygyny). Both of these phenomena occur more than expected under random mating. Using simulations, we demonstrate that temporal and spatial factors, as well as skew in male breeding success, are important in promoting both re-mating behaviours and intralineage polygyny. However, the information modelled was not sufficient to explain the extent to which these behaviours occurred. We show that re-mating and intralineage polygyny are associated with increased pairwise relatedness in the population and a rise in average inbreeding coefficients. In particular, the latter resulted from a correlation between male relatedness and rutting location, with related males being more likely to rut in proximity to one another. These patterns, alongside their consequences for the genetic structure of the population, have rarely been documented in wild polygynous mammals, yet they have important implications for our understanding of genetic structure, inbreeding avoidance and dispersal in such systems. PMID:23039875

Rabies in Captive Deer, Pennsylvania, USA, 2007–2010

PubMed Central

Tack, Danielle M.; Longenberger, Allison; Simeone, Aliza; Moll, Mària E.; Deasy, Marshall P.; Blanton, Jesse D.; Rupprecht, Charles E.

2012-01-01

Since January 2007, a total of 11 rabid deer from 4 deer farms have been identified in 2 neighboring Pennsylvania counties. Vaccination of deer against rabies, decreasing wildlife animal contact with deer, and education of deer farmers may prevent further cases of rabies in captive deer and exposures to humans. PMID:22260956

Characteristics of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from meat and milk products of different origins and association with food producing animals as main contamination sources.

PubMed

Martin, Annett; Beutin, Lothar

2011-03-15

Shiga toxin-producing strains of Escherichia coli (STEC) cause diarrhoea and haemorrhagic colitis in humans. Most human infections are attributed to consumption of STEC contaminated foodstuff. Food producing animals constitute important reservoirs of STEC and serve as source of food contamination. In this study, we have analyzed 593 foodborne STEC strains for their serotypes and for nine virulence genes (stx1, stx1c, stx1d, stx2, stx2b, stx2e, stx2g, E-hly and eae). The 593 STEC strains grouped into 215 serotypes, and 123 serotypes (57.2%) were represented each by only one STEC isolate. Fifteen serotypes (7.0%) were attributed to 198 (33.3%) of the 593 STEC strains. The foodborne STEC were grouped into different categories in relation to the species of the food producing animal (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, red deer, wild-boar and hare). Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses revealed significant similarities between the animal origin of the food and the virulence markers of foodborne STEC. Significant associations (p<0.001) were found for stx1 and for stx2 with bovine meat and milk products. The stx2e gene was significantly (p<0.001) associated with STEC from pork and wild boar meat. Stx1c and stx2b genes were significantly (p<0.001) more frequent in STEC from deer meat, as well as from meat and milk products derived from sheep and goats. Using logistic regression models we detected significant (p<0.01) combinations between stx1, stx2 and E-hly genes and STEC from bovine meat. The combination of stx1c and stx2b genes was significant (p<0.001) for STEC derived from red deer, sheep and goat products. The properties of foodborne STEC were compared with published data on faecal STEC from food producing animals. Virulence profiles and serotypes of STEC from food showed remarkable similarities to those of faecal STEC that were from the same animal species. The findings from our study clearly indicate that the food producing animals represent the most important source for the entry of STEC in the food chain. Sound hygiene measures implemented at critical stages of food production (milking, slaughtering, and evisceration) should be most effective in reducing the frequency of STEC contamination of food derived from domestic and wildlife animals. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Molecular detection and identification of piroplasms in sika deer (Cervus nippon) from Jilin Province, China.

PubMed

Liu, Junlong; Yang, Jifei; Guan, Guiquan; Liu, Aihong; Wang, Bingjie; Luo, Jianxun; Yin, Hong

2016-03-16

Piroplasmosis is an important disease of domestic animals and wildlife and is caused by organisms from the genera Theileria and Babesia. Wildlife such as sika deer play an important role as reservoir hosts for several species of Theileria and Babesia. Using blood samples collected from sika deer, we investigated the epidemiology of Theileria spp. and Babesia spp. in sika deer from Jilin Province in China and identified those species that cause pathogenic infections in sika deer. Sixty-eight blood samples of sika deer were collected from three areas of the Jilin Province in Northeast China. Genomic DNA was extracted, and the V4 hypervariable region of the 18S rRNA of the piroplasms was amplified using the nested PCR method. The selected positive samples were sequenced to identify species of Babesia and Theileria. PCR detection revealed that 24 samples were positive for Theileria and Babesia spp. (35.29 %, 95 % CI = 11.8-46.8). After alignment, a sequenced fragment for Theileria cervi was found to be the most prevalent from the obtained samples (22.06 %, 95 % CI = 11.8-49.6). Six sika deer samples were identified as being infected with a Theileria sp. that was similar to a Theileria sp. found from spotted deer in India. In addition to the results above, for the first time, we identified T. annulata infection from one sample of sika deer and Babesia sp. from two samples, which showed high identity with Babesia motasi found in sheep from China. The present study offers new data on the pathogens of piroplasmosis in sika deer in northeastern China. For the first time, sika deer was confirmed as a reservoir host for the T. annulata of cattle and the B. motasi of sheep, which was found in China.

White-tailed deer migration and its role in wolf predation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hoskinson, R.L.; Mech, L.D.

1976-01-01

Seventeen white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) were radio-tagged in winter yards and tracked for up to 17 months each (881 locations) from January 1973 through August 1974 in the central Superior National Forest of NE Minnesota following a drastic decline in deer numbers. Ten vyolves (Canis lupus) from 7 packs in the same area were radiotracked before and/or during the same period (703 locations). Deer had winter ranges averaging 26.4 ha. Spring migration took place from 26 March to 23 April and was related to loss of snow cover. Deer generally migrated ENE in straight-line distances of 10.0 to 38.0 km to summer ranges. Two fawns did not migrate. Arrival on summer ranges was between 19 April and 18 May, and summer ranges varied from 48.1 to 410.4 ha. Migration back to the same winter yards took place in early December, coincident with snow accumulation and low temperatures. Social grouping appeared strongest during migration and winter yarding. Survival of the radio-tagged deer was studied through 1 May 1975. Four deer were killed by wolves, one was poached, and one drowned. Mean age of the captured deer was 5.4 years and estimated minimum survival after capture was 2.6 years, giving an estimated total minimum survival of 8.0 years. This unusually high survival rate appeared to be related to the fact that both winter and summer ranges of these deer were situated along wolf-pack territory edges rather than in centers. In addition, most summer ranges of the radio-tagged deer were along major waterways where the deer could escape wolves.

Health status and relative exposure of mule deer and white-tailed deer to soil contaminants at the rocky mountain arsenal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Creekmore, Terry E.; Whittaker, Donald G.; Roy, Richard R.; Franson, J. Christian; Baker, Dan L.

1999-01-01

We evaluated the health of 18 radio-collared deer [13 mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) and 5 white-tailed deer (O. virginianus)] from the Rocky Mountain Arsenal, near Denver, Colorado, USA, a Superfund site contaminated with a variety of materials, including organochlorine pesticides, metals, and nerve gas production by-products. Radio-collared deer were tracked for 1 to 3 years (1989–1992) to identify relative exposure to contaminants based on telemetry locations plotted on grid maps depicting known soil contaminant concentrations. At the end of the study, all animals were in fair or good body condition at the time of necropsy. Mean ages of mule deer and white-tailed deer were 7.4 (range 4–12) and 10.6 years (range 5–17), respectively. At necropsy, tissues were collected from the deer for serology, histopathology, and analysis for eight chlorinated hydrocarbons and two metals. Detectable residues of mercury were found in the kidneys of 10 deer (range 0.055–0.096 μg/g), dieldrin was found in fat (n = 9) (range 0.02–0.72 μg/g), liver (n = 4) (range 0.017–0.12 μg/g), and brain (n = 1, 0.018 μg/g), and DDE was found in the muscle of one animal (0.02 μg/g). Relative exposure estimates derived from telemetry and soil contamination data were correlated with tissue levels of dieldrin (p < 0.001) and mercury (p = 0.05). Two mule deer had severe testicular atrophy, and one of these animals also had antler deformities. The prevalence of antibodies against epizootic hemorrhagic disease serotype 2 was 85%.

Mapping eastern equine encephalitis virus risk for white-tailed deer in Michigan

PubMed Central

Downs, Joni A.; Hyzer, Garrett; Marion, Eric; Smith, Zachary J.; Kelen, Patrick Vander; Unnasch, Thomas R.

2015-01-01

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is a mosquito-borne viral disease that is often fatal to humans and horses. Some species including white-tailed deer and passerine birds can survive infection with the EEE virus (EEEV) and develop antibodies that can be detected using laboratory techniques. In this way, collected serum samples from free ranging white-tailed deer can be used to monitor the presence of the virus in ecosystems. This study developed and tested a risk index model designed to predict EEEV activity in white-tailed deer in a three-county area of Michigan. The model evaluates EEEV risk on a continuous scale from 0.0 (no measurable risk) to 1.0 (highest possible risk). High risk habitats are identified as those preferred by white-tailed deer that are also located in close proximity to an abundance of wetlands and lowland forests, which support disease vectors and hosts. The model was developed based on relevant literature and was tested with known locations of infected deer that showed neurological symptoms. The risk index model accurately predicted the known locations, with the mean value for those sites equal to the 94th percentile of values in the study area. The risk map produced by the model could be used refine future EEEV monitoring efforts that use serum samples from free-ranging white-tailed deer to monitor viral activity. Alternatively, it could be used focus educational efforts targeted toward deer hunters that may have elevated risks of infection. PMID:26494931

Deer hunting on Pennsylvania's public and private lands: A two-tiered system of hunters?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stedman, R.C.; Bhandari, P.; Luloff, A.E.; Diefenbach, D.R.; Finley, J.C.

2008-01-01

Recreational hunting is crucial for controlling white-tailed deer populations. Public land is increasingly important as access to private lands declines. However, differences between public and private land hunters remain unknown. Our study of Pennsylvania hunters revealed differences between private and public land hunters that may pose problems for management. Hunters who only hunted public land had lower harvest rates, especially of antlerless deer, spent less time hunting, were less committed to hunting, were more likely to hunt alone, less likely to belong to a hunting camp, and more likely to live in urban areas. They were less likely to believe that high deer populations could damage forest ecosystems, and less willing to harvest antlerless deer. The implications of these findings, in the context of already-declining hunter capacity to keep deer populations in check, and concomitant declining access to private land, are discussed. Copyright ?? Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Children as an Emotional Amplifier in Northern Illinois White-Tailed Deer Interactions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hicks, Jonathan R.

2016-01-01

This pilot study identified and provided initial exploration into the notion that the presence of children can increase or amplify the emotional significance of encounters with white-tailed deer. Qualitative data demonstrated that Northern Illinois natural area decision makers found deer encounters to be more memorable when simultaneously sharing…

Using improved technology for filter paper-based blood collection to survey wild Sika deer for antibodies to hepatitis E virus.

PubMed

Yu, Claro; Zimmerman, Carl; Stone, Roger; Engle, Ronald E; Elkins, William; Nardone, Glenn A; Emerson, Suzanne U; Purcell, Robert H

2007-06-01

Recent reports from Japan implicated wild Sika deer (Cervus nippon) in the zoonotic transmission of hepatitis E to humans. Seroprevalence studies were performed to determine if imported feral populations of Sika deer in Maryland and Virginia posed a similar risk of transmitting hepatitis E virus (HEV). Hunters collected blood on filter paper discs from freshly killed deer. The discs were desiccated and delivered to a collection point. The dried filters were weighed to estimate the amount of blood absorbed and were eluted and collected in one tube via a novel extraction system. The procedure was quantified and validated with negative and positive serum and blood samples obtained from domestic Sika deer before and after immunization with HEV recombinant capsid protein, respectively. None of the 155 tested samples contained antibody to HEV, suggesting that Sika deer in these populations, unlike those in Japan, do not pose a significant zoonotic threat for hepatitis E. However, the new method developed for collecting and eluting the samples should prove useful for field studies of many other pathogens.

Classification and phylogeny of sika deer (Cervus nippon) subspecies based on the mitochondrial control region DNA sequence using an extended sample set.

PubMed

Ba, Hengxing; Yang, Fuhe; Xing, Xiumei; Li, Chunyi

2015-06-01

To further refine the classification and phylogeny of sika deer subspecies, the well-annotated sequences of the complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region of 13 sika deer subspecies from GenBank were downloaded, aligned and analyzed in this study. By reconstructing the phylogenetic tree with an extended sample set, the results revealed a split between Northern and Southern Mainland Asia/Taiwan lineages, and moreover, two subspecies, C.n.mantchuricus and C.n.hortulorum, were existed in Northern Mainland Asia. Unexpectedly, Dybowskii's sika deer that was thought to originate from Northern Mainland Asia joins the Southern Mainland Asia/Taiwan lineage. The genetic divergences were ranged from 2.1% to 4.7% between Dybowskii's sika deer and all the other established subspecies at the mtDNA sequence level, which suggests that the maternal lineage of uncertain sika subspecies in Europe had been maintained until today. This study also provides a better understanding for the classification, phylogeny and phylogeographic history of sika deer subspecies.

Pyrazine analogs are active components of wolf urine that induce avoidance and fear-related behaviors in deer

PubMed Central

Osada, Kazumi; Miyazono, Sadaharu; Kashiwayanagi, Makoto

2014-01-01

Our previous studies indicated that a cocktail of pyrazine analogs, identified in wolf urine, induced avoidance and fear behaviors in mice. The effects of the pyrazine cocktail on Hokkaido deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) were investigated in field bioassays at a deer park in Hokkaido, Japan. A set of feeding bioassay trials tested the effects of the pyrazine cocktail odor on the behavior of the deer located around a feeding area in August and September 2013. This odor effectively suppressed the approach of the deer to the feeding area. In addition, the pyrazine cocktail odor provoked fear-related behaviors, such as “tail-flag”, “flight” and “jump” actions, of the deer around the feeding area. This study is the first experimental demonstration that the pyrazine analogs in wolf urine have robust and continual fearful aversive effects on ungulates as well as mice. The pyrazine cocktail might be suitable for a chemical repellent that could limit damage to forests and agricultural crops by wild ungulates. PMID:25177281

Using improved technology for filter paper-based blood collection to survey wild Sika deer for antibodies to hepatitis E virus

PubMed Central

Zimmerman, Carl; Stone, Roger; Engle, Ronald E.; Elkins, William; Nardone, Glenn A.; Emerson, Suzanne U.; Purcell, Robert H.

2009-01-01

Recent reports from Japan implicated wild Sika deer (Cervus nippon) in the zoonotic transmission of hepatitis E to humans. Seroprevalence studies were performed to determine if imported feral populations of Sika deer in Maryland and Virginia posed a similar risk of transmitting hepatitis E virus (HEV). Hunters collected blood on filter paper disks from freshly killed deer. The disks were desiccated and delivered to a collection point. The dried filters were weighed to estimate the amount of blood absorbed and were eluted and collected in one tube via a novel extraction system. The procedure was quantified and validated with negative and positive serum and blood samples obtained from domestic Sika deer before and after immunization with HEV recombinant capsid protein, respectively. None of the 155 tested samples contained antibody to HEV, suggesting that Sika deer in these populations, unlike those in Japan, do not pose a significant zoonotic threat for hepatitis E. However, the new method developed for collecting and eluting the samples should prove useful for field studies of many other pathogens. PMID:17336401

A regional assessment of white-tailed deer effects on plant invasion

PubMed Central

Mortensen, David A; Smithwick, Erica A H; Kalisz, Susan; McShea, William J; Bourg, Norman A; Parker, John D; Royo, Alejandro A; Abrams, Marc D; Apsley, David K; Blossey, Bernd; Boucher, Douglas H; Caraher, Kai L; DiTommaso, Antonio; Johnson, Sarah E; Masson, Robert; Nuzzo, Victoria A

2018-01-01

Abstract Herbivores can profoundly influence plant species assembly, including plant invasion, and resulting community composition. Population increases of native herbivores, e.g. white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), combined with burgeoning plant invasions raise concerns for native plant diversity and forest regeneration. While individual researchers typically test for the impact of deer on plant invasion at a few sites, the overarching influence of deer on plant invasion across regional scales is unclear. We tested the effects of deer on the abundance and diversity of introduced and native herbaceous and woody plants across 23 white-tailed deer research sites distributed across the east-central and north-eastern USA and representing a wide range of deer densities and invasive plant abundance and identity. Deer access/exclusion or deer population density did not affect introduced plant richness or community-level abundance. Native and total plant species richness, abundance (cover and stem density) and Shannon diversity were lower in deer-access vs. deer-exclusion plots. Among deer-access plots, native species richness, native and total cover, and Shannon diversity (cover) declined as deer density increased. Deer access increased the proportion of introduced species cover (but not of species richness or stem density). As deer density increased, the proportion of introduced species richness, cover and stem density all increased. Because absolute abundance of introduced plants was unaffected by deer, the increase in proportion of introduced plant abundance is likely an indirect effect of deer reducing native cover. Indicator species analysis revealed that deer access favoured three introduced plant species, including Alliaria petiolata and Microstegium vimineum, as well as four native plant species. In contrast, deer exclusion favoured three introduced plant species, including Lonicera japonica and Rosa multiflora, and 15 native plant species. Overall, native deer reduced community diversity, lowering native plant richness and abundance, and benefited certain invasive plants, suggesting pervasive impacts of this keystone herbivore on plant community composition and ecosystem services in native forests across broad swathes of the eastern USA. PMID:29340133

A regional assessment of white-tailed deer effects on plant invasion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Averill, Kristine M.; Mortensen, David A.; Smithwick, Erica A. H.

Herbivores can profoundly influence plant species assembly, including plant invasion, and resulting community composition. Population increases of native herbivores, e.g., white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus), combined with burgeoning plant invasions raise concerns for native plant diversity and forest regeneration. While individual researchers typically test for the impact of deer on plant invasion at a few sites, the overarching influence of deer on plant invasion across regional scales is unclear. We tested the effects of deer on the abundance and diversity of introduced and native herbaceous and woody plants across 23 white-tailed deer research sites distributed across the east central andmore » northeastern United States and representing a wide range of deer densities and invasive plant abundance and identity. Deer access/exclusion or deer population density did not affect introduced plant richness or community-level abundance. Native and total plant species richness, abundance (cover and stem density), and Shannon diversity were lower in deer-access vs. deer-exclusion plots. Among deer access plots, native species richness, native and total cover, and Shannon diversity (cover) declined as deer density increased. Deer access increased the proportion of introduced species cover (but not of species richness or stem density). As deer density increased, the proportion of introduced species richness, cover, and stem density all increased. Because absolute abundance of introduced plants was unaffected by deer, the increase in proportion of introduced plant abundance is likely an indirect effect of deer reducing native cover. Indicator species analysis revealed that deer access favored three introduced plant species, including Alliaria petiolata and Microstegium vimineum, as well as four native plant species. In contrast, deer exclusion favored three introduced plant species, including Lonicera japonica and Rosa multiflora, and fifteen native plant species. Altogether, native deer reduced community diversity, lowering native plant richness and abundance, and benefited certain invasive plants, suggesting pervasive impacts of this keystone herbivore on plant community composition and ecosystem services in native forests across broad swathes of the eastern US.« less

A regional assessment of white-tailed deer effects on plant invasion

DOE PAGES

Averill, Kristine M.; Mortensen, David A.; Smithwick, Erica A. H.; ...

2017-12-07

Herbivores can profoundly influence plant species assembly, including plant invasion, and resulting community composition. Population increases of native herbivores, e.g., white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus), combined with burgeoning plant invasions raise concerns for native plant diversity and forest regeneration. While individual researchers typically test for the impact of deer on plant invasion at a few sites, the overarching influence of deer on plant invasion across regional scales is unclear. We tested the effects of deer on the abundance and diversity of introduced and native herbaceous and woody plants across 23 white-tailed deer research sites distributed across the east central andmore » northeastern United States and representing a wide range of deer densities and invasive plant abundance and identity. Deer access/exclusion or deer population density did not affect introduced plant richness or community-level abundance. Native and total plant species richness, abundance (cover and stem density), and Shannon diversity were lower in deer-access vs. deer-exclusion plots. Among deer access plots, native species richness, native and total cover, and Shannon diversity (cover) declined as deer density increased. Deer access increased the proportion of introduced species cover (but not of species richness or stem density). As deer density increased, the proportion of introduced species richness, cover, and stem density all increased. Because absolute abundance of introduced plants was unaffected by deer, the increase in proportion of introduced plant abundance is likely an indirect effect of deer reducing native cover. Indicator species analysis revealed that deer access favored three introduced plant species, including Alliaria petiolata and Microstegium vimineum, as well as four native plant species. In contrast, deer exclusion favored three introduced plant species, including Lonicera japonica and Rosa multiflora, and fifteen native plant species. Altogether, native deer reduced community diversity, lowering native plant richness and abundance, and benefited certain invasive plants, suggesting pervasive impacts of this keystone herbivore on plant community composition and ecosystem services in native forests across broad swathes of the eastern US.« less

Association between melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms and the velvet antler yield of Sika deer.

PubMed

Yang, Fei-Fei; Huo, Li-Jun; Yang, Li-Guo; Riaz, Hasan; Xiong, Li-Rong; Chen, Jian-Guo; Zhang, Shu-Jun; Xiong, Jia-Jun

2014-01-01

Melatonin, a secretion from pineal gland is ambiguously considered as the key hormone involved in regulation of the antler cycle in Sika deer. To find out more about the roles of melatonin and its receptor gene, we carried out current study to investigate the association between polymorphisms in melatonin receptor 1A (MTNR1A) gene and the antler yield from Sika deer. A total of 251 Sika deer were analyzed in this study, of which consisted of Wusan Sika deer (n = 163) and Dongfeng Sika deer (n = 88). MTNRA gene was amplified by PCR and genotyped by Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Three polymorphism loci (C518T, C629G and C635T) were detected in exon2 of MTNR1A gene. The restriction site Ecol881 was used for C518T while a C629G polymorphism locus was digested with Mval restriction endonucleases. In Wusan Sika deer the allele frequencies of C and T were 0.637 and 0.363 for C518T, Also C and G alleles in C629G locus were 0.206 and 0.794. Genotypic frequencies of allele CC, CT and TT were 33.7, 59.9 and 6.4 % respectively, It showed 1.8, 37.4 and 60.7 % for frequencies of genotypes CC, CG and GG. In Dongfeng Sika deer the allele frequencies of C and T were 0.518 and 0.482 for C518T, C and G alleles were 0.375 and 0.625 for C629G. Genotypic frequencies were 10.6, 82.4 and 7.1 % for genotypes CC, CT and TT respectively, and they were 1.1, 72.7 and 26.2 % for genotypes CC, CG and GG. Among three SNPs, only C629G showed significant association (P < 0.05) with average antler yield in Wusan Sika deer, while no SNP was significant in Dongfeng Sika deer. These preliminary results implied that the identified SNPs of MTNR1A gene might influence the antler yield in Wusan Sika deer.

Chronic wasting disease drives population decline of white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

Edmunds, David; Kauffman, Matthew J.; Schumaker, Brant; Lindzey, Frederick G.; Cook, Walter; Kreeger, Terry J.; Grogan, Ronald; Cornish, Todd

2016-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is an invariably fatal transmissible spongiform encephalopathy of white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose. Despite a 100% fatality rate, areas of high prevalence, and increasingly expanding geographic endemic areas, little is known about the population-level effects of CWD in deer. To investigate these effects, we tested the null hypothesis that high prevalence CWD did not negatively impact white-tailed deer population sustainability. The specific objectives of the study were to monitor CWD-positive and CWD-negative white-tailed deer in a high-prevalence CWD area longitudinally via radio-telemetry and global positioning system (GPS) collars. For the two populations, we determined the following: a) demographic and disease indices, b) annual survival, and c) finite rate of population growth (λ). The CWD prevalence was higher in females (42%) than males (28.8%) and hunter harvest and clinical CWD were the most frequent causes of mortality, with CWD-positive deer over-represented in harvest and total mortalities. Survival was significantly lower for CWD-positive deer and separately by sex; CWD-positive deer were 4.5 times more likely to die annually than CWD-negative deer while bucks were 1.7 times more likely to die than does. Population λ was 0.896 (0.859–0.980), which indicated a 10.4% annual decline. We show that a chronic disease that becomes endemic in wildlife populations has the potential to be population-limiting and the strong population-level effects of CWD suggest affected populations are not sustainable at high disease prevalence under current harvest levels.

Genetic diversity and population structure of a Sichuan sika deer (Cervus sichuanicus) population in Tiebu Nature Reserve based on microsatellite variation

PubMed Central

HE, Ya; WANG, Zheng-Huan; WANG, Xiao-Ming

2014-01-01

Cervus sichuanicus is a species of sika deer (Cervus nippon Group). To date, research has mainly focused on quantity surveying and behavior studies, with genetic information on this species currently deficient. To provide scientific evidence to assist in the protection of this species, we collected Sichuan sika deer fecal samples from the Sichuan Tiebu Nature Reserve (TNR) and extracted DNA from those samples. Microsatellite loci of bovine were used for PCR amplification. After GeneScan, the genotype data were used to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of the Sichuan sika deer in TNR. Results showed that the average expected heterozygosity of the Sichuan sika deer population in TNR was 0.562, equivalent to the average expected heterozygosity of endangered animals, such as Procapra przewalskii. Furthermore, 8 of 9 microsatellite loci significantly deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and two groups existed within the Sichuan sika deer TNR population. This genetic structure may be caused by a group of Manchurian sika deer (Cervus hortulorum) released in TNR. PMID:25465089

Genetic diversity and population structure of a Sichuan sika deer (Cervus sichuanicus) population in Tiebu Nature Reserve based on microsatellite variation.

PubMed

He, Ya; Wang, Zheng-Huan; Wang, Xiao-Ming

2014-11-18

Cervus sichuanicus is a species of sika deer (Cervus nippon Group). To date, research has mainly focused on quantity surveying and behavior studies, with genetic information on this species currently deficient. To provide scientific evidence to assist in the protection of this species, we collected Sichuan sika deer fecal samples from the Sichuan Tiebu Nature Reserve (TNR) and extracted DNA from those samples. Microsatellite loci of bovine were used for PCR amplification. After GeneScan, the genotype data were used to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of the Sichuan sika deer in TNR. Results showed that the average expected heterozygosity of the Sichuan sika deer population in TNR was 0.562, equivalent to the average expected heterozygosity of endangered animals, such as Procapra przewalskii. Furthermore, 8 of 9 microsatellite loci significantly deviated from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and two groups existed within the Sichuan sika deer TNR population. This genetic structure may be caused by a group of Manchurian sika deer (Cervus hortulorum) released in TNR.

How Does a Carnivore Guild Utilise a Substantial but Unpredictable Anthropogenic Food Source? Scavenging on Hunter-Shot Ungulate Carcasses by Wild Dogs/Dingoes, Red Foxes and Feral Cats in South-Eastern Australia Revealed by Camera Traps

PubMed Central

Forsyth, David M.; Woodford, Luke; Moloney, Paul D.; Hampton, Jordan O.; Woolnough, Andrew P.; Tucker, Mark

2014-01-01

There is much interest in understanding how anthropogenic food resources subsidise carnivore populations. Carcasses of hunter-shot ungulates are a potentially substantial food source for mammalian carnivores. The sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) is a large (≥150 kg) exotic ungulate that can be hunted throughout the year in south-eastern Australia, and hunters are not required to remove or bury carcasses. We investigated how wild dogs/dingoes and their hybrids (Canis lupus familiaris/dingo), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cats (Felis catus) utilised sambar deer carcasses during the peak hunting seasons (i.e. winter and spring). We placed carcasses at 1-km intervals along each of six transects that extended 4-km into forest from farm boundaries. Visits to carcasses were monitored using camera traps, and the rate of change in edible biomass estimated at ∼14-day intervals. Wild dogs and foxes fed on 70% and 60% of 30 carcasses, respectively, but feral cats seldom (10%) fed on carcasses. Spatial and temporal patterns of visits to carcasses were consistent with the hypothesis that foxes avoid wild dogs. Wild dog activity peaked at carcasses 2 and 3 km from farms, a likely legacy of wild dog control, whereas fox activity peaked at carcasses 0 and 4 km from farms. Wild dog activity peaked at dawn and dusk, whereas nearly all fox activity occurred after dusk and before dawn. Neither wild dogs nor foxes remained at carcasses for long periods and the amount of feeding activity by either species was a less important predictor of the loss of edible biomass than season. Reasons for the low impacts of wild dogs and foxes on sambar deer carcass biomass include the spatially and temporally unpredictable distribution of carcasses in the landscape, the rapid rate of edible biomass decomposition in warm periods, low wild dog densities and the availability of alternative food resources. PMID:24918425

How does a carnivore guild utilise a substantial but unpredictable anthropogenic food source? Scavenging on hunter-shot ungulate carcasses by wild dogs/dingoes, red foxes and feral cats in south-eastern Australia revealed by camera traps.

PubMed

Forsyth, David M; Woodford, Luke; Moloney, Paul D; Hampton, Jordan O; Woolnough, Andrew P; Tucker, Mark

2014-01-01

There is much interest in understanding how anthropogenic food resources subsidise carnivore populations. Carcasses of hunter-shot ungulates are a potentially substantial food source for mammalian carnivores. The sambar deer (Rusa unicolor) is a large (≥ 150 kg) exotic ungulate that can be hunted throughout the year in south-eastern Australia, and hunters are not required to remove or bury carcasses. We investigated how wild dogs/dingoes and their hybrids (Canis lupus familiaris/dingo), red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cats (Felis catus) utilised sambar deer carcasses during the peak hunting seasons (i.e. winter and spring). We placed carcasses at 1-km intervals along each of six transects that extended 4-km into forest from farm boundaries. Visits to carcasses were monitored using camera traps, and the rate of change in edible biomass estimated at ∼ 14-day intervals. Wild dogs and foxes fed on 70% and 60% of 30 carcasses, respectively, but feral cats seldom (10%) fed on carcasses. Spatial and temporal patterns of visits to carcasses were consistent with the hypothesis that foxes avoid wild dogs. Wild dog activity peaked at carcasses 2 and 3 km from farms, a likely legacy of wild dog control, whereas fox activity peaked at carcasses 0 and 4 km from farms. Wild dog activity peaked at dawn and dusk, whereas nearly all fox activity occurred after dusk and before dawn. Neither wild dogs nor foxes remained at carcasses for long periods and the amount of feeding activity by either species was a less important predictor of the loss of edible biomass than season. Reasons for the low impacts of wild dogs and foxes on sambar deer carcass biomass include the spatially and temporally unpredictable distribution of carcasses in the landscape, the rapid rate of edible biomass decomposition in warm periods, low wild dog densities and the availability of alternative food resources.

Systematic review of management strategies to control chronic wasting disease in wild deer populations in North America.

PubMed

Uehlinger, F D; Johnston, A C; Bollinger, T K; Waldner, C L

2016-08-22

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a contagious, fatal prion disease affecting cervids in a growing number of regions across North America. Projected deer population declines and concern about potential spread of CWD to other species warrant strategies to manage this disease. Control efforts to date have been largely unsuccessful, resulting in continuing spread and increasing prevalence. This systematic review summarizes peer-reviewed published reports describing field-applicable CWD control strategies in wild deer populations in North America using systematic review methods. Ten databases were searched for peer-reviewed literature. Following deduplication, relevance screening, full-text appraisal, subject matter expert review and qualitative data extraction, nine references were included describing four distinct management strategies. Six of the nine studies used predictive modeling to evaluate control strategies. All six demonstrated one or more interventions to be effective but results were dependant on parameters and assumptions used in the model. Three found preferential removal of CWD infected deer to be effective in reducing CWD prevalence; one model evaluated a test and slaughter strategy, the other selective removal of infected deer by predators and the third evaluated increased harvest of the sex with highest prevalence (males). Three models evaluated non-selective harvest of deer. There were only three reports that examined primary data collected as part of observational studies. Two of these studies supported the effectiveness of intensive non-selective culling; the third study did not find a difference between areas that were subjected to culling and those that were not. Seven of the nine studies were conducted in the United States. This review highlights the paucity of evaluated, field-applicable control strategies for CWD in wild deer populations. Knowledge gaps in the complex epidemiology of CWD and the intricacies inherent to prion diseases currently pose significant challenges to effective control of this disease in wild deer in North America.

Spatial interactions of yarded White-tailed Deer, Odocoileus virginianus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nelson, M.E.; Sargeant, G.A.

2008-01-01

We examined the spatial interactions of nine female White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in two deeryards (winter aggregations) in northeastern Minnesota during February-April 1999. Global positioning system (GPS) collars yielded seven pair-wise comparisons of deer that were located at the same time (???1 minute apart) and mat used overlapping areas. Deer traveled separately and did not associate with one another. Within overlapping areas, comparisons of distances between deer and distances between random locations indicated deer moved without regard to each other. Similarly, comparisons of observed and expected probabilities of deer using areas overlapping those of other deer also evinced that deer moved independently.

Markers for Ongoing or Previous Hepatitis E Virus Infection Are as Common in Wild Ungulates as in Humans in Sweden

PubMed Central

Roth, Anette; Lin, Jay; Magnius, Lars; Karlsson, Marie; Belák, Sándór; Widén, Frederik; Norder, Heléne

2016-01-01

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a human pathogen with zoonotic spread, infecting both domestic and wild animals. About 17% of the Swedish population is immune to HEV, but few cases are reported annually, indicating that most infections are subclinical. However, clinical hepatitis E may also be overlooked. For identified cases, the source of infection is mostly unknown. In order to identify whether HEV may be spread from wild game, the prevalence of markers for past and/or ongoing infection was investigated in sera and stool samples collected from 260 hunted Swedish wild ungulates. HEV markers were found in 43 (17%) of the animals. The most commonly infected animal was moose (Alces alces) with 19 out of 69 animals (28%) showing HEV markers, followed by wild boar (Sus scrofa) with 21 out of 139 animals (15%), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) with 2 out of 30 animals, red deer (Cervus elaphus) with 1 out of 15 animals, and fallow deer (Dama dama) 0 out of 7 animals. Partial open reading frame 1 (ORF1) of the viral genomes from the animals were sequenced and compared with those from 14 endemic human cases. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that three humans were infected with HEV strains similar to those from wild boar. These results indicate that wild animals may be a source of transmission to humans and could be an unrecognized public health concern. PMID:27657108

Markers for Ongoing or Previous Hepatitis E Virus Infection Are as Common in Wild Ungulates as in Humans in Sweden.

PubMed

Roth, Anette; Lin, Jay; Magnius, Lars; Karlsson, Marie; Belák, Sándór; Widén, Frederik; Norder, Heléne

2016-09-19

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a human pathogen with zoonotic spread, infecting both domestic and wild animals. About 17% of the Swedish population is immune to HEV, but few cases are reported annually, indicating that most infections are subclinical. However, clinical hepatitis E may also be overlooked. For identified cases, the source of infection is mostly unknown. In order to identify whether HEV may be spread from wild game, the prevalence of markers for past and/or ongoing infection was investigated in sera and stool samples collected from 260 hunted Swedish wild ungulates. HEV markers were found in 43 (17%) of the animals. The most commonly infected animal was moose ( Alces alces ) with 19 out of 69 animals (28%) showing HEV markers, followed by wild boar ( Sus scrofa ) with 21 out of 139 animals (15%), roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus ) with 2 out of 30 animals, red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) with 1 out of 15 animals, and fallow deer ( Dama dama ) 0 out of 7 animals. Partial open reading frame 1 (ORF1) of the viral genomes from the animals were sequenced and compared with those from 14 endemic human cases. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that three humans were infected with HEV strains similar to those from wild boar. These results indicate that wild animals may be a source of transmission to humans and could be an unrecognized public health concern.

Selective Predation of a Stalking Predator on Ungulate Prey

PubMed Central

Heurich, Marco; Zeis, Klara; Küchenhoff, Helmut; Müller, Jörg; Belotti, Elisa; Bufka, Luděk; Woelfing, Benno

2016-01-01

Prey selection is a key factor shaping animal populations and evolutionary dynamics. An optimal forager should target prey that offers the highest benefits in terms of energy content at the lowest costs. Predators are therefore expected to select for prey of optimal size. Stalking predators do not pursue their prey long, which may lead to a more random choice of prey individuals. Due to difficulties in assessing the composition of available prey populations, data on prey selection of stalking carnivores are still scarce. We show how the stalking predator Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) selects prey individuals based on species identity, age, sex and individual behaviour. To address the difficulties in assessing prey population structure, we confirm inferred selection patterns by using two independent data sets: (1) data of 387 documented kills of radio-collared lynx were compared to the prey population structure retrieved from systematic camera trapping using Manly’s standardized selection ratio alpha and (2) data on 120 radio-collared roe deer were analysed using a Cox proportional hazards model. Among the larger red deer prey, lynx selected against adult males—the largest and potentially most dangerous prey individuals. In roe deer lynx preyed selectively on males and did not select for a specific age class. Activity during high risk periods reduced the risk of falling victim to a lynx attack. Our results suggest that the stalking predator lynx actively selects for size, while prey behaviour induces selection by encounter and stalking success rates. PMID:27548478

Beliefs and attitudes toward lethal management of deer in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fulton, D.C.; Skerl, K.; Shank, E.M.; Lime, D.W.

2004-01-01

We used the theory of reasoned action to help understand attitudes and beliefs about lethal management of deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP), Ohio. We used a mail-back survey to collect data from Ohio residents in the surrounding 9-county area. Two strata were defined: residents <10 km from CVNP (near n = 369) and residents =10 km from CVNP (far n = 312). Respondents indicated that lethal control of deer was acceptable (near 71%??4.7%, far 62%??5.5%) and taking no action to reduce deer populations was unacceptable (near 75%??4.5%, far 72%??5.1%). Beliefs about outcomes of lethal control and evaluation of those outcomes proved to be strong predictors of the acceptability of lethal control of deer in CVNP. Lethal control was more acceptable if it was done to prevent severe consequences for humans (e.g., spread of disease, car collisions) or the natural environment (e.g., maintain a healthy deer herd) than to prevent negative aesthetic impacts or personal property damage. Results from the study can be used to assist managers at CVNP as they make decisions regarding alternatives for deer management in the park and to inform others managing abundant deer populations of socially relevant impacts of management actions.

Sensitivity of condition indices to changing density in a white-tailed deer population

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sams, M.G.; Lochmiller, R.L.; Qualls, C.W.; Leslie, David M.

1998-01-01

The ways in which comprehensive condition profiles, incorporating morphometric, histologic, physiologic, and diet quality indices, responded to changes in density of a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) population were examined. Changes in these condition indices were monitored in a northeastern Oklahoma deer herd as density declined from peaks of 80 and 72 deer/km2 in 1989 and 1990 (high-density) to lows of 39 and 41 deer/km2 in 1991 and 1992 (reduced-density), respectively. Compared to a reference population (6 deer/km2), deer sampled during high-density exhibited classic signs of nutritional stress such as low body and visceral organ masses (except elevated adrenal gland mass), low fecal nitrogen levels, reduced concentrations of serum albumin, elevated serum creatinine concentrations, and a high prevalence of parasitic infections. Although density declined by one half over the 4-yr study, gross indices of condition (in particular body mass and size) remained largely unchanged. However, selected organ masses, serum albumin and non-protein nitrogen constituents, and fecal nitrogen indices reflected improvements in nutritional status with reductions in density. Many commonly used indices of deer condition (fat reserves, hematocrit, total serum protein, and blood urea nitrogen) were not responsive to fluctuations in density. ?? Wildlife Disease Association 1998.

Managing white-tailed deer: eastern North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Kelly F.; Diefenbach, Duane R.; Fuller, Angela K.; Hurst, Jeremy E.; Rosenberry, Christopher S.

2014-01-01

Many studies have documented that coyotes (Canis latrans) are the greatest source of natural mortality for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) neonates (<3 months old). With the range expansion of coyotes eastward in North America, many stakeholders are concerned that coyote predation may be affecting deer populations adversely. We hypothesized that declines in neonate survival, perhaps caused by increasing coyote predation, could be offset by adjusting or eliminating antlerless harvest allocations. We used a stochastic, age-based population simulation model to evaluate combinations of low neonate survival rates, severe winters, and low adult deer survival rates to determine the effectiveness of reduced antlerless harvest at stabilizing deer populations. We found that even in regions with high winter mortality, reduced antlerless harvest rates could stabilize deer populations with recruitment and survival rates reported in the literature. When neonate survival rates were low (25%) and yearling and adult female survival rates were reduced by 10%, elimination of antlerless harvests failed to stabilize populations. Our results suggest increased deer mortality from coyotes can be addressed through reduced hunting harvest of adult female deer in most circumstances throughout eastern North America. However, specific knowledge of adult female survival rates is important for making management decisions in areas where both neonate and adult survival may be affected by predation and other mortality factors.

Can managers compensate for coyote predation of white-tailed deer?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Robinson, Kelly F.; Diefenbach, Duane R.; Fuller, Angela K.; Hurst, Jeremy E.; Rosenberry, Christopher S.

2014-01-01

Many studies have documented that coyotes (Canis latrans) are the greatest source of natural mortality for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) neonates (<3 months old). With the range expansion of coyotes eastward in North America, many stakeholders are concerned that coyote predation may be affecting deer populations adversely. We hypothesized that declines in neonate survival, perhaps caused by increasing coyote predation, could be offset by adjusting or eliminating antlerless harvest allocations. We used a stochastic, age-based population simulation model to evaluate combinations of low neonate survival rates, severe winters, and low adult deer survival rates to determine the effectiveness of reduced antlerless harvest at stabilizing deer populations. We found that even in regions with high winter mortality, reduced antlerless harvest rates could stabilize deer populations with recruitment and survival rates reported in the literature. When neonate survival rates were low (25%) and yearling and adult female survival rates were reduced by 10%, elimination of antlerless harvests failed to stabilize populations. Our results suggest increased deer mortality from coyotes can be addressed through reduced hunting harvest of adult female deer in most circumstances throughout eastern North America. However, specific knowledge of adult female survival rates is important for making management decisions in areas where both neonate and adult survival may be affected by predation and other mortality factors.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Averill, Kristine M.; Mortensen, David A.; Smithwick, Erica A. H.

Herbivores can profoundly influence plant species assembly, including plant invasion, and resulting community composition. Population increases of native herbivores, e.g., white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), combined with burgeoning plant invasions raise concerns for native plant diversity and forest regeneration. While individual researchers typically test for the impact of deer on plant invasion at a few sites, the overarching influence of deer on plant invasion across regional scales is unclear. We tested the effects of deer on the abundance and diversity of introduced and native herbaceous and woody plants across 23 white-tailed deer research sites distributed across the east central and northeasternmore » United States and representing a wide range of deer densities and invasive plant abundance and identity. Deer access/exclusion or deer population density did not affect introduced plant richness or community-level abundance. Native and total plant species richness, abundance (cover and stem density), and Shannon diversity were lower in deer-access vs. deer-exclusion plots. Among deer access plots, native species richness, native and total cover, and Shannon diversity (cover) declined as deer density increased. Deer access increased the proportion of introduced species cover (but not of species richness or stem density). As deer density increased, the proportion of introduced species richness, cover, and stem density all increased. Because absolute abundance of introduced plants was unaffected by deer, the increase in proportion of introduced plant abundance is likely an indirect effect of deer reducing native cover. Indicator species analysis revealed that deer access favored three introduced plant species, including Alliaria petiolata and Microstegium vimineum, as well as four native plant species. In contrast, deer exclusion favored three introduced plant species, including Lonicera japonica and Rosa multiflora, and fifteen native plant species. Overall, native deer reduced community diversity, lowering native plant richness and abundance, and benefited certain invasive plants, suggesting pervasive impacts of this keystone herbivore on plant community composition and ecosystem services in native forests across broad swathes of the eastern US.« less

Effects of Prescribed Burning and Cattle Grazing on Deer Diets in Louisiana

Treesearch

Ronald E. Thill; Alton Martin; Hershel F. Morris; Austin T. Harrel

1995-01-01

A study was conducted on the dietary and nutritional effects of cattle grazing and rotational prescribed burning on the diets of three to five captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) bluestem (Andropogon spp. and Schizachyriumspp.) sites in central Louisiana from October 1980 through February 1987. Deer diets were...

First evidences of Amazonian wildlife feeding on petroleum-contaminated soils: A new exposure route to petrogenic compounds?

PubMed

Orta-Martínez, Martí; Rosell-Melé, Antoni; Cartró-Sabaté, Mar; O'Callaghan-Gordo, Cristina; Moraleda-Cibrián, Núria; Mayor, Pedro

2018-01-01

Videos recorded with infrared camera traps placed in petroleum contaminated areas of the Peruvian Amazon have shown that four wildlife species, the most important for indigenous peoples' diet (lowland tapir, paca, red-brocket deer and collared peccary), consume oil-contaminated soils and water. Further research is needed to clarify whether Amazonian wildlife's geophagy can be a route of exposure to petrogenic contamination for populations living in the vicinity of oil extraction areas and relying on subsistence hunting. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Habitat Selection and Risk of Predation: Re-colonization by Lynx had Limited Impact on Habitat Selection by Roe Deer

PubMed Central

Samelius, Gustaf; Andrén, Henrik; Kjellander, Petter; Liberg, Olof

2013-01-01

Risk of predation is an evolutionary force that affects behaviors of virtually all animals. In this study, we examined how habitat selection by roe deer was affected by risk of predation by Eurasian lynx – the main predator of roe deer in Scandinavia. Specifically, we compared how habitat selection by roe deer varied (1) before and after lynx re-established in the study area and (2) in relation to habitat-specific risk of predation by lynx. All analyses were conducted at the spatial and temporal scales of home ranges and seasons. We did not find any evidence that roe deer avoided habitats in which the risk of predation by lynx was greatest and information-theoretic model selection showed that re-colonization by lynx had limited impact on habitat selection by roe deer despite lynx predation causing 65% of known mortalities after lynx re-colonized the area. Instead we found that habitat selection decreased when habitat availability increased for 2 of 5 habitat types (a pattern referred to as functional response in habitat selection). Limited impact of re-colonization by lynx on habitat selection by roe deer in this study differs from elk in North America altering both daily and seasonal patterns in habitat selection at the spatial scales of habitat patches and home ranges when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Our study thus provides further evidence of the complexity by which animals respond to risk of predation and suggest that it may vary between ecosystems and predator-prey constellations. PMID:24069419

Habitat selection and risk of predation: re-colonization by lynx had limited impact on habitat selection by roe deer.

PubMed

Samelius, Gustaf; Andrén, Henrik; Kjellander, Petter; Liberg, Olof

2013-01-01

Risk of predation is an evolutionary force that affects behaviors of virtually all animals. In this study, we examined how habitat selection by roe deer was affected by risk of predation by Eurasian lynx - the main predator of roe deer in Scandinavia. Specifically, we compared how habitat selection by roe deer varied (1) before and after lynx re-established in the study area and (2) in relation to habitat-specific risk of predation by lynx. All analyses were conducted at the spatial and temporal scales of home ranges and seasons. We did not find any evidence that roe deer avoided habitats in which the risk of predation by lynx was greatest and information-theoretic model selection showed that re-colonization by lynx had limited impact on habitat selection by roe deer despite lynx predation causing 65% of known mortalities after lynx re-colonized the area. Instead we found that habitat selection decreased when habitat availability increased for 2 of 5 habitat types (a pattern referred to as functional response in habitat selection). Limited impact of re-colonization by lynx on habitat selection by roe deer in this study differs from elk in North America altering both daily and seasonal patterns in habitat selection at the spatial scales of habitat patches and home ranges when wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Our study thus provides further evidence of the complexity by which animals respond to risk of predation and suggest that it may vary between ecosystems and predator-prey constellations.

Characterization of a new adenovirus isolated from black-tailed deer in California.

PubMed

Lehmkuhl, H D; Hobbs, L A; Woods, L W

2001-01-01

An adenovirus associated with systemic and localized vascular damage was demonstrated by transmission electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry in a newly recognized epizootic hemorrhagic disease in California black-tailed deer. In this study, we describe the cultural, physicochemical and serological characteristics of a virus isolated from lung using neonatal white-tail deer lung and turbinate cell cultures. The virus had the cultural, morphological and physicochemical characteristics of members of the Adenoviridae family. The virus would not replicate in low passage fetal bovine, caprine or ovine cells. Antiserum to the deer adenovirus, strain D94-2569, neutralized bovine adenovirus type-6 (BAdV-6), BAdV-7, and caprine adenovirus type-1 (GAdV-1). Antiserum to BAdV-6 did not neutralize the deer adenovirus but antiserum to BAdV-7 and GAdV-1 neutralized the deer adenovirus. Cross-neutralization with the other bovine, caprine and ovine adenovirus species was not observed. Restriction endonuclease patterns generated for the deer adenovirus were unique compared to those for the currently recognized bovine, caprine and ovine adenovirus types. Amino acid sequence alignments of the hexon gene from the deer adenovirus strain D94-2569 indicate that it is a member of the proposed new genus (Atadenovirus) of the Adenoviridae family. While closely related antigenically to BAdV-7 and GAdV-1, the deer adenovirus appears sufficiently distinct culturally and molecularly to justify consideration as a new adenovirus type.

Characterization of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli from feces of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan using PCR binary typing analysis to evaluate their potential human pathogenicity.

PubMed

Kabeya, Hidenori; Sato, Shingo; Oda, Shinya; Kawamura, Megumi; Nagasaka, Mariko; Kuranaga, Masanari; Yokoyama, Eiji; Hirai, Shinichiro; Iguchi, Atsushi; Ishihara, Tomoe; Kuroki, Toshiro; Morita-Ishihara, Tomoko; Iyoda, Sunao; Terajima, Jun; Ohnishi, Makoto; Maruyama, Soichi

2017-05-03

This study examined the potential pathogenicity of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in feces of sika deer by PCR binary typing (P-BIT), using 24 selected STEC genes. A total of 31 STEC strains derived from sika deer in 6 prefectures of Japan were O-serotyped and found to be O93 (n=12), O146 (n=5), O176 (n=3), O130 (n=3), O5 (n=2), O7 (n=1), O96 (n=1), O116 (n=1), O141 (n=1), O157 (n=1) and O-untypable (n=1). Of the 31 STEC strains, 13 carried both stx1 and stx2, 5 carried only stx1, and 13 carried one or two variants of stx2. However, no Stx2 production was observed in 3 strains that carried only stx2: the other 28 strains produced the appropriate Stx. P-BIT analysis showed that the 5 O5 strains from two wild deer formed a cluster with human STEC strains, suggesting that the profiles of the presence of the 24 P-BIT genes in the deer strains were significantly similar to those in human strains. All of the other non-O157 STEC strains in this study were classified with strains from food, domestic animals and humans in another cluster. Good sanitary conditions should be used for deer meat processing to avoid STEC contamination, because STEC is prevalent in deer and deer may be a potential source of STEC causing human infections.

77 FR 41939 - Proposed Establishment of Class E Airspace; Deer Lodge, MT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-17

...-0379; Airspace Docket No. 12-ANM-7 Proposed Establishment of Class E Airspace; Deer Lodge, MT AGENCY... action proposes to establish Class E airspace at Deer Lodge-City-County Airport, Deer Lodge, MT... System (GPS) standard instrument approach procedures at Deer Lodge-City-County Airport, Deer Lodge, MT...

Comparative Analysis of the Gut Microbial Communities in Forest and Alpine Musk Deer Using High-Throughput Sequencing

PubMed Central

Hu, Xiaolong; Liu, Gang; Shafer, Aaron B. A.; Wei, Yuting; Zhou, Juntong; Lin, Shaobi; Wu, Haibin; Zhou, Mi; Hu, Defu; Liu, Shuqiang

2017-01-01

The gut ecosystem is characterized by dynamic and reciprocal interactions between the host and bacteria. Although characterizing microbiota for herbivores has become recognized as important tool for gauging species health, no study to date has investigated the bacterial communities and evaluated the age-related bacterial dynamics of musk deer. Moreover, gastrointestinal diseases have been hypothesized to be a limiting factor of population growth in captive musk deer. Here, high-throughput sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene was used to profile the fecal bacterial communities in juvenile and adult alpine and forest musk deer. The two musk deer species harbored similar bacterial communities at the phylum level, whereas the key genera for the two species were distinct. The bacterial communities were dominated by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, with the bacterial diversity being higher in forest musk deer. The Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio also increased from juvenile to adult, while the bacterial diversity, within-group and between-group similarity, all increased with age. This work serves as the first sequence-based analysis of variation in bacterial communities within and between musk deer species, and demonstrates how the gut microbial community dynamics vary among closely related species and shift with age. As gastrointestinal diseases have been observed in captive populations, this study provides valuable data that might benefit captive management and future reintroduction programs. PMID:28421061

Ungulates increase forest plant species richness to the benefit of non-forest specialists.

PubMed

Boulanger, Vincent; Dupouey, Jean-Luc; Archaux, Frédéric; Badeau, Vincent; Baltzinger, Christophe; Chevalier, Richard; Corcket, Emmanuel; Dumas, Yann; Forgeard, Françoise; Mårell, Anders; Montpied, Pierre; Paillet, Yoan; Picard, Jean-François; Saïd, Sonia; Ulrich, Erwin

2018-02-01

Large wild ungulates are a major biotic factor shaping plant communities. They influence species abundance and occurrence directly by herbivory and plant dispersal, or indirectly by modifying plant-plant interactions and through soil disturbance. In forest ecosystems, researchers' attention has been mainly focused on deer overabundance. Far less is known about the effects on understory plant dynamics and diversity of wild ungulates where their abundance is maintained at lower levels to mitigate impacts on tree regeneration. We used vegetation data collected over 10 years on 82 pairs of exclosure (excluding ungulates) and control plots located in a nation-wide forest monitoring network (Renecofor). We report the effects of ungulate exclusion on (i) plant species richness and ecological characteristics, (ii) and cover percentage of herbaceous and shrub layers. We also analyzed the response of these variables along gradients of ungulate abundance, based on hunting statistics, for wild boar (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Outside the exclosures, forest ungulates maintained higher species richness in the herbaceous layer (+15%), while the shrub layer was 17% less rich, and the plant communities became more light-demanding. Inside the exclosures, shrub cover increased, often to the benefit of bramble (Rubus fruticosus agg.). Ungulates tend to favour ruderal, hemerobic, epizoochorous and non-forest species. Among plots, the magnitude of vegetation changes was proportional to deer abundance. We conclude that ungulates, through the control of the shrub layer, indirectly increase herbaceous plant species richness by increasing light reaching the ground. However, this increase is detrimental to the peculiarity of forest plant communities and contributes to a landscape-level biotic homogenization. Even at population density levels considered to be harmless for overall plant species richness, ungulates remain a conservation issue for plant community composition. ©2017 The Authors. Global Change Biology Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene Migratory Behavior of Ungulates Using Isotopic Analysis of Tooth Enamel and Its Effects on Forager Mobility.

PubMed

Pilaar Birch, Suzanne E; Miracle, Preston T; Stevens, Rhiannon E; O'Connell, Tamsin C

2016-01-01

Zooarchaeological and paleoecological investigations have traditionally been unable to reconstruct the ethology of herd animals, which likely had a significant influence on the mobility and subsistence strategies of prehistoric humans. In this paper, we reconstruct the migratory behavior of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and caprids at the Pleistocene-Holocene transition in the northeastern Adriatic region using stable oxygen isotope analysis of tooth enamel. The data show a significant change in δ18O values from the Pleistocene into the Holocene, as well as isotopic variation between taxa, the case study sites, and through time. We then discuss the implications of seasonal faunal availability as determining factors in human mobility patterns.

Modeling the effects of land cover and use on landscape capability for urban ungulate populations: Chapter 11

USGS Publications Warehouse

Underwood, Harold; Kilheffer, Chellby R.; Francis, Robert A.; Millington, James D. A.; Chadwick, Michael A.

2016-01-01

Expanding ungulate populations are causing concerns for wildlife professionals and residents in many urban areas worldwide. Nowhere is the phenomenon more apparent than in the eastern US, where urban white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations are increasing. Most habitat suitability models for deer have been developed in rural areas and across large (>1000 km2) spatial extents. Only recently have we begun to understand the factors that contribute to space use by deer over much smaller spatial extents. In this study, we explore the concepts, terminology, methodology and state-of-the-science in wildlife abundance modeling as applied to overabundant deer populations across heterogeneous urban landscapes. We used classified, high-resolution digital orthoimagery to extract landscape characteristics in several urban areas of upstate New York. In addition, we assessed deer abundance and distribution in 1-km2 blocks across each study area from either aerial surveys or ground-based distance sampling. We recorded the number of detections in each block and used binomial mixture models to explore important relationships between abundance and key landscape features. Finally, we cross-validated statistical models of abundance and compared covariate relationships across study sites. Study areas were characterized along a gradient of urbanization based on the proportions of impervious surfaces and natural vegetation which, based on the best-supported models, also distinguished blocks potentially occupied by deer. Models performed better at identifying occurrence of deer and worse at predicting abundance in cross-validation comparisons. We attribute poor predictive performance to differences in deer population trajectories over time. The proportion of impervious surfaces often yielded better predictions of abundance and occurrence than did the proportion of natural vegetation, which we attribute to a lack of certain land cover classes during cold and snowy winters. Merits and limitations of our approach to habitat suitability modeling are discussed in detail.

Parasites, diseases, and health status of sympatric populations of sika deer and white-tailed deer in Maryland and Virginia.

PubMed

Davidson, W R; Crow, C B

1983-10-01

In July 1981, investigations on parasites, diseases, and herd health status were conducted on sympatric populations of sika deer (Cervus nippon) and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge (Maryland) and Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge (Virginia) on the Delmarva Peninsula. Five adult deer of each species were collected from each location and subjected to thorough necropsy examinations and laboratory tests. White-tailed deer at both locations harbored protozoan, helminth, and arthropod parasites typically associated with this species throughout the southeastern United States. In contrast, sika deer at both locations harbored only light burdens of ticks, chiggers, and sarcocysts. Serologic tests for antibodies to seven infectious disease agents revealed evidence of exposure to bovine virus diarrhea (BVD) virus, infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus, and parainfluenza3 virus in white-tailed deer, but only BVD virus in sika deer. At both locations the general health status of sika deer was superior to that of white-tailed deer.

Foods of white-tailed deer in the Upper Great Lakes Region -- a review.

Treesearch

Lynn L. Rogers; Jack J. Mooty; Deanna Dawson

1981-01-01

Available information on year-round food habits of white-tailed deer in the Upper Great Lakes Region (UGLR) is summarized. Problems of deer in that region are discussed. There is a need for additional information on year-round diet, but new study techniques must be developed if a complete picture of diet is to be obtained.

The influence of gender on the relationship between wildlife value orientations, beliefs, and the acceptability of lethal deer control in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

USGS Publications Warehouse

Dougherty, E.M.; Fulton, D.C.; Anderson, D.H.

2003-01-01

This study examines how wildlife value orientations, attitudes, and gender influence acceptance of lethal actions to control deer in Cuyahoga Valley National Park in Ohio. Data were collected from female and male residents (n = 659) in a nine-county area, the primary service area of the park. Females and males demonstrated significant differences in their wildlife value orientations, attitudes toward lethal deer control, beliefs about the outcome of lethal deer control, and perceived personal impacts of lethal deer control. Gender also acted as a moderator of the relationship between values, beliefs and attitudes. Results indicate that a focus on understanding differences between males and females is essential to public participation in decision making concerning this and similar issues.

Food habits of pumas in northwestern Sonora, Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rosas-Rosas, O. C.; Valdez, R.; Bender, L.C.; Daniel, D.

2003-01-01

It is questionable whether food-habits studies of pumas conducted in the southwestern United States can be extrapolated to northwestern Mexico, because of differences in management, distribution, and abundance of wildlife. We determined food habits of pumas (Puma concolor) in the Sonoran Desert of northwestern Sonora, Mexico. Based on studies in the western United States, we hypothesized that desert mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) were the major food source of pumas in Sonoran Desert habitats of Mexico. The study area supports populations of desert mule deer, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), lagomorphs (Lepus spp. and Sylvilagus audubonii), collared peccary (Pecari tajacu), and the largest population (???300 individuals) of desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) in Sonora. Based on pugmark characteristics, we recorded 3 different adult resident pumas in approximately 90 km2. We analyzed 60 puma fecal samples collected September 1996-November 1998. Primary prey items based on frequency of occurrence and estimated biomass consumed were desert bighorn sheep (40% and 45%, respectively), lagomorphs (33%, 19%), deer (17%, 17%), and collared peccary (15%, 11%). The high percentage of desert bighorn sheep in puma diets may be due to high abundance relative to mule deer, which declined in number during our study. No differences were found in puma diets between seasons (??22=2.4526, P=0.2934). Fluctuations in mule deer populations in northwestern Sonora may influence prey selection by pumas.

Polonium assimilation and retention in mule deer and pronghorn antelope

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sejkora, K.J.

Excretion kinetics and tissue distribution of polonium-210 in mule deer and pronghorn were studied. Each animal in a captive herd of 7 mule deer and 2 pronghorn received an intraruminal injection of 4.4 ..mu..Ci of polonium chloride. Feces and urine were collected periodically over a 43-day period and daily excretion rate for each pathway was regressed as a function of time. Assimilation fractions of 0.40 and 0.51 were calculated for mule deer (n=2) and 0.60 for a pronghorn. Body burden retention functions were calculated from integrated excretion rate functions. Polonium burdens in muscle, liver, and kidney were calculated as amore » fraction of body burden from serially-sacrificed animals. Background tissue burdens in mule deer were comparable to those of other ruminants reported in the literature. Hypothetical cases were assumed which combined feeding rate of mule deer, forage concentrations of polonium, retention function, tissue burden fraction, and human intake to estimate human radiation dose. 26 references.« less

Relative deer density and sustainability: a conceptual framework for integrating deer management with ecosystem management

Treesearch

David S. deCalesta; Susan L. Stout

1997-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations and harvests of white-tailed deer have increased dramatically in the eastern United States on public and private lands during the 20th century (Porter 1992, Kroll 1994). Recognition of the impacts of deer on ecosystem components (deCalesta 1997) and controversy over management of deer...

Long-term deer exclosure alters soil properties, plant traits, understory plant community and insect herbivory, but not the functional relationships among them.

PubMed

Stephan, Jörg G; Pourazari, Fereshteh; Tattersdill, Kristina; Kobayashi, Takuya; Nishizawa, Keita; De Long, Jonathan R

2017-07-01

Evidence of the indirect effects of increasing global deer populations on other trophic levels is increasing. However, it remains unknown if excluding deer alters ecosystem functional relationships. We investigated how sika deer exclosure after 18 years changed soil conditions, the understory plant community, the traits of a dominant understory plant (Sasa palmata), herbivory by three insect-feeding guilds, and the functional relationships between these properties. Deer absence decreased understory plant diversity, but increased soil organic matter and ammonium concentrations. When deer were absent, S. palmata plants grew taller, with more, larger, and tougher leaves with higher polyphenol concentrations. Deer absence led to higher leaf area consumed by all insect guilds, but lower insect herbivory per plant due to increased resource abundance (i.e., a dilution effect). This indicates that deer presence strengthened insect herbivory per plant, while in deer absence plants compensated losses with growth. Because plant defenses increased in the absence of deer, higher insect abundances in deer absence may have outweighed lower consumption rates. A path model revealed that the functional relationships between the measured properties were similar between deer absence versus presence. Taken together, deer altered the abiotic and biotic environment, thereby changing insect herbivory, which might impact upon nutrient cycling and primary productivity. These results provide evidence that deer can alter interactions between trophic levels, but that functional relationships between certain ecosystem components may remain constant. These findings highlight the need to consider how increasing global deer populations can have cascade effects that might alter ecosystem dynamics.

Toxicodynamic modeling of 137Cs to estimate white-tailed deer background levels for the Department of Energy's Savannah River Site.

PubMed

Gaines, Karen F; Novak, James M; Bobryk, Christopher W; Blas, Susan A

2014-04-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (USDOE) Savannah River Site (SRS) is a former nuclear weapon material production and current research facility adjacent to the Savannah River in South Carolina, USA. The purpose of this study was to determine the background radiocesium ((137)Cs) body burden (e.g., from global fallout) for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) inhabiting the SRS. To differentiate what the background burden is for the SRS versus (137)Cs obtained from SRS nuclear activities, data were analyzed spatially, temporally and compared to other off-site hunting areas near the SRS. The specific objectives of this study were: to compare SRS and offsite deer herds based on time and space; to interpret comparisons based on how data were collected as well as the effect of environmental and anthropogenic influences; to determine what the ecological half-life/decay rate is for (137)Cs in the SRS deer herd; and to give a recommendation to what should be considered the background (137)Cs level in the SRS deer herd. Based on the available information and analyses, it is recommended that the determination of what is considered background for the SRS deer herd be derived from data collected from the SRS deer herd itself and not offsite collections for a variety of reasons. Offsite data show extreme variability most likely due to environmental factors such as soil type and land-use patterns (e.g., forest, agriculture, residential activities). This can be seen from results where samples from offsite military bases (Fort Jackson and Fort Stewart) without anthropogenic (137)Cs sources were much higher than both the SRS and a nearby (Sandhills) study site. Moreover, deer from private hunting grounds have the potential to be baited with corn, thus artificially lowering their (137)Cs body burdens compared to other free-ranging deer. Additionally, sample size for offsite collections were not robust enough to calculate a temporal decay curve with an upper confidence level to determine if the herds are following predicted radioactive decay rates like the SRS or if the variability is due to those points described above. Using mean yearly values, the ecological half-life for (137)Cs body burdens for SRS white-tailed deer was determined to be 28.79 years--very close to the 30.2 years physical half-life.

Serosurveillance for Livestock Pathogens in Free-Ranging Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)

PubMed Central

Roug, Annette; Swift, Pamela; Torres, Steven; Jones, Karen; Johnson, Christine K.

2012-01-01

Routine disease surveillance has been conducted for decades in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) in California for pathogens shared between wildlife and domestic ruminants that may have implications for the animal production industry and wildlife health. Deer sampled from 1990 to 2007 (n = 2,619) were tested for exposure to six pathogens: bluetongue virus (BTV), epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus (EHDV), bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), Leptospira spp., Anaplasma spp. and Brucella spp. We evaluated the relationship between exposure to these pathogens and demographic risk factors to identify broad patterns in seroprevalence across a large temporal and spatial scale. The overall seroprevalence for the entire study period was 13.4% for BTV, 16.8% for EHDV, 17.1% for BVDV, 6.5% for Leptospira spp., 0.2% for Brucella spp., and 17% for Anaplasma spp. Antibodies against BTV and EHDV were most prevalent in the deer populations of southern California. Antibodies against Leptospira spp. and Anaplasma spp. were most prevalent in coastal and central northern California whereas antibodies against BVDV were most prevalent in central-eastern and northeastern California. The overall seroprevalence for Anaplasma spp. was slightly lower than detected in previous studies. North and central eastern California contains large tracts of federal land grazed by livestock; therefore, possible contact between deer and livestock could explain the high BVDV seroprevalence found in these areas. Findings from this study will help to establish baseline values for future comparisons of pathogen exposure in deer, inform on long-term trends in deer population health and provide relevant information on the distribution of diseases that are shared between wildlife and livestock. PMID:23209790

Candidate adaptive genes associated with lineage divergence: identifying SNPs via next-generation targeted resequencing in mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus).

PubMed

Powell, John H; Amish, Stephen J; Haynes, Gwilym D; Luikart, Gordon; Latch, Emily K

2016-09-01

Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) are an excellent nonmodel species for empirically testing hypotheses in landscape and population genomics due to their large population sizes (low genetic drift), relatively continuous distribution, diversity of occupied habitats and phenotypic variation. Because few genomic resources are currently available for this species, we used exon data from a cattle (Bos taurus) reference genome to direct targeted resequencing of 5935 genes in mule deer. We sequenced approximately 3.75 Mbp at minimum 20X coverage in each of the seven mule deer, identifying 23 204 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within, or adjacent to, 6886 exons in 3559 genes. We found 91 SNP loci (from 69 genes) with putatively fixed allele frequency differences between the two major lineages of mule deer (mule deer and black-tailed deer), and our estimate of mean genetic divergence (genome-wide FST  = 0.123) between these lineages was consistent with previous findings using microsatellite loci. We detected an over-representation of gamete generation and amino acid transport genes among the genes with SNPs exhibiting potentially fixed allele frequency differences between lineages. This targeted resequencing approach using exon capture techniques has identified a suite of loci that can be used in future research to investigate the genomic basis of adaptation and differentiation between black-tailed deer and mule deer. This study also highlights techniques (and an exon capture array) that will facilitate population genomic research in other cervids and nonmodel organisms. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Habitat Selection by Eld’s Deer following Relocation to a Patchy Landscape

PubMed Central

Pan, Duo; Song, Yan-Ling; Zeng, Zhi-Gao; Bravery, Benjamin D.

2014-01-01

An emerging issue in wildlife conservation is the re-establishment of viable populations of endangered species in suitable habitats. Here, we studied habitat selection by a population of Hainan Eld’s deer (Cervus eldi) relocated to a patchy landscape of farmland and forest. Hainan Eld’s deer were pushed to the brink of extinction in the 1970s, but their population expanded rapidly from 26 to more than 1000 individuals by 2003 through effective reserve protection. As part of a wider relocation and population management strategy, 131 deer were removed from the reserve and reintroduced into a farmland-forest landscape in 2005. Habitat use under a context of human disturbance was surveyed by monitoring 19 radio-collared animals. The majority of deer locations (77%) were within 0.6–2 km of villages. Annual home ranges of these collared deer averaged 725 ha (SD 436), which was 55% of the size of the reserve from which they had originated. The annual home ranges contained 54% shrub-grassland, 26% forest and 15% farmland. The relocated deer population selected landscape comprising slash-and-burn agriculture and forest, and avoided both intensively farmed areas and areas containing only forest. Within the selected landscape, deer preferred swiddens and shrub-grasslands. Forests above 300 m in elevation were avoided, whereas forests below 300 m in elevation were overrepresented during the dry season and randomly used during the wet season. Our findings show that reintroduced deer can utilize disturbed habitats, and further demonstrate that subsistence agroforest ecosystems have the capacity to sustain endangered ungulates. PMID:24614039

Habitat selection by Eld's deer following relocation to a patchy landscape.

PubMed

Pan, Duo; Song, Yan-Ling; Zeng, Zhi-Gao; Bravery, Benjamin D

2014-01-01

An emerging issue in wildlife conservation is the re-establishment of viable populations of endangered species in suitable habitats. Here, we studied habitat selection by a population of Hainan Eld's deer (Cervus eldi) relocated to a patchy landscape of farmland and forest. Hainan Eld's deer were pushed to the brink of extinction in the 1970s, but their population expanded rapidly from 26 to more than 1000 individuals by 2003 through effective reserve protection. As part of a wider relocation and population management strategy, 131 deer were removed from the reserve and reintroduced into a farmland-forest landscape in 2005. Habitat use under a context of human disturbance was surveyed by monitoring 19 radio-collared animals. The majority of deer locations (77%) were within 0.6-2 km of villages. Annual home ranges of these collared deer averaged 725 ha (SD 436), which was 55% of the size of the reserve from which they had originated. The annual home ranges contained 54% shrub-grassland, 26% forest and 15% farmland. The relocated deer population selected landscape comprising slash-and-burn agriculture and forest, and avoided both intensively farmed areas and areas containing only forest. Within the selected landscape, deer preferred swiddens and shrub-grasslands. Forests above 300 m in elevation were avoided, whereas forests below 300 m in elevation were overrepresented during the dry season and randomly used during the wet season. Our findings show that reintroduced deer can utilize disturbed habitats, and further demonstrate that subsistence agroforest ecosystems have the capacity to sustain endangered ungulates.

Deer Mates: A Quantitative Study of Heterospecific Sexual Behaviors Performed by Japanese Macaques Toward Sika Deer.

PubMed

Gunst, Noëlle; Vasey, Paul L; Leca, Jean-Baptiste

2018-05-01

This is the first quantitative study of heterospecific sexual behavior between a non-human primate and a non-primate species. We observed multiple occurrences of free-ranging adolescent female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) performing mounts and sexual solicitations toward sika deer (Cervus nippon) at Minoo, central Japan. Our comparative description of monkey-deer versus monkey-monkey interactions supported the "heterospecific sexual behavior" hypothesis: the mounts and demonstrative solicitations performed by adolescent female Japanese macaques toward sika deer were sexual in nature. In line with our previous research on the development of homospecific sexual behavior in immature female Japanese macaques, this study will allow us to test other hypotheses in the future, such as the "practice for homospecific sex," the "safe sex," the "homospecific sex deprivation," the "developmental by-product," and the "cultural heterospecific sex" hypotheses. Further research will be necessary to ascertain whether this group-specific sexual behavior was a short-lived fad or an incipient cultural phenomenon and may also contribute to better understanding the proximate and ultimate causes of reproductive interference.

Sensitive and specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting serum antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in fallow deer.

PubMed

Prieto, José M; Balseiro, Ana; Casais, Rosa; Abendaño, Naiara; Fitzgerald, Liam E; Garrido, Joseba M; Juste, Ramon A; Alonso-Hearn, Marta

2014-08-01

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the diagnostic test most commonly used in efforts to control paratuberculosis in domestic ruminants. However, commercial ELISAs have not been validated for detecting antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in wild animals. In this study, we compared the sensitivities and specificities of five ELISAs using individual serum samples collected from 41 fallow deer with or without histopathological lesions consistent with paratuberculosis. Two target antigenic preparations were selected, an ethanol-treated protoplasmic preparation obtained from a fallow deer M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis isolate (ELISAs A and B) and a paratuberculosis protoplasmic antigen (PPA3) (ELISAs C and D). Fallow deer antibodies bound to the immobilized antigens were detected by using a horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated anti-fallow deer IgG antibody (ELISAs A and C) or HRP-conjugated protein G (ELISAs B and D). A commercially available assay, ELISA-E, which was designed to detect M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis antibodies in cattle, sheep, and goats, was also tested. Although ELISAs A, C, and E had the same sensitivity (72%), ELISAs A and C were more specific (100%) for detecting fallow deer with lesions consistent with paratuberculosis at necropsy than was the ELISA-E (87.5%). In addition, the ELISA-A was particularly sensitive for detecting fallow deer in the latent stages of infection (62.5%). The antibody responses detected with the ELISA-A correlated with both the severity of enteric lesions and the presence of acid-fast bacteria in gut tissue samples. In summary, our study shows that the ELISA-A can be a cost-effective diagnostic tool for preventing the spread of paratuberculosis among fallow deer populations. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Sensitive and Specific Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Detecting Serum Antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Fallow Deer

PubMed Central

Prieto, José M.; Balseiro, Ana; Casais, Rosa; Abendaño, Naiara; Fitzgerald, Liam E.; Garrido, Joseba M.; Juste, Ramon A.

2014-01-01

The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is the diagnostic test most commonly used in efforts to control paratuberculosis in domestic ruminants. However, commercial ELISAs have not been validated for detecting antibodies against Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in wild animals. In this study, we compared the sensitivities and specificities of five ELISAs using individual serum samples collected from 41 fallow deer with or without histopathological lesions consistent with paratuberculosis. Two target antigenic preparations were selected, an ethanol-treated protoplasmic preparation obtained from a fallow deer M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis isolate (ELISAs A and B) and a paratuberculosis protoplasmic antigen (PPA3) (ELISAs C and D). Fallow deer antibodies bound to the immobilized antigens were detected by using a horseradish peroxidase (HRP)-conjugated anti-fallow deer IgG antibody (ELISAs A and C) or HRP-conjugated protein G (ELISAs B and D). A commercially available assay, ELISA-E, which was designed to detect M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis antibodies in cattle, sheep, and goats, was also tested. Although ELISAs A, C, and E had the same sensitivity (72%), ELISAs A and C were more specific (100%) for detecting fallow deer with lesions consistent with paratuberculosis at necropsy than was the ELISA-E (87.5%). In addition, the ELISA-A was particularly sensitive for detecting fallow deer in the latent stages of infection (62.5%). The antibody responses detected with the ELISA-A correlated with both the severity of enteric lesions and the presence of acid-fast bacteria in gut tissue samples. In summary, our study shows that the ELISA-A can be a cost-effective diagnostic tool for preventing the spread of paratuberculosis among fallow deer populations. PMID:24872517

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis from free-ranging deer and rabbits surrounding Minnesota dairy herds

PubMed Central

2005-01-01

Abstract The objectives of this study were to estimate the prevalence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) among deer and rabbits surrounding infected and noninfected Minnesota dairy farms using fecal culture, and to describe the frequency that farm management practices were used that could potentially lead to transmission of infection between these species. Fecal samples from cows and the cow environment were collected from 108 Minnesota dairy herds, and fecal pellets from free-ranging white-tailed deer and eastern cottontail rabbits were collected from locations surrounding 114 farms; all samples were tested using bacterial culture. In addition, a questionnaire was administered to 114 herd owners. Sixty-two percent of the dairy herds had at least 1 positive fecal pool or environmental sample. A total of 218 rabbit samples were collected from 90% of the herds, and 309 deer samples were collected from 47% of the herds. On 2 (4%) of the farms sampled, 1 deer fecal sample was MAP positive. Both farms had samples from the cow fecal pool and cow environment that were positive by culture. On 2 (2%) other farms, 1 rabbit fecal sample was positive by culture to MAP, with one of these farms having positive cow fecal pools and cow environmental samples. Pasture was used on 79% of the study farms as a grazing area for cattle, mainly for dry cows (75%) and bred or prebred heifers (87%). Of the 114 farms, 88 (77%) provided access to drylot for their cattle, mainly for milking cows (77/88; 88%) and bred heifers (87%). Of all study farms, 90 (79%) used some solid manure broadcasting on their crop fields. Of all 114 farms, the estimated probability of daily physical contact between cattle manure and deer or rabbits was 20% and 25%, respectively. Possible contact between cattle manure and deer or rabbits was estimated to occur primarily from March through December. The frequency of pasture or drylot use and manure spreading on crop fields may be important risk factors for transmission of MAP among dairy cattle, deer, and rabbits. Although the MAP prevalence among rabbits and deer is low, their role as MAP reservoirs should be considered. PMID:15745220

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

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, Glenn D.; Kerr, Ken D.; Mech, L. David; Seal, Ulysses S.

2000-01-01

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 µmol:µmol). 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 < 0.0001) and 3-methylhistidine:creatinine (r2 = 0.43, P < 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.

Is there adaptation of the exocrine pancreas in wild animal? The case of the Roe deer.

PubMed

Guilloteau, Paul; Vitari, Francesca; Metzinger-Le Meuth, Valérie; Le Normand, Laurence; Romé, Véronique; Savary, Gérard; Delaby, Luc; Domeneghini, Cinzia; Morisset, Jean

2012-05-28

Physiology of the exocrine pancreas has been well studied in domestic and in laboratory animals as well as in humans. However, it remains quite unknown in wildlife mammals. Roe deer and cattle (including calf) belong to different families but have a common ancestor. This work aimed to evaluate in the Roe deer, the adaptation to diet of the exocrine pancreatic functions and regulations related to animal evolution and domestication. Forty bovine were distributed into 2 groups of animals either fed exclusively with a milk formula (monogastric) or fed a dry feed which allowed for rumen function to develop, they were slaughtered at 150 days of age. The 35 Roe deer were wild animals living in the temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, shot during the hunting season and classified in two groups adult and young. Immediately after death, the pancreas was removed for tissue sample collection and then analyzed. When expressed in relation to body weight, pancreas, pancreatic protein weights and enzyme activities measured were higher in Roe deer than in calf. The 1st original feature is that in Roe deer, the very high content in pancreatic enzymes seems to be related to specific digestive products observed (proline-rich proteins largely secreted in saliva) which bind tannins, reducing their deleterious effects on protein digestion. The high chymotrypsin and elastase II quantities could allow recycling of proline-rich proteins. In contrast, domestication and rearing cattle resulted in simplified diet with well digestible components. The 2nd feature is that in wild animal, both receptor subtypes of the CCK/gastrin family peptides were present in the pancreas as in calf, although CCK-2 receptor subtype was previously identified in higher mammals. Bovine species could have lost some digestive capabilities (no ingestion of great amounts of tannin-rich plants, capabilities to secrete high amounts of proline-rich proteins) compared with Roe deer species. CCK and gastrin could play an important role in the regulation of pancreatic secretion in Roe deer as in calf. This work, to the best of our knowledge is the first study which compared the Roe deer adaptation to diet with a domesticated animal largely studied.

Recovery of human DNA profiles from poached deer remains: a feasibility study.

PubMed

Tobe, Shanan S; Govan, James; Welch, Lindsey A

2011-12-01

Poaching is a crime that occurs worldwide and can be extremely difficult to investigate and prosecute due to the nature of the evidence available. If a species is protected by international legislation such as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora then simply possessing any part of that species is illegal. Previous studies have focused on the identification of endangered species in cases of potential poaching. Difficulties arise if the poached animal is not endangered. Species such as deer have hunting seasons whereby they can legally be hunted however poaching is the illegal take of deer, irrespective of season. Therefore, identification of deer alone has little probative value as samples could have originated from legal hunting activities in season. After a deer is hunted it is usual to remove the innards, head and lower limbs. The limbs are removed through manual force and represent a potential source of human touch DNA. We investigate the potential to recover and profile human autosomal DNA from poached deer remains. Samples from the legs of ten culled deer were obtained (40 in total) using minitapes. DNA from samples was extracted, quantified and amplified to determine if it would be possible to recover human STR profiles. Low quantification data led to the use of an extended PCR cycling protocol of 34 cycles. Samples from seven deer amplified, however some samples were excluded from further analysis due to 'drop in' alleles or the low level of successfully amplified loci. Samples from five deer could be further analysed and gave match probabilities ranging from 6.37×10(-3) to 9.53×10(-11). This study demonstrates the potential of recovering human touch DNA from poached animal remains. There is the potential for this test to be used in relation to other species of poached remains or other types of wildlife crimes. This is the first time, to our knowledge, that human STR profiling has been successfully applied to touch DNA in regards to simulated wildlife crime. Copyright © 2011 Forensic Science Society. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A cross-sectional study of the causes of morbidity and mortality in farmed white-tailed deer

PubMed Central

2005-01-01

Abstract Two questionnaires were designed and administered. The first was to a random sample of 340 farmers of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Canada and the United States. The second was a 10-year retrospective survey of deer submissions to veterinary diagnostic pathology laboratories in Canada and the United States. One-year rates of mortality and common causes of morbidity and mortality for the deer are reported. The primary diagnosis for each record was used to classify diseases into categories, such as parasitic, infectious, toxicological, and neoplastic. Submissions were further classified according to the anatomical location, the pathological change, and the etiology associated with each lesion. Trauma was the most important reported cause of farmed white-tailed deer mortality; necrobacillosis was a major cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in fawns. PMID:16048010

Identification and molecular survey of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in sika deer (Cervus nippon) from Jilin Province, north-eastern China.

PubMed

Zhai, Bintao; Niu, Qingli; Yang, Jifei; Liu, Zhijie; Liu, Junlong; Yin, Hong; Zeng, Qiaoying

2017-02-01

Lyme disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) is a common disease of domestic animals and wildlife worldwide. Sika deer is first-grade state-protected wildlife animals in China and have economic consequences for humans. It is reported that sika deer may serve as an important reservoir host for several species of B. burgdorferi s.l. and may transmit these species to humans and animals. However, little is known about the presence of Borrelia pathogens in sika deer in China. In this study, the existence and prevalence of Borrelia sp. in sika deer from four regions of Jilin Province in China was assessed. Seventy-one blood samples of sika deer were collected and tested by nested-PCRs based on 16S ribosomal RNA (16S rRNA), outer surface protein A (OspA), flagenllin (fla), and 5S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer (5S-23S rRNA) genes of B. burgdorferi s.l. Six (8.45%) samples were positive for Borrelia sp. based on sequences of 4 genes. The positive samples were detected 18 for 16S rRNA, 10 for OspA, 16 for fla and 6 for 5S-23S, with the positive rates 25.35% (95% CI=3.8-35.6), 14.08% (95% CI=3.0-21.6), 22.54% (95% CI=4.3-36.9) and 8.45% (95% CI=1.7-22.9), respectively. Sequence analysis of the positive PCR products revealed that the partial 4 genes sequences in this study were all most similar to the sequences of B. garinii and B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), no other Borrelia genospecies were found. This is the first report of Borrelia pathogens in sika deer in China. The findings in this study indicated that sika deer as potential natural host and may spread Lyme disease pathogen to animals, ticks, and even humans. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Long-term patterns of immune investment by wild deer mice infected with Sin Nombre virus.

PubMed

Lehmer, Erin M; Jones, Jeremy D; Bego, Mariana G; Varner, Johanna M; Jeor, Stephen St; Clay, Christine A; Dearing, M Denise

2010-01-01

Immunocompetence of animals fluctuates seasonally, However, there is little consensus on the cause of these fluctuations. Some studies have suggested that these patterns are influenced by changes in reproductive condition, whereas others have suggested that differences result from seasonal variations in energy expenditures. The objective of our study was to examine these contrasting views of immunity by evaluating seasonal patterns of immune response and reproduction in wild populations of deer mice Peromyscus maniculatus exposed to Sin Nombre virus (SNV). Over three consecutive fall (September, October, November) and three consecutive spring (March, April, May) sampling periods, we used titration enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to quantify virus-specific antibody production in 48 deer mice infected with SNV. Levels of reproductive hormones were quantified using ELISA. SNV antibody titers reached their lowest level during November (geometric mean titer [GMT] = 420) and their highest levels during September (GMT = 5,545) and May (GMT = 3,582), suggesting that the immune response of deer mice to SNV has seasonal patterns. The seeming decrease in antibody titer over winter coupled with the consistency in body masses suggests that during winter, immunocompetence may be compromised to offset the energetic costs of maintenance functions, including those associated with maintaining body mass. Deer mice showed distinct sex-based differences in SNV antibody production, with males producing higher antibody titers (GMT = 3,333) than females (GMT = 1,477). Levels of reproductive hormones do not appear to influence antibody production in either males or females, as there was no correlation between estradiol concentrations and SNV antibody titer in female deer mice (r² = 0.26), nor was there a significant relationship between levels of testosterone and SNV antibody titers in males (r² = 0.28). Collectively, this study demonstrates that immunocompetence of wild deer mice is seasonally variable; however, reproduction is not the primary stressor responsible for this variation. Rather, the data suggest that deer mice may compromise immunocompetence during winter to offset other maintenance costs during this period.

Molecular detection and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sika deer (Cervus nippon) in China.

PubMed

Cong, Wei; Qin, Si-Yuan; Meng, Qing-Feng; Zou, Feng-Cai; Qian, Ai-Dong; Zhu, Xing-Quan

2016-04-01

The objective of the present study was to investigate the prevalence and genetic characterization of Toxoplasma gondii infection in sika deer in China. During August 2014 to November 2014, a total of 450 tissue samples coming from 150 sika deer were collected to detect the T. gondii B1 gene using a nested PCR, and the positive samples were genotyped at 11 genetic markers (SAG1, 5'- and 3'-SAG2, alternative SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, L358, PK1, c22-8, c29-2, and Apico) using multilocus polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technology. Seventeen of 150 sika deer (11.33%) were tested positive by nested PCR. Six DNA samples from the 17 positive samples were completely typed, in which 4 samples from lung tissues, and 2 from muscular tissues, were identified as ToxoDB Genotype #9 (http://toxodb.org/toxo/). The results of the present study revealed the existence of T. gondii infection in sika deer in China, which provided the information of T. gondii genetic diversity in this host species. This study also indicated that ToxoDB Genotype #9 has a wide distribution in sika deer that could be potential reservoirs for T. gondii transmission, which may pose a threat to human health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Large-scale model-based assessment of deer-vehicle collision risk.

PubMed

Hothorn, Torsten; Brandl, Roland; Müller, Jörg

2012-01-01

Ungulates, in particular the Central European roe deer Capreolus capreolus and the North American white-tailed deer Odocoileus virginianus, are economically and ecologically important. The two species are risk factors for deer-vehicle collisions and as browsers of palatable trees have implications for forest regeneration. However, no large-scale management systems for ungulates have been implemented, mainly because of the high efforts and costs associated with attempts to estimate population sizes of free-living ungulates living in a complex landscape. Attempts to directly estimate population sizes of deer are problematic owing to poor data quality and lack of spatial representation on larger scales. We used data on >74,000 deer-vehicle collisions observed in 2006 and 2009 in Bavaria, Germany, to model the local risk of deer-vehicle collisions and to investigate the relationship between deer-vehicle collisions and both environmental conditions and browsing intensities. An innovative modelling approach for the number of deer-vehicle collisions, which allows nonlinear environment-deer relationships and assessment of spatial heterogeneity, was the basis for estimating the local risk of collisions for specific road types on the scale of Bavarian municipalities. Based on this risk model, we propose a new "deer-vehicle collision index" for deer management. We show that the risk of deer-vehicle collisions is positively correlated to browsing intensity and to harvest numbers. Overall, our results demonstrate that the number of deer-vehicle collisions can be predicted with high precision on the scale of municipalities. In the densely populated and intensively used landscapes of Central Europe and North America, a model-based risk assessment for deer-vehicle collisions provides a cost-efficient instrument for deer management on the landscape scale. The measures derived from our model provide valuable information for planning road protection and defining hunting quota. Open-source software implementing the model can be used to transfer our modelling approach to wildlife-vehicle collisions elsewhere.

EAR AND TAIL LESIONS ON CAPTIVE WHITE-TAILED DEER FAWNS (ODOCOILEUS VIRGINIANUS): A CASE STUDY.

PubMed

Ferguson, Treena L; Demarais, Stephen; Cooley, Jim; Fleming, Sherrill; Michel, Eric S; Flinn, Emily

2016-06-01

During the 2008-2011 time period, undiagnosed lesions were observed in 21 of 150 white-tailed deer fawns (Odocoileus virginianus) that were part of a captive deer herd at Mississippi State University. Clinical findings in healthy and diseased fawns from 0 to 90 days of age included bite and scratch marks followed by moderate to severe ear and tail necrosis. Gross necropsy findings of necrotizing ulcerative dermatitis correlated with histopathologic findings that included focally severe multifocal vasculitis, vascular necrosis, and thrombosis. This article is a clinical description of these previously unreported lesions associated with tissue necrosis in young captive white-tailed deer.

Neospora caninum in Axis Deer ( Axis axis ) and Fallow Deer ( Dama dama ) in Northern Mexico.

PubMed

De La Torre, Jose R; Bautista-Piña, Christian; Alfonso Ortega-S, J; Cantu-Covarruvias, Antonio; Genoveva Alvarez-Ojeda, Maria; Romero-Salas, Dora; Henke, Scott E; Hilton, Clayton D; Hewitt, David G; De Young, Randy W; Campbell, Tyler A; Bryant, Fred C

2017-01-01

Serum samples from 18 axis deer ( Axis axis ) and 19 fallow deer ( Dama dama ) were analyzed with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for Neospora caninum antibodies. Two axis (11%) and two fallow deer (11%) were positive for N. caninum antibodies.

Evaluation of Deer Mirrors for Reducing Deer-Vehicle Collisions

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1982-05-01

Deer mirrors were placed in 12 random 0.5-mile test sections along 14.8 miles of I-95 between Topsham and Gardiner, Maine, to test the effectiveness of the mirrors in reducing deer-vehicle collisions. In nearly 4 years, 11 deer-vehicle collisions wer...

Response of pin cherry to fire, canopy disturbance, and deer herbivory on the Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest

Treesearch

David W. McGill; Rachel J. Collins; Walter P. Carson

2003-01-01

We studied the impact of fire, canopy disturbance, and deer herbivory on the germination and development of pin cherry in four Appalachian hardwood stands located on the Westvaco Wildlife and Ecosystem Research Forest in Randolph County, West Virginia. Plots with simulated gaps and woven-wire fences were used to evaluate impacts of light and deer on regeneration. All...

Urinary 3-methylhistidine and progressive winter undernutrition in white-tailed deer

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Kerr, K.D.; Mech, L.D.; Riggs, M.R.; Seal, U.S.

1998-01-01

Physiological indicators of muscle catabolism would aid assessment of winter nutritional restriction of ungulates, and urinary 3-methylhistidine has exhibited potential in this regard in several species. We examined the effect of chronic moderate and severe nutritional restriction during winter on urinary 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratios in seven adult white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and the relationship of these ratios to urinary urea nitrogen:creatinine ratios. Mean base line estimates of urinary 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratio for the control and severely restricted deer (0.043 and 0.086 ??mol:mg, respectively) were similar (P = 0.280) and remained unchanged in the control deer throughout the study. In contrast, mean 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratios increased dramatically as nutritional restriction and cumulative mass loss progressed; the quadratic component of the data for the chronically restricted deer was significant (P < 0.001). Likewise, there was a strong curvilinear relationship (R2 = 0.82) between cumulative mass loss (up to 29%) of the pooled deer and urinary 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratios. Further, urinary urea nitrogen:creatinine ratios were strongly related to 3-methylhistidine:creatinine ratios (r2 = 0.89). Our study indicates that further investigation of 3-methylhistidine as an indicator of physical condition and muscle protein breakdown is warranted.

A case study of deer-vehicle accidents on I-64.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1971-01-01

This case study of interstate fencing has indicated several findings which should be reviewed by the Virginia Department of Highways Environmental Quality Division. The major findings are: 1. Approximately 55 deer-vehicle collisions occurred on I-64 ...

77 FR 61248 - Establishment of Class E Airspace; Deer Lodge, MT

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-09

...-0379; Airspace Docket No. 12-ANM-7 Establishment of Class E Airspace; Deer Lodge, MT AGENCY: Federal... at Deer Lodge-City- County Airport, Deer Lodge, MT. Controlled airspace is necessary to accommodate... procedures at Deer Lodge-City-County Airport. This improves the safety and management of Instrument Flight...

Wolf, Canis lupus, visits to white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus, summer ranges: Optimal foraging?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Demma, D.J.; Mech, L.D.

2009-01-01

We tested whether Wolf (Canis lupus) visits to individual female White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus) summer ranges during 2003 and 2004 in northeastern Minnesota were in accord with optimal-foraging theory. Using GPS collars with 10- to 30-minute location attempts on four Wolves and five female deer, plus eleven VHF-collared female deer in the Wolves' territory, provided new insights into the frequency of Wolf visits to summer ranges of female deer. Wolves made a mean 0.055 visits/day to summer ranges of deer three years and older, significantly more than their 0.032 mean visits/day to ranges of two-year-old deer, which generally produce fewer fawns, and most Wolf visits to ranges of older deer were much longer than those to ranges of younger deer. Because fawns comprise the major part of the Wolf's summer diet, this Wolf behavior accords with optimal-foraging theory.

Hepatic lipid profiling of deer mice fed ethanol using {sup 1}H and {sup 31}P NMR spectroscopy: A dose-dependent subchronic study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fernando, Harshica; Bhopale, Kamlesh K.; Boor, Paul J.

2012-11-01

Chronic alcohol abuse is a 2nd major cause of liver disease resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is characterized by a wide spectrum of pathologies starting from fat accumulation (steatosis) in early reversible stage to inflammation with or without fibrosis and cirrhosis in later irreversible stages. Previously, we reported significant steatosis in the livers of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)-deficient (ADH{sup −}) vs. hepatic ADH-normal (ADH{sup +}) deer mice fed 4% ethanol daily for 2 months [Bhopale et al., 2006, Alcohol 39, 179–188]. However, ADH{sup −} deer mice fed 4% ethanol also showed a significant mortality. Therefore,more » a dose-dependent study was conducted to understand the mechanism and identify lipid(s) involved in the development of ethanol-induced fatty liver. ADH{sup −} and ADH{sup +} deer mice fed 1, 2 or 3.5% ethanol daily for 2 months and fatty infiltration in the livers were evaluated by histology and by measuring dry weights of extracted lipids. Lipid metabolomic changes in extracted lipids were determined by proton ({sup 1}H) and {sup 31}phosphorus ({sup 31}P) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The NMR data was analyzed by hierarchical clustering (HC) and principle component analysis (PCA) for pattern recognition. Extensive vacuolization by histology and significantly increased dry weights of total lipids found only in the livers of ADH{sup −} deer mice fed 3.5% ethanol vs. pair-fed controls suggest a dose-dependent formation of fatty liver in ADH{sup −} deer mouse model. Analysis of NMR data of ADH{sup −} deer mice fed 3.5% ethanol vs. pair-fed controls shows increases for total cholesterol, esterified cholesterol, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), triacylglycerides and unsaturation, and decreases for free cholesterol, phospholipids and allylic and diallylic protons. Certain classes of neutral lipids (cholesterol esters, fatty acyl chain (-COCH{sub 2}-) and FAMEs) were also mildly increased in ADH{sup −} deer mice fed 1 or 2% ethanol. Only small increases were observed for allylic and diallylic protons, FAMEs and unsaturations in ADH{sup +} deer mice fed 3.5% ethanol vs. pair-fed controls. PCA of NMR data showed increased clustering by gradual separation of ethanol-fed ADH{sup −} deer mice groups from their respective pair-fed control groups and corresponding ethanol-fed ADH{sup +} deer mice groups. Our data indicate that dose of ethanol and hepatic ADH deficiency are two key factors involved in initiation and progression of alcoholic fatty liver disease. Further studies on characterization of individual lipid entities and associated metabolic pathways altered in our deer mouse model after different durations of ethanol feeding could be important to delineate mechanism(s) and identify potential biomarker candidate(s) of early stage ALD. -- Highlights: ► Dose-dependent ethanol-induced fatty liver was studied in deer mouse model. ► A NMR-based lipidomic approach with histology and dry lipid weights was used. ► We used principal component analysis (PCA) to analyze the NMR lipidomic data. ► Dose-dependent clustering patterns by PCA were compared among the groups.« less

Survival and harvest-related mortality of white-tailed deer in Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mcdonald, John E.; DeStefano, Stephen; Gaughan, Christopher; Mayer, Michael; Woytek, William A.; Christensen, Sonja; Fuller, Todd K.

2011-01-01

We monitored 142 radiocollared adult (≥1.0 yr old) white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in 3 study areas of Massachusetts, USA, to estimate annual survival and mortality due to legal hunting. We then applied these rates to deer harvest information to estimate deer population trends over time, and compared these to trends derived solely from harvest data estimates. Estimated adult female survival rates were similar (0.82–0.86), and uniformly high, across 3 management zones in Massachusetts that differed in landscape composition, human density, and harvest regulations. Legal hunting accounted for 16–29% of all adult female mortality. Estimated adult male survival rates varied from 0.55 to 0.79, and legal hunting accounted for 40–75% of all mortality. Use of composite hunting mortality rates produced realistic estimates for adult deer populations in 2 zones, but not for the third, where estimation was hindered by regulatory restrictions on antlerless deer harvest. In addition, the population estimates we calculated were generally higher than those derived from population reconstruction, likely due to relatively low harvest pressure. Legal harvest may not be the dominant form of deer mortality in developed landscapes; thus, estimates of populations or trends that rely solely on harvest data will likely be underestimates.

Melatonin Promotes Superovulation in Sika Deer (Cervus nippon)

PubMed Central

Wang, Liang; Zhuo, Zhi-Yong; Shi, Wen-Qing; Tan, Dun-Xian; Gao, Chao; Tian, Xiu-Zhi; Zhang, Lu; Zhou, Guang-Bin; Zhu, Shi-En; Yun, Peng; Liu, Guo-Shi

2014-01-01

In this study, the effects of melatonin (MT) on superovulation and reproductive hormones (melatonin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and PRL) were investigated in female sika deer. Different doses (40 or 80 mg/animal) of melatonin were subcutaneously implanted into deer before the breeding season. Exogenous melatonin administration significantly elevated the serum FSH levels at the time of insemination compared with levels in control animals. During superovulation, the serum LH levels in donor sika deer reached their highest values (7.1 ± 2.04 ng/mL) at the point of insemination, compared with the baseline levels (4.98 ± 0.07 ng/mL) in control animals. This high level of LH was sustained until the day of embryo recovery. In contrast, the serum levels of PRL in the 80 mg of melatonin-treated group were significantly lower than those of control deer. The average number of corpora lutea in melatonin-treated deer was significantly higher than that of the control (p < 0.05). The average number of embryos in the deer treated with 40 mg of melatonin was higher than that of the control; however, this increase did not reach significant difference (p > 0.05), which may be related to the relatively small sample size. In addition, embryonic development in melatonin-treated groups was delayed. PMID:25007067

Melatonin promotes superovulation in sika deer (Cervus nippon).

PubMed

Wang, Liang; Zhuo, Zhi-Yong; Shi, Wen-Qing; Tan, Dun-Xian; Gao, Chao; Tian, Xiu-Zhi; Zhang, Lu; Zhou, Guang-Bin; Zhu, Shi-En; Yun, Peng; Liu, Guo-Shi

2014-07-08

In this study, the effects of melatonin (MT) on superovulation and reproductive hormones (melatonin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and PRL) were investigated in female sika deer. Different doses (40 or 80 mg/animal) of melatonin were subcutaneously implanted into deer before the breeding season. Exogenous melatonin administration significantly elevated the serum FSH levels at the time of insemination compared with levels in control animals. During superovulation, the serum LH levels in donor sika deer reached their highest values (7.1±2.04 ng/mL) at the point of insemination, compared with the baseline levels (4.98±0.07 ng/mL) in control animals. This high level of LH was sustained until the day of embryo recovery. In contrast, the serum levels of PRL in the 80 mg of melatonin-treated group were significantly lower than those of control deer. The average number of corpora lutea in melatonin-treated deer was significantly higher than that of the control (p<0.05). The average number of embryos in the deer treated with 40 mg of melatonin was higher than that of the control; however, this increase did not reach significant difference (p>0.05), which may be related to the relatively small sample size. In addition, embryonic development in melatonin-treated groups was delayed.

An examination of the origin and evolution of additional tandem repeats in the mitochondrial DNA control region of Japanese sika deer (Cervus Nippon).

PubMed

Ba, Hengxing; Wu, Lang; Liu, Zongyue; Li, Chunyi

2016-01-01

Tandem repeat units are only detected in the left domain of the mitochondrial DNA control region in sika deer. Previous studies showed that Japanese sika deer have more tandem repeat units than its cousins from the Asian continent and Taiwan, which often have only three repeat units. To determine the origin and evolution of these additional repeat units in Japanese sika deer, we obtained the sequence of repeat units from an expanded dataset of the control region from all sika deer lineages. The functional constraint is inferred to act on the first repeat unit because this repeat has the least sequence divergence in comparison to the other units. Based on slipped-strand mispairing mechanisms, the illegitimate elongation model could account for the addition or deletion of these additional repeat units in the Japanese sika deer population. We also report that these additional repeat units could be occurring in the internal positions of tandem repeat regions, possibly via coupling with a homogenization mechanism within and among these lineages. Moreover, the increased number of repeat units in the Japanese sika deer population could reflect a balance between mutation and selection, as well as genetic drift.

Evaluation of the genetic structure of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan's Kanto and Tanzawa mountain areas, based on microsatellite markers.

PubMed

Konishi, Sayaka; Hata, Shoko; Matsuda, Sayumi; Arai, Kazushi; Mizoguchi, Yasushi

2017-11-01

The browsing habits of sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan have caused serious ecological problems. Appropriate management of sika deer populations requires understanding the different genetic structures of local populations. In the present study, we used 10 microsatellite polymorphisms to explore the genetic structures of sika deer populations (162 individuals) living in the Kanto region. The expected heterozygosity of the Tanzawa mountain range population (Group I) was lower than that of the populations in the Kanto mountain areas (Group II). Our results suggest that moderate gene flow has occurred between the sika deer populations in the Kanto mountain areas (Group II), but not to or from the Tanzawa mountain range population (Group I). Also, genetic structure analysis showed that the Tanzawa population was separated from the other populations. This is probably attributable to a genetic bottleneck that developed in the Tanzawa sika deer population in the 1950s. However, we found that the Tanzawa population has since recovered from the bottleneck situation and now exhibits good genetic diversity. Our results show that it is essential to periodically evaluate the genetic structures of deer populations to develop conservation strategies appropriate to the specific structures of individual populations at any given time. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Effects of PTHrP on chondrocytes of sika deer antler.

PubMed

Guo, Bin; Wang, Shou-Tang; Duan, Cui-Cui; Li, Dang-Dang; Tian, Xue-Chao; Wang, Qu-Yuan; Yue, Zhan-Peng

2013-11-01

Parathyroid-hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) is an important regulator of chondrocyte differentiation in growth plates but little is known about its role in deer antler cartilage. The aim of the present study was to use the deer antler as a model to determine the possible role of PTHrP in regulating chondrocyte differentiation of deer antler. PTHrP and its receptor PTH1R mRNA were highly expressed in the perichondrium and cartilage of sika deer antler, as shown by in situ hybridization. Chondrocytes of deer antler were identified by toluidine blue staining of glycosaminoglycan and immunocytochemical staining of type II collagen (Col II). Treatment with PTHrP (1-34) reduced the expression of prehypertrophic chondrocyte marker Col IX and hypertrophic chondrocyte marker Col X. In order to confirm the mechanism of action of PTHrP, we initially examined the expression of cyclin D1, Bcl-2 and runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) in sika deer antler by in situ hybridization and found that cyclin D1, Runx2 and Bcl-2 mRNA were also expressed in antler chondrocytes. Exogenous PTHrP induced the expression of cyclin D1 and Bcl-2 mRNA by various signalling pathways, whereas it inhibited Runx2 expression through PKA, p38MAPK, MEK and PI3K signalling pathways. Thus, PTHrP might promote the proliferation of antler chondrocytes and prevent their differentiation; it might furthermore influence the growth and development of sika deer antler.

An evaluation of a mitigation strategy for deer-vehicle collisions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bissonette, John A.; Rosa, Silvia

2012-01-01

High mule deer Odocoileus hemionus mortality in southwestern Utah led to the establishment of a mitigation strategy with two major objectives: 1) reduction of wildlife-vehicle collisions and 2) restoration of landscape connectivity to facilitate wildlife movement across the roaded landscape. During our study, we assessed the effectiveness of the mitigation measures in reducing mule deer mortality in the following ways: 1) we compared the number of deer-vehicle collisions in the newly fenced area with a control area without fencing; 2) we analyzed the ‘end-of-the-fence’ problem, defined here as increased mortality of mule deer at the ends of the 2.4-m high exclusion fences; and 3) we evaluated the frequency of animal crossings of the new underpasses using remotely-sensed cameras and compared them with crossing frequency rates for a 20-year-old control underpass. We compared six years of pre-construction mortality (during 1998-2003) with two years of post-construction data on mortality (during 2005-2006) and found a 98.5% decline in deer mortalities in the treatment (i.e. fenced, jump-outs and underpasses) vs a 2.9% decline in the control (i.e. no fences, no jump-outs and no underpasses). We detected no end-of-the-fence problems related to deer mortality. Migratory movements during fall and spring were clearly reflected in the use of underpass. Overall results demonstrated that the mitigation strategy was effective and reduced the number of deer-vehicle accidents, while allowing wildlife movement across the landscape.

Comparative cardiopulmonary effects of carfentanil-xylazine and medetomidine-ketamine used for immobilization of mule deer and mule deer/white-tailed deer hybrids.

PubMed Central

Caulkett, N A; Cribb, P H; Haigh, J C

2000-01-01

Three mule deer and 4 mule deer/white-tailed deer hybrids were immobilized in a crossover study with carfentanil (10 microg/kg) + xylazine (0.3 mg/kg) (CX), and medetomidine (100 microg/kg) + ketamine (2.5 mg/kg) (MK). The deer were maintained in left lateral recumbency for 1 h with each combination. Deer were immobilized with MK in 230+/-68 s (mean +/- SD) and with CX in 282+/-83 seconds. Systolic, mean and diastolic arterial pressure were significantly higher with MK. Heart rate, PaO2, PaCO2, pH, and base excess were not significantly different between treatments. Base excess and pH increased significantly over time with both treatments. Both treatments produced hypoventilation (PaCO2 > 50 mm Hg) and hypoxemia (PaO2 < 60 mm Hg). PaO2 increased significantly over time with CX. Body temperature was significantly (P<0.05) higher with CX compared to MK. Ventricular premature contractions, atrial premature contractions, and a junctional escape rhythm were noted during CX immobilization. No arrhythmias were noted during MK immobilization. Quality of immobilization was superior with MK, with no observed movement present for the 60 min of immobilization. Movement of the head and limbs occurred in 4 animals immobilized with CX. The major complication observed with both of these treatments was hypoxemia, and supplemental inspired oxygen is recommended during immobilization. Hyperthermia can further complicate immobilization with CX, reinforcing the need for supplemental oxygen. PMID:10680659

Species-wide phylogeography of North American mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus): cryptic glacial refugia and postglacial recolonization.

PubMed

Latch, Emily K; Heffelfinger, James R; Fike, Jennifer A; Rhodes, Olin E

2009-04-01

Quaternary climatic oscillations greatly influenced the present-day population genetic structure of animals and plants. For species with high dispersal and reproductive potential, phylogeographic patterns resulting from historical processes can be cryptic, overshadowed by contemporary processes. Here we report a study of the phylogeography of Odocoileus hemionus, a large, vagile ungulate common throughout western North America. We examined sequence variation of mitochondrial DNA (control region and cytochrome b) within and among 70 natural populations across the entire range of the species. Among the 1766 individual animals surveyed, we recovered 496 haplotypes. Although fine-scale phylogenetic structure was weakly resolved using phylogenetic methods, network analysis clearly revealed the presence of 12 distinct haplogroups. The spatial distribution of haplogroups showed a strong genetic discontinuity between the two morphological types of O. hemionus, mule deer and black-tailed deer, east and west of the Cascade Mountains in the Pacific Northwest. Within the mule deer lineage, we identified several haplogroups that expanded before or during the Last Glacial Maximum, suggesting that mule deer persisted in multiple refugia south of the ice sheets. Patterns of genetic diversity within the black-tailed deer lineage suggest a single refugium along the Pacific Northwest coast, and refute the hypothesis that black-tailed deer persisted in one or more northern refugia. Our data suggest that black-tailed deer recolonized areas in accordance with the pattern of glacial retreat, with initial recolonization northward along a coastal route and secondary recolonization inland.

Microsatellites indicate minimal barriers to mule deer Odocoileus hemionus dispersal across Montana, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Powell, John H.; Kalinowski, Steven T.; Higgs, Megan D.; Ebinger, Michael R.; Vu, Ninh V.; Cross, Paul C.

2013-01-01

To better understand the future spread of chronic wasting disease, we conducted a genetic assessment of mule deer Odocoileus hemionus population structure across the state of Montana, USA. Individual based analyses were used to test for population structure in the absence of a priori designations of population membership across the sampling area. Samples from the states of Wyoming, Colorado and Utah were also included in the analysis to provide a geographic context to the levels of population structure observed within Montana. Results showed that mule deer across our entire study region were characterized by weak isolation by distance and a lack of spatial autocorrelation at distances > 10 km. We found evidence for contemporary male bias in dispersal, with female mule deer exhibiting higher mean individual pairwise genetic distance than males. We tested for potential homogenizing effects of past translocations within Montana, but were unable to detect a genetic signature of these events. Our results indicate high levels of connectivity among mule deer populations in Montana and suggest few, if any, detectable barriers to mule deer gene flow or chronic wasting disease transmission.

Intranasal naltrexone and atipamezole for reversal of white-tailed deer immobilized with carfentanil and medetomidine

PubMed Central

Shury, Todd K.; Caulkett, Nigel A.; Woodbury, Murray R.

2010-01-01

Carfentanil and medetomidine were used to immobilize 8 captive female white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) using mean dosages [± standard deviation (s)] of 14.2 ± 1.11 μg/kg carfentanil and 17.8 ± 2.03 μg/kg of medetomidine. Deer were reversed by intranasally or intramuscularly administered naltrexone and atipamezole. Dosages of carfentanil and medetomidine proved reliable for immobilization of most, but not all deer, with a mean induction time of 13.3 ± 3.13 min. Effective and reliable immobilization will require higher dosages of carfentanil and possibly medetomidine than were used in this study. No significant differences in recovery times were observed for deer given reversal agents intranasally (9.45 ± 5.37 min) versus intramuscularly (7.60 ± 4.42 min). Naltrexone and atipamezole can be administered intranasally at 1.5 mg/kg and 0.1 mg/kg, respectively to safely and quickly reverse the effects of carfentanil and medetomidine in immobilized white-tailed deer. This route could potentially be useful for other reversal agents. PMID:20676292

Winter habitat selection of mule deer before and during development of a natural gas field

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sawyer, H.; Nielson, R.M.; Lindzey, F.; McDonald, L.L.

2006-01-01

Increased levels of natural gas exploration, development, and production across the Intermountain West have created a variety of concerns for mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) populations, including direct habitat loss to road and well-pad construction and indirect habitat losses that may occur if deer use declines near roads or well pads. We examined winter habitat selection patterns of adult female mule deer before and during the first 3 years of development in a natural gas field in western Wyoming. We used global positioning system (GPS) locations collected from a sample of adult female mule deer to model relative frequency or probability of use as a function of habitat variables. Model coefficients and predictive maps suggested mule deer were less likely to occupy areas in close proximity to well pads than those farther away. Changes in habitat selection appeared to be immediate (i.e., year 1 of development), and no evidence of well-pad acclimation occurred through the course of the study; rather, mule deer selected areas farther from well pads as development progressed. Lower predicted probabilities of use within 2.7 to 3.7 km of well pads suggested indirect habitat losses may be substantially larger than direct habitat losses. Additionally, some areas classified as high probability of use by mule deer before gas field development changed to areas of low use following development, and others originally classified as low probability of use were used more frequently as the field developed. If areas with high probability of use before development were those preferred by the deer, observed shifts in their distribution as development progressed were toward less-preferred and presumably less-suitable habitats.

Long-Term Dynamics of Bluetongue Virus in Wild Ruminants: Relationship with Outbreaks in Livestock in Spain, 2006-2011

PubMed Central

Lorca-Oró, Cristina; López-Olvera, Jorge Ramón; Ruiz-Fons, Francisco; Acevedo, Pelayo; García-Bocanegra, Ignacio; Oleaga, Álvaro; Gortázar, Christian; Pujols, Joan

2014-01-01

Wild and domestic ruminants are susceptible to Bluetongue virus (BTV) infection. Three BTV serotypes (BTV-4, BTV-1 and BTV-8) have been detected in Spain in the last decade. Even though control strategies have been applied to livestock, BTV circulation has been frequently detected in wild ruminant populations in Spain. The aim of the present study is to assess the role for wild ruminants in maintaining BTV after the vaccination programs in livestock in mainland Spain. A total of 931 out 1,914 (48.6%) serum samples, collected from eight different wild ruminant species between 2006 and 2011, were BTV positive by ELISA. In order to detect specific antibodies against BTV-1, BTV-4 and BTV-8, positive sera were also tested by serumneutralisation test (SNT). From the ELISA positive samples that could be tested by SNT (687 out of 931), 292 (42.5%) showed neutralising antibodies against one or two BTV serotypes. For each BTV seroptype, the number of outbreaks in livestock (11,857 outbreaks in total) was modelled with pure autoregressive models and the resulting smoothed values, representing the predicted number of BTV outbreaks in livestock at municipality level, were positively correlated with BTV persistence in wild species. The strength of this relationship significantly decreased as red deer (Cervus elaphus) population abundance increased. In addition, BTV RNA was detected by real time RT-PCR in 32 out of 311 (10.3%) spleen samples from seropositive animals. Although BT outbreaks in livestock have decreased substantially after vaccination campaigns, our results indicated that wild ruminants have been exposed to BTV in territories where outbreaks in domestic animals occurred. The detection of BTV RNA and spatial association between BT outbreaks in livestock and BTV rates in red deer are consistent with the hypothesis of virus circulation and BTV maintenance within Iberian wild ruminant populations. PMID:24940879

Preorbital gland opening in red deer (Cervus elaphus) calves: signal of hunger?

PubMed

Bartos, L; Víchová, J; Lancingerová, J

2005-01-01

The opening of the preorbital gland in red deer (Cervus elaphus) calves has been hypothesized to be a signal to the mother that her calf is hungry. Closing of the gland should indicate that the calf has received a sufficient amount of milk, and thus the mother should stop the suckling. We tested the hypothesis that the calf signals hunger when its preorbital gland is open and signals satiation when the gland is closed. To test this, the behavior of eight bottle-reared calves was monitored for 6 mo. For each meal during this time period, opening of the preorbital gland was recorded before calves were offered the meal and after they ate. Satiation of the calf was estimated (not begging for more food after the meal = satiated; begging = not satiated). The data set contained 3,116 records of paired measurements of preorbital gland opening (before and after the meal). Calves were satiated after feeding for 90.15% of the meals. The opening of the preorbital gland was associated with feeding and achieving satiety. In most cases (77%), calves opened their preorbital glands before their meal. Eighty-five percent of hungry calves still had preorbital glands open after the meal, whereas preorbital gland opening was decreased (P < 0.03) up to 46.6% in satiated calves. Despite this, we found a large range in individual responses in preorbital gland opening before and after the meal, and also according to whether the calf reached satiety. The heavier calves in this study tended to have their preorbital glands open more frequently than the lighter ones, which may indicate the need for an increased amount of milk intake. There was no clear trend in the frequency of preorbital gland opening with age. In conclusion, preorbital opening is likely to be a signal of calf satiety, as suggested earlier. Nevertheless, preorbital glands were not always open when the calves were hungry and did not vanish during the feeding in all cases.

Differential regulation of pathogens: the role of habitat disturbance in predicting prevalence of Sin Nombre virus.

PubMed

Lehmer, Erin M; Clay, Christine A; Pearce-Duvet, Jessica; St Jeor, Stephen; Dearing, M Denise

2008-03-01

Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are the primary reservoir for Sin Nombre virus (SNV), a North American hantavirus that causes disease with high mortality in humans. Recent studies have proposed that habitat disturbance affects prevalence of SNV in deer mice; however, the outcomes proposed in these studies are in opposition to each other. Our objectives were to test these divergent hypotheses by: (1) measuring SNV infection in deer mice within a patchwork of disturbance; and (2) evaluating the relationships between SNV prevalence, population density and demography as possible mechanisms. In 2003 and 2004, we sampled 1,297 deer mice from 17 sites with varying levels of disturbance in the Great Basin Desert. Across sites and years, SNV prevalence varied from 0.0 to 38.9%. We found a negative relationship between SNV prevalence and disturbance. Although we found no direct relationship between SNV prevalence and deer mouse density, we found that density was highest on sites with the lowest levels of disturbance. The number of deer mice that survived across seasons (e.g., trans-seasonal survivors) differed across levels of disturbance and was greatest on our least disturbed study sites [Formula: see text] moderate on sites with intermediate levels of disturbance (x = 5.61%) and zero on highly disturbed sites. On low-disturbance sites, a greater proportion of trans-seasonal survivors were SNV seropositive (28.80%) compared to the intermediate-disturbance sites (16.67). Collectively, our results indicate that habitat disturbance plays a predictive role in SNV prevalence, with highly disturbed sites having reduced long-term survival of deer mice, including survival of infected individuals.

Phenotypic plasticity in blood–oxygen transport in highland and lowland deer mice

PubMed Central

Tufts, Danielle M.; Revsbech, Inge G.; Cheviron, Zachary A.; Weber, Roy E.; Fago, Angela; Storz, Jay F.

2013-01-01

SUMMARY In vertebrates living at high altitude, arterial hypoxemia may be ameliorated by reversible changes in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood (regulated by erythropoiesis) and/or changes in blood–oxygen affinity (regulated by allosteric effectors of hemoglobin function). These hematological traits often differ between taxa that are native to different elevational zones, but it is often unknown whether the observed physiological differences reflect fixed, genetically based differences or environmentally induced acclimatization responses (phenotypic plasticity). Here, we report measurements of hematological traits related to blood–O2 transport in populations of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) that are native to high- and low-altitude environments. We conducted a common-garden breeding experiment to assess whether altitude-related physiological differences were attributable to developmental plasticity and/or physiological plasticity during adulthood. Under conditions prevailing in their native habitats, high-altitude deer mice from the Rocky Mountains exhibited a number of pronounced hematological differences relative to low-altitude conspecifics from the Great Plains: higher hemoglobin concentrations, higher hematocrits, higher erythrocytic concentrations of 2,3-diphosphoglycerate (an allosteric regulator of hemoglobin–oxygen affinity), lower mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations and smaller red blood cells. However, these differences disappeared after 6 weeks of acclimation to normoxia at low altitude. The measured traits were also indistinguishable between the F1 progeny of highland and lowland mice, indicating that there were no persistent differences in phenotype that could be attributed to developmental plasticity. These results indicate that the naturally occurring hematological differences between highland and lowland mice are environmentally induced and are largely attributable to physiological plasticity during adulthood. PMID:23239893

Prevalence and spatial distribution of antibodies to bovine viral diarrhea virus and Coxiella burnetii in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in New York and Pennsylvania.

PubMed

Kirchgessner, Megan S; Dubovi, Edward J; Porter, William F; Zylich, Nancy C; Whipps, Christopher M

2012-09-01

Significant pathogens of domestic livestock and public-health related pathogens, such as bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and Coxiella burnetii, are commonly diagnosed in some wildlife species. BVDV is an economically important pathogen of domestic bovids and Coxiella burnetii is a highly infectious zoonotic bacterium. As a result of recent shifting patterns of disease, it is critical that baseline information regarding the status of both significant pathogens of domestic livestock and public-health related pathogens are established for commonly encountered wildlife such as white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). White-tailed deer are susceptible to both BVDV and C. burnetii infection, and the purpose of this study was to investigate for the presence of antibodies to these two pathogens in New York and Pennsylvania white-tailed deer. Exposure to BVDV and C. burnetii was determined using sera collected from 333 (219 males and 114 females) wild white-tailed deer in New York and 291 (130 males and 161 females) wild white-tailed deer from Pennsylvania. Samples were collected from hunter-harvested deer in central New York State in 2009 and live-captured deer in Pennsylvania in 2010. Sera were screened for anti-BVDV antibodies via a commercial blocking BVDV enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Coxiella burnetii phase II whole-cell antigen-coated slides were used to screen sera via an indirect microimmunofluorescence assay. Antibody prevalence was compared by sex class and location of collection. Deer in New York had higher antibody prevalence to BVDV (6.01%) than did deer in Pennsylvania (0.34%). Conversely, C. burnetii phase II antibodies were more common in Pennsylvania (20.96%) than in New York (14.41%). No statistically significant difference between locations was observed in either BVDV or C. burnetii antibody prevalence when data were analyzed by sex-class. Overall, C. burnetii seroprevalence was not significantly higher in Pennsylvania than in New York.

Linking bovine tuberculosis on cattle farms to white-tailed deer and environmental variables using Bayesian hierarchical analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walter, W. David; Smith, Rick; Vanderklok, Mike; VerCauterren, Kurt C.

2014-01-01

Bovine tuberculosis is a bacterial disease caused by Mycobacterium bovis in livestock and wildlife with hosts that include Eurasian badgers (Meles meles), brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Risk-assessment efforts in Michigan have been initiated on farms to minimize interactions of cattle with wildlife hosts but research onM. bovis on cattle farms has not investigated the spatial context of disease epidemiology. To incorporate spatially explicit data, initial likelihood of infection probabilities for cattle farms tested for M. bovis, prevalence of M. bovis in white-tailed deer, deer density, and environmental variables for each farm were modeled in a Bayesian hierarchical framework. We used geo-referenced locations of 762 cattle farms that have been tested for M. bovis, white-tailed deer prevalence, and several environmental variables that may lead to long-term survival and viability of M. bovis on farms and surrounding habitats (i.e., soil type, habitat type). Bayesian hierarchical analyses identified deer prevalence and proportion of sandy soil within our sampling grid as the most supported model. Analysis of cattle farms tested for M. bovisidentified that for every 1% increase in sandy soil resulted in an increase in odds of infection by 4%. Our analysis revealed that the influence of prevalence of M. bovis in white-tailed deer was still a concern even after considerable efforts to prevent cattle interactions with white-tailed deer through on-farm mitigation and reduction in the deer population. Cattle farms test positive for M. bovis annually in our study area suggesting that the potential for an environmental source either on farms or in the surrounding landscape may contributing to new or re-infections with M. bovis. Our research provides an initial assessment of potential environmental factors that could be incorporated into additional modeling efforts as more knowledge of deer herd factors and cattle farm prevalence is documented.

White-tailed deer ecology and management on Fire Island

USGS Publications Warehouse

Underwood, H.B.

2005-01-01

Deer populations have grown dramatically on Fire Island National Seashore (FIlS) since 1983. Trend data reveal a dichotomy in deer dynamics. In the eastern half of the island, deer density appears to have stabilized between 25-35 deer/km2. In the western half of the island, deer densities are 3-4 times as high in residential communities. Concomitant with that increase has been a general decline in physical stature of some animals, visible impacts on island vegetation, especially in the Sunken Forest, and a perceived increase in the frequency of human and deer interactions. Intensive research on FIlS has shown that deer occupy relatively predictable home ranges throughout the year, but can and do move up and down the island. Impacts of deer on vegetation are most dramatic in the Sunken Forest. Most obvious are the effects of browsing on the herb layer of the Sunken Forest. The least obvious, but perhaps more significant impact is the stark lack of regeneration of canopy tree species since about 1970, which coincides with the initiation of the deer population irruption. A number of herbs and shrubs have been greatly reduced in the understory, and their propagules from the soil. Deer do not readily transmit the bacterium that causes Lyme disease to other organisms, but deer are important hosts for adult ticks which underscores their importance in the transmission pathway of the disease to humans. Deer on FIlS, while occasionally docile, are still wild animals and should be treated as such. Some animals are relatively unafraid of humans due to the absence of predation and a lack of harassment. This in turn has contributed to a longstanding tradition of feeding deer by many residents and visitors, particularly in western portions of the island. Feeding affects both the behavior and population dynamics of deer inhabiting Fire Island. Recent efforts to reduce deer feeding by visitors and residents have been very effective. Ongoing experiments with Porcine Zona Pellucida immunocontraception demonstrate some promise of this technology as a population management tool.. Success appears to be linked directly to factors affecting access to deer, which vary considerably among treatment locations. Continued high National Park Service visibility among communities in the form of interpretive programs, extension and outreach activities, and continued support of research and monitoring of deer and their effects on island biota are keys to successful resolution of persistent issues.

Expression of immunoregulatory genes and its relationship to lead exposure and lead-mediated oxidative stress in wild ungulates from an abandoned mining area.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Estival, Jaime; de la Lastra, José M Pérez; Ortiz-Santaliestra, Manuel E; Vidal, Dolors; Mateo, Rafael

2013-04-01

Lead (Pb) is a highly toxic metal that can induce oxidative stress and affect the immune system by modifying the expression of immunomodulator-related genes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the association between Pb exposure and the transcriptional profiles of some cytokines, as well as the relationship between Pb exposure and changes in oxidative stress biomarkers observed in the spleen of wild ungulates exposed to mining pollution. Red deer and wild boar from the mining area studied had higher spleen, liver, and bone Pb levels than controls, indicating a chronic exposure to Pb pollution. Such exposure caused a depletion of spleen glutathione levels in both species and disrupted the activity of antioxidant enzymes, suggesting the generation of oxidative stress conditions. Deer from the mining area also showed an induced T-helper (Th )-dependent immune response toward the Th 2 pathway, whereas boar from the mining area showed a cytokine profile suggesting an inclination of the immune response toward the Th 1 pathway. These results indicate that environmental exposure to Pb may alter immune responses in wild ungulates exposed to mining pollution. However, evidence of direct relationships between Pb-mediated oxidative stress and the changes detected in immune responses were not found. Further research is needed to evaluate the immunotoxic potential of Pb pollution, also considering the prevalence of chronic infectious diseases in wildlife in environments affected by mining activities. Copyright © 2013 SETAC.

Descended and mobile larynx, vocal tract elongation and rutting roars in male goitred gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa Güldenstaedt, 1780)

PubMed Central

Frey, Roland; Volodin, Ilya; Volodina, Elena; Soldatova, Natalia V; Juldaschev, Erkin T

2011-01-01

Similar to male humans, Homo sapiens, the males of a few polygynous ruminants – red deer Cervus elaphus, fallow deer Dama dama and Mongolian gazelle Procapra gutturosa– have a more or less enlarged, low-resting larynx and are capable of additional dynamic vocal tract elongation by larynx retraction during their rutting calls. The vocal correlates of a large larynx and an elongated vocal tract, a low fundamental frequency and low vocal tract resonance frequencies, deter rival males and attract receptive females. The males of the polygynous goitred gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa, provide another, independently evolved, example of an enlarged and low-resting larynx of high mobility. Relevant aspects of the rutting behaviour of territorial wild male goitred gazelles are described. Video and audio recordings served to study the acoustic effects of the enlarged larynx and vocal tract elongation on male rutting calls. Three call types were discriminated: roars, growls and grunts. In addition, the adult male vocal anatomy during the emission of rutting calls is described and functionally discussed using a 2D-model of larynx retraction. The combined morphological, behavioural and acoustic data are discussed in relation to the hypothesis of sexual selection for male-specific deep voices, resulting in convergent features of vocal anatomy in a few polygynous ruminants and in human males. PMID:21413987

Potential use of quadrivalent selenium as a systemic deer-browsing repellent: A cautionary note

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jobidon, R.; Prevost, M.

1994-06-01

This study evaluates the potential usefulness and toxicity of applying quadrivalent selenium (selenite ion) to the soil to discourage white-tailed deer from browsing conifer seedlings. After adsorption by the root system and internal transport, organoselenium compounds are volatilized by the foliage, and the characteristic garlic odor is hypothesized to protect coniferous tree seedlings from browsing damage. Results indicate that either 5, 17, or 24 months after treatment, selenized white spruce seedlings did not show significantly different deer-browsing damage from control seedlings when deer numbers were high. Five and seventeen months after treatment, selenium had not leached but had accumulated inmore » the top soil. Large-scale application of selenium may represent a potential environmental risk, hence the authors do not recommend use of selenite ion to prevent damage from deer-browsing of white spruce seedlings.« less

Coyote removal, understory cover, and survival of white-tailed deer neonates

Treesearch

John C. Kilgo; Mark Vukovich; H. Scott Ray; Christopher E. Shaw; Charles Ruth

2014-01-01

Predation by coyotes (Canis latrans) on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) neonates has led to reduced recruitment in many deer populations in southeastern North America. This low recruitment combined with liberal antlerless deer harvest has resulted in declines in some deer populations, and consequently, increased interest in coyote population control. We...

Strontium-90 in antlers of red deer: an indicator of environmental contamination by strontium-90.

PubMed

Schönhofer, F; Tataruch, F; Friedrich, M

1994-12-11

The sampling procedures in connection with a very sensitive analytical method are described. Results from different areas in Austria are presented and an interpretion of the results is attempted. Some findings are in accordance with measurements from other substances, some are not. The differences most probably depend on several factors like soil type, precipitation, migration of strontium-90, concentration of stable strontium and calcium. No significant rise in the concentration could be found after 1986 thus in accordance with other measurements of strontium-90 contamination after the Chernobyl accident.

Bayesian Modeling of Prion Disease Dynamics in Mule Deer Using Population Monitoring and Capture-Recapture Data

PubMed Central

Geremia, Chris; Miller, Michael W.; Hoeting, Jennifer A.; Antolin, Michael F.; Hobbs, N. Thompson

2015-01-01

Epidemics of chronic wasting disease (CWD) of North American Cervidae have potential to harm ecosystems and economies. We studied a migratory population of mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) affected by CWD for at least three decades using a Bayesian framework to integrate matrix population and disease models with long-term monitoring data and detailed process-level studies. We hypothesized CWD prevalence would be stable or increase between two observation periods during the late 1990s and after 2010, with higher CWD prevalence making deer population decline more likely. The weight of evidence suggested a reduction in the CWD outbreak over time, perhaps in response to intervening harvest-mediated population reductions. Disease effects on deer population growth under current conditions were subtle with a 72% chance that CWD depressed population growth. With CWD, we forecasted a growth rate near one and largely stable deer population. Disease effects appear to be moderated by timing of infection, prolonged disease course, and locally variable infection. Long-term outcomes will depend heavily on whether current conditions hold and high prevalence remains a localized phenomenon. PMID:26509806

Chronic wasting disease infection patterns in female white-tailed deer related to demographics, genetic relationships, and spatial proximity of infected deer in southern Wisconsin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grear, Daniel A.

2006-01-01

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal disease of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) caused by transmissible protease resistant prions. Since the discovery of CWD in southern Wisconsin in 2001, more than 20,000 deer have been removed from a >2,500 km2 disease eradication zone surrounding the three initial cases. Nearly all deer removed were tested for CWD infection and sex, age, and harvest location were recorded. Our analysis used data from a 310 kin2 core study area where disease prevalence was higher than surrounding areas. We found no difference in harvest rates between CWD infected and non-infected deer. Ow results show that the probability of infection increased with age and that adult males were more likely to be infected than adult females. Six fawns tested positive for CWD, five fawns from the core study area, including the youngest (5 months) kee-ranging cervid to test positive. The increase in male prevalence with age is nearly twice the increase found in females. We concluded that CWD is not randomly distributed among deer and that differential transmission among sex and age classes is likely driving the observed patterns in disease prevalence. We discuss alternative hypotheses for CWD transmission and spread and, in addition, discuss several possible non-linear relationships between prevalence and age. Understanding CWD transmission in free-ranging cervid populations will be essential to the development of strategies to manage this disease in areas where CWD is found as well as for surveillance strategies in areas where CWD threatens to spread.

Selection of forages by timor deer (cervus timorensis blainville) in menjangan island, bali

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ketut Ginantra, I.; Bagus Made Suaskara, Ida; Ketut Muksin, I.

2018-03-01

This study was conducted to determine the selection of forages plants by Timor deer (Cervus timorensis) on Menjangan Island and its relation to the availability, chemical and physical properties of feed plants. The study was conducted in July-September 2016 in savanna and monsoon forest habitats. The availability of habitat feed plants in the habitat was determined by the quadrat method, and the species of plant eaten by Timor deer was determined through the microhistological analysis of the fecal sample. The food selection index is determine by the Ivlev index. Energy contents of forages plants by bomb calorimeter apparatus, crude protein analyzed by Semi-Micro Kjeldahl technique, NDF, ADF and lignin levels refer to the method of Goering and Van Soest. Mineral content of calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) by using atomic absorption spectrophotometer. Determination of tannin content with Folin Denish reaction. Physical properties determine are water regain capacity and water solubility. The relationship between availability with the utilization of plants by Timor deer was analyzed with the similarity index. Multiple regression statistic to test the relationship between index selection with nutritional value factor and physical characteristic of plant species. The result showed that Timor deer selected 32 plants species of graminoids, forbs and woody plants. Feeding selection of Timor deer is strongly influenced by the availability of forage plants in habitat. The feeding selection was significantly influenced by three predictor variables i.e. positive nutritional value is crude protein and negative nutritional value were lignin and tannins. Selection of forage plant Timor deer is positively correlated with the physical properties of feed plants.

Deer Habitat in the Ozark Forests of Arkansas

Treesearch

Mitchell J. Rogers; Lowell K. Halls; James G. Dickson

1990-01-01

Two enclosures of 590 and 675 acres were constructed and stocked with white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) to determine the deer carrying capacity of an Ozark mountain forest and to evaluate the impact of winter food plots on deer survival and productivity. Deer diets varied considerably within and among years, and they were closely related to habitat type and...

Mural folliculitis and alopecia caused by infection with goat-associated malignant catarrhal fever virus in two sika deer.

PubMed

Crawford, Timothy B; Li, Hong; Rosenburg, Stuart R; Norhausen, Robert W; Garner, Michael M

2002-09-15

Two sika deer from a zoo in Florida were examined because of chronic hair loss and skin lesions. No common causes of alopecia were identified in either deer. One deer was treated with prednisone, but the condition worsened when the dosage was decreased. Both deer were euthanatized after several months because of continued disease. The predominant histologic lesion in skin specimens was granulomatous mural folliculitis. Serologic testing and sequencing of fragments produced with a consensus polymerase chain reaction assay indicated that both deer were infected with caprine herpesvirus-2, a newly recognized member of the malignant catarrhal fever group of viruses. Disease in these deer was substantially different from that typically seen following infection with ovine herpesvirus-2, the sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever virus. Findings in these deer establish the pathogenicity of caprine herpesvirus-2 in sika deer and illustrate the ability of this group of complex herpesviruses to cause a wide variety of clinical abnormalities in diverse species.

Minimizing capture-related stress on white-tailed deer with a capture collar

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, G.D.; Kunkel, K.E.; Mech, L.D.; Seal, U.S.

1990-01-01

We compared the effect of 3 capture methods for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on blood indicators of acute excitement and stress from 1 February to 20 April 1989. Eleven adult females were captured by Clover trap or cannon net between 1 February and 9 April 1989 in northeastern Minnesota [USA]. These deer were fitted with radio-controlled capture collars, and 9 deer were recaptured 7-33 days later. Trapping method affected serum cortisol (P < 0.0001), hemoglobin (Hb) (P < 0.06), and packed cell volume (PCV) (P < 0.07). Cortisol concentrations were lower (P < 0.0001) in capture-collared deer (0.54 .+-. 0.07 [SE] .mu.g/dL) compared to Clover-trapped (4.37 .+-. 0.69 .mu.g/dL) and cannon-netted (3.88 .+-. 0.82 .mu.g/dL) deer. Capture-collared deer were minimally stressed compared to deer captured by traditional methods. Use of the capture collar should permit more accurate interpretation of blood profiles of deer for assessement of condition and general health.

50 CFR 32.46 - Nebraska.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...-tailed deer and mule deer on designated areas of the refuge in accordance with State regulations subject... Hunting. We allow archery hunting of mule deer and white-tailed deer on designated areas of the refuge in...

Distribution of eastern equine encephalomyelitis viral protein and nucleic acid within central nervous tissue lesions in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus).

PubMed

Kiupel, M; Fitzgerald, S D; Pennick, K E; Cooley, T M; O'Brien, D J; Bolin, S R; Maes, R K; Del Piero, F

2013-11-01

An outbreak of eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) occurred in Michigan free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) during late summer and fall of 2005. Brain tissue from 7 deer with EEE, as confirmed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, was studied. Detailed microscopic examination, indirect immunohistochemistry (IHC), and in situ hybridization (ISH) were used to characterize the lesions and distribution of the EEE virus within the brain. The main lesion in all 7 deer was a polioencephalomyelitis with leptomeningitis, which was more prominent within the cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus, and brainstem. In 3 deer, multifocal microhemorrhages surrounded smaller vessels with or without perivascular cuffing, although vasculitis was not observed. Neuronal necrosis, associated with perineuronal satellitosis and neutrophilic neuronophagia, was most prominent in the thalamus and the brainstem. Positive IHC labeling was mainly observed in the perikaryon, axons, and dendrites of necrotic and intact neurons and, to a much lesser degree, in glial cells, a few neutrophils in the thalamus and the brainstem, and occasionally the cerebral cortex of the 7 deer. There was minimal IHC-based labeling in the cerebellum and hippocampus. ISH labeling was exclusively observed in the cytoplasm of neurons, with a distribution similar to IHC-positive neurons. Neurons positive by IHC and ISH were most prominent in the thalamus and brainstem. The neuropathology of EEE in deer is compared with other species. Based on our findings, EEE has to be considered a differential diagnosis for neurologic disease and meningoencephalitis in white-tailed deer.

Isolation and identification of a bovine viral diarrhea virus from sika deer in china.

PubMed

Gao, Yugang; Wang, Shijie; Du, Rui; Wang, Quankai; Sun, Changjiang; Wang, Nan; Zhang, Pengju; Zhang, Lianxue

2011-02-25

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infections continue to cause significantly losses in the deer population. Better isolation and identification of BVDV from sika deer may contribute significantly to the development of prophylactic therapeutic, and diagnostic reagents as well as help in prevention and control of BVDV. However, isolation and identification of BVDV from sika deer is seldom reported in literature. In this study, we collected some samples according to clinical sign of BVDV to isolation and identification of BVDV from sika deer. we isolated a suspected BVDV strain from livers of an aborted fetus from sika deer in Changchun (China) using MDBK cell lines, named as CCSYD strain, and identified it by cytopathic effect (CPE), indirect immunoperoxidase test (IPX) and electron microscopy(EM). The results indicated that this virus was BVDV by a series of identification. The structural proteins E0 gene was cloned and sequenced. The obtained E0 gene sequence has been submitted to GenBank with the accession number: FJ555203. Alignment with other 9 strains of BVDV, 7 strains of classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and 3 strains of border disease virus(BDV) in the world, showed that the homology were 98.6%-84.8%, 76.0%-74.7%, 76.6%-77.0% for nucleotide sequence, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that new isolation and identification CCSYD strain belonged to BVDV1b. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that BVDV was isolated and identified in sika deer. This current research contributes development new BVDV vaccine to prevent and control of BVD in sika deer.

Ungulate browsers promote herbaceous layer diversity in logged temperate forests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Faison, Edward K.; DeStefano, Stephen; Foster, David R.; Motzkin, Glenn; Rapp, Josh

2016-01-01

Ungulates are leading drivers of plant communities worldwide, with impacts linked to animal density, disturbance and vegetation structure, and site productivity. Many ecosystems have more than one ungulate species; however, few studies have specifically examined the combined effects of two or more species on plant communities. We examined the extent to which two ungulate browsers (moose [Alces americanus]) and white-tailed deer [Odocoileus virginianus]) have additive (compounding) or compensatory (opposing) effects on herbaceous layer composition and diversity, 5–6 years after timber harvest in Massachusetts, USA. We established three combinations of ungulates using two types of fenced exclosures – none (full exclosure), deer (partial exclosure), and deer + moose (control) in six replicated blocks. Species composition diverged among browser treatments, and changes were generally additive. Plant assemblages characteristic of closed canopy forests were less abundant and assemblages characteristic of open/disturbed habitats were more abundant in deer + moose plots compared with ungulate excluded areas. Browsing by deer + moose resulted in greater herbaceous species richness at the plot scale (169 m2) and greater woody species richness at the subplot scale (1 m2) than ungulate exclusion and deer alone. Browsing by deer + moose resulted in strong changes to the composition, structure, and diversity of forest herbaceous layers, relative to areas free of ungulates and areas browed by white-tailed deer alone. Our results provide evidence that moderate browsing in forest openings can promote both herbaceous and woody plant diversity. These results are consistent with the classic grazing-species richness curve, but have rarely been documented in forests.

Serological and Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia microti in the Blood of Rescued Wild Animals in Gangwon-do (Province), Korea.

PubMed

Hong, Sung-Hee; Kim, Hee-Jong; Jeong, Young-Il; Cho, Shin-Hyeong; Lee, Won-Ja; Kim, Jong-Tak; Lee, Sang-Eun

2017-04-01

Infections of Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia microti are reported in many wild animals worldwide, but information on their incidence and molecular detection in Korean wild fields is limited. In this study, the prevalence of T. gondii and B. microti infection in blood samples of 5 animal species (37 Chinese water deer, 23 raccoon dogs, 6 roe deer, 1 wild boar, and 3 Eurasian badgers) was examined during 2008-2009 in Gangwon-do (Province), the Republic of Korea (=Korea) by using serological and molecular tests. The overall seropositivity of T. gondii was 8.6% (6/70); 10.8% in Chinese water deer, 4.3% in raccoon dogs, and 16.7% in roe deer. PCR revealed only 1 case of T. gondii infection in Chinese water deer, and phylogenic analysis showed that the positive isolate was practically identical to the highly pathogenetic strain type I. In B. microti PCR, the positive rate was 5.7% (4/70), including 2 Chinese water deer and 2 Eurasian badgers. Phylogenetic analysis results of 18S rRNA and the β-tubulin gene showed that all positive isolates were US-type B. microti . To our knowledge, this is the first report of B. microti detected in Chinese water deer and Eurasian badger from Korea. These results indicate a potentially high prevalence of T. gondii and B. microti in wild animals of Gangwon-do, Korea. Furthermore, Chinese water deer might act as a reservoir for parasite infections of domestic animals.

The relative abundance of deer mice with antibody to Sin Nombre virus corresponds to the occurrence of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome in nearby humans.

PubMed

Calisher, Charles H; Mills, James N; Root, Jon Jeffrey; Doty, Jeffrey B; Beaty, Barry J

2011-05-01

Sin Nombre virus (SNV) is the principal cause of hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) in the United States and deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) are its principal rodent host, and thus the natural cycle of the virus is related to the occurrence of HPS. Prevalence of rodent infection appears to be associated with fluctuations in deer mouse populations and, indirectly, with timing and amount of precipitation, a complex of biologic events. Given that rodent population abundances fluctuate, often acutely, it is not unreasonable to assume a direct correlation between the numbers of infected rodents and the number of human infections, unless confounding factors are involved. During a 13-year longitudinal study at a site in southwestern Colorado, we accumulated data regarding deer mice and antibody to SNV and therefore had the opportunity to compare dynamics of deer mouse populations, seroprevalence of antibody to SNV in the rodents, and numbers of HPS cases in Durango and in the State of Colorado as a whole. If abundances of deer mouse populations are directly correlated with occurrence of HPS, it is reasonable to assume that low densities of deer mice and low prevalences of antibody to SNV would lead to fewer human cases than would high densities and high prevalences. Our results substantiate such an assumption and suggest that the risk of acquisition of HPS is likely related to both high numbers of infected deer mice and human activities, rather than being strictly related to prevalence of SNV in the host rodent.

Serological and Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia microti in the Blood of Rescued Wild Animals in Gangwon-do (Province), Korea

PubMed Central

Hong, Sung-Hee; Kim, Hee-Jong; Jeong, Young-Il; Cho, Shin-Hyeong; Lee, Won-Ja; Kim, Jong-Tak; Lee, Sang-Eun

2017-01-01

Infections of Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia microti are reported in many wild animals worldwide, but information on their incidence and molecular detection in Korean wild fields is limited. In this study, the prevalence of T. gondii and B. microti infection in blood samples of 5 animal species (37 Chinese water deer, 23 raccoon dogs, 6 roe deer, 1 wild boar, and 3 Eurasian badgers) was examined during 2008–2009 in Gangwon-do (Province), the Republic of Korea (=Korea) by using serological and molecular tests. The overall seropositivity of T. gondii was 8.6% (6/70); 10.8% in Chinese water deer, 4.3% in raccoon dogs, and 16.7% in roe deer. PCR revealed only 1 case of T. gondii infection in Chinese water deer, and phylogenic analysis showed that the positive isolate was practically identical to the highly pathogenetic strain type I. In B. microti PCR, the positive rate was 5.7% (4/70), including 2 Chinese water deer and 2 Eurasian badgers. Phylogenetic analysis results of 18S rRNA and the β-tubulin gene showed that all positive isolates were US-type B. microti. To our knowledge, this is the first report of B. microti detected in Chinese water deer and Eurasian badger from Korea. These results indicate a potentially high prevalence of T. gondii and B. microti in wild animals of Gangwon-do, Korea. Furthermore, Chinese water deer might act as a reservoir for parasite infections of domestic animals. PMID:28506045

Effect of white-tailed deer on songbirds within managed forests in Pennsylvania

Treesearch

David S. deCalesta

1994-01-01

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations have been maintained at high densities in Pennsylvania for several decades with unknown effects on songbirds and their habitats. I evaluated effects of white-tailed deer density on songbird species richness, abundance, and habitat. I simulated 4 deer densities (3.7, 7.9, 14.9, and 24.9 deer/km...

Deer hunting and television: are tv shows creating expectations among deer hunters?

Treesearch

Joshua D. Agee; Craig A. Miller

2009-01-01

Throughout the past two decades new media outlets emphasizing trophy deer hunting have come to dominate hunting culture. Using data collected through a mail survey of Illinois deer hunters (n = 2,683, 78.5-percent response), we tested two hypotheses to determine factors that contribute to preference for hunting trophy deer. In particular, we examined the relationship...

Actinides in deer tissues at the rocky flats environmental technology site.

PubMed

Todd, Andrew S; Sattelberg, R Mark

2005-11-01

Limited hunting of deer at the future Rocky Flats National Wildlife Refuge has been proposed in U.S. Fish and Wildlife planning documents as a compatible wildlife-dependent public use. Historically, Rocky Flats site activities resulted in the contamination of surface environmental media with actinides, including isotopes of americium, plutonium, and uranium. In this study, measurements of actinides [Americium-241 (241Am); Plutonium-238 (238Pu); Plutonium-239,240 (239,240Pu); uranium-233,244 (233,234U); uranium-235,236 (235,236U); and uranium-238 (238U)] were completed on select liver, muscle, lung, bone, and kidney tissue samples harvested from resident Rocky Flats deer (N = 26) and control deer (N = 1). In total, only 17 of the more than 450 individual isotopic analyses conducted on Rocky Flats deer tissue samples measured actinide concentrations above method detection limits. Of these 17 detects, only 2 analyses, with analytical uncertainty values added, exceeded threshold values calculated around a 1 x 10(-6) risk level (isotopic americium, 0.01 pCi/g; isotopic plutonium, 0.02 pCi/g; isotopic uranium, 0.2 pCi/g). Subsequent, conservative risk calculations suggest minimal human risk associated with ingestion of these edible deer tissues. The maximum calculated risk level in this study (4.73 x 10(-6)) is at the low end of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's acceptable risk range.

Molecular and serologic evidence for Babesia bovis-like parasites in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in south Texas.

PubMed

Ramos, Christina M; Cooper, Susan M; Holman, Patricia J

2010-09-20

The current study was undertaken to determine if white-tailed deer in south Texas harbor Babesia bovis, a causative agent of bovine babesiosis. Blood samples from free-ranging white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on two ranches in LaSalle and Webb Counties were screened for B. bovis and other hemoparasites by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect the piroplasm 18S rDNA. Serology was conducted on selected samples to detect antibody activity to B. bovis by the immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT). PCR revealed that 16% of the LaSalle County samples and 4% of the Webb County samples were positive for B. bovis. Five of the LaSalle County and the two Webb County B. bovis 18S rDNA amplicons were cloned and sequenced. The resulting clones shared 99% identity to B. bovis 18S rRNA gene sequences derived from cattle isolates. Weak seroreactivity to B. bovis was shown by the IFAT. The samples were also screened for additional hemoparasites of deer including Theileria cervi, Babesia odocoilei and other Babesia spp. A genotypically unique Theileria sp. was found, along with T. cervi and B. odocoilei. The finding of putative B. bovis in white-tailed deer necessitates further study to determine if deer may act as a transient host or even a reservoir of infection for B. bovis pathogenic to cattle.

Coyotes, deer, and wildflowers: diverse evidence points to a trophic cascade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waser, Nickolas M.; Price, Mary V.; Blumstein, Daniel T.; Arózqueta, S. Reneé; Escobar, Betsabé D. Castro; Pickens, Richard; Pistoia, Alessandra

2014-05-01

Spatial gradients in human activity, coyote activity, deer activity, and deer herbivory provide an unusual type of evidence for a trophic cascade. Activity of coyotes, which eat young mule deer (fawns), decreased with proximity to a remote biological field station, indicating that these predators avoided an area of high human activity. In contrast, activity of adult female deer (does) and intensity of herbivory on palatable plant species both increased with proximity to the station and were positively correlated with each other. The gradient in deer activity was not explained by availabilities of preferred habitats or plant species because these did not vary with distance from the station. Does spent less time feeding when they encountered coyote urine next to a feed block, indicating that increased vigilance may contribute, along with avoidance of areas with coyotes, to lower herbivory away from the station. Judging from two palatable wildflower species whose seed crop and seedling recruitment were greatly reduced near the field station, the coyote-deer-wildflower trophic cascade has the potential to influence plant community composition. Our study illustrates the value of a case-history approach, in which different forms of ecological data about a single system are used to develop conceptual models of complex ecological phenomena. Such an iterative model-building process is a common, but underappreciated, way of understanding how ecological systems work.

Effect of hunter selectivity on harvest rates of radio-collared white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buderman, Frances E.; Diefenbach, Duane R.; Rosenberry, C.S.; Wallingford, Bret D.; Long, Eric S.

2014-01-01

Radio transmitters are a commonly used tool for monitoring the fates of harvested species, although little research has been devoted to whether a visible radio transmitter changes a hunters' willingness to harvest that animal. We initially surveyed deer hunters to assess their willingness to harvest radio-collared deer and predicted radio collars were unlikely to affect the harvest of antlerless deer, but hunters may be less willing to harvest small-antlered males with radio collars compared to large-antlered males. We fitted white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) with radio collars that were visible to hunters or with ear-tag transmitters or ear-tags that were difficult to detect visually and estimated if harvest rates differed among marking methods. For females, the best model failed to detect an effect of radio collars on harvest rates. Also, we failed to detect a difference between male deer fitted with radio collars and ear-tag transmitters. When we compared males fitted with radio collars versus ear tags, we found harvest rate patterns were opposite to our predictions, with lower harvest rates for adult males fitted with radio collars and higher harvest rates for yearling males fitted with radio collars. Our study suggests that harvest rate estimates generated from a sample of deer fitted with visible radio collars can be representative of the population of inference. 

White-Tailed Deer Susceptible to Scrapie by Natural Route of Infection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Interspecies transmission studies afford the opportunity to better understand the potential host range and origins of prion diseases. Previous experiments demonstrated that white-tailed deer are susceptible to sheep-derived scrapie by intracranial inoculation. The purpose of this study was to determ...

White-Tailed Deer Susceptible to Scrapie by Natural Route of Infection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Interspecies transmission studies afford the opportunity to better understand the potential host range and origins of prion diseases. Previous experiments demonstrated that white-tailed deer are susceptible to sheep-derived scrapie by intracranial inoculation. The purpose of an ongoing study is to...

The complete mitochondrial genome of Sika deer Cervus nippon hortulorum (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) and phylogenetic studies.

PubMed

Liu, Yan-Hua; Liu, Xin-Xin; Zhang, Ming-Hai

2016-07-01

Sika deer (Cervus nippon Temminck 1836) are classified in the order Artiodactyla, family Cervidae, subfamily Cervinae. At present, the phylogenetic studies of C. nippon are problematic. In this study, we first determined and described the complete mitochondrial sequence of the wild C. nippon hortulorum. The complete mitogenome sequence is 16 566 bp in length, including 13 protein-coding genes, two rRNA genes, 22 tRNA genes, a putative control region (CR) and a light-strand replication origin (OL). The overall base composition was 33.4% A, 28.6% T, 24.5% C, 13.5% G, with a 62.0% AT bias. The 13 protein-coding genes encode 3782 amino acids in total. To further validate the new determined sequences and phylogeny of Sika deer, phylogenetic trees involving 15 most closely related species available in GenBank database were constructed. These results are expected to provide useful molecular data for deer species identification and further phylogenetic studies of Artiodactyla.

Movement patterns of rural and suburban white-tailed deer in Massachusetts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gaughan, C.R.; DeStefano, S.

2005-01-01

We used satellite land cover data and the program FRAGSTATS toquantify land cover types and calculate the amount of forest edge available in suburban and rural regions of northeastern and northwestern Massachusetts. Cover categories included forest cover, open canopy vegetation, and non-deer habitat. We calculated all edge segments where forest cover abutted open canopy cover. Our open canopy vegetation category was calculated both with and without low intensity suburban development. We then compared these findings to movement data from 53 (13 males, 40 females) adult radio-marked white-tailed deerOdocoileus virginianusmonitored biweekly and diurnally from January 2001 to January 2003. The range of movements of suburban deer in eastern Massachusetts showed no difference to that of suburban deer in western Massachusetts (P = 0.7). However, the ranges for suburban deer in both eastern and western Massachusetts were 10 times less than those of deer in rural western Massachusetts (P = 0.001).Our findings suggest that landscape configuration, as described by the amount and distribution of edge due to suburban development, which is related to the amount and distribution of resources such as food and cover, affects migratory behavior of white-tailed deer, allowsdeer to have smaller ranges, and contributes to high deer densities.Inclusion of suburban edge in habitat models will increase our understanding of deer-habitat relationships for management of deer in urbanizing environments. ?? 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.

What predicts support for antler point restrictions?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schroeder, Susan A.; Cornicelli, Louis; Fulton, David C.; Grund, Marrett D.

2014-01-01

Although considerable research has focused on satisfaction with recreation experiences, limited work has examined factors related to regulatory support. In 2005, an antler point restriction (APR) regulation was introduced for hunting white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) in Minnesota’s Itasca State Park. Hunter surveys were conducted following the 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2009 seasons. We modeled how (a) satisfaction with the deer seen, (b) type of deer pursued, (c) agency trust, and (d) years of deer-hunting experience, influenced support for the APR, and compared the model over the four survey years. Type of deer pursued and agency trust were the strongest predictors of APR support, followed by satisfaction with deer seen, and years of hunting experience. Hunters who targeted big bucks, had more trust in the agency, and expressed more satisfaction with deer seen in the field, were more supportive of the APR. Hunters who had more deer-hunting experience were less supportive.

Major-histocompatibility-complex-associated variation in secondary sexual traits of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus): evidence for good-genes advertisement.

PubMed

Ditchkoff, S S; Lochmiller, R L; Masters, R E; Hoofer, S R; Van Den Bussche, R A

2001-03-01

Good-genes hypotheses predict that development of secondary sexual characters can be an honest advertisement of heritable male quality. We explored this hypothesis using a cervid model (adult, male white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus) to determine whether antler development could provide an honest signal of a male's genetic quality and condition to adversaries. We compared antler, morphometric, hormonal, and parasitic data collected from hunter-harvested deer to characteristics of the Mhc-DRB (Odvi), the most widely studied gene of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) in Artiodactyla. We detected associations between genetic characteristics at Odvi-DRB and antler development and body mass, suggesting that antler development and body mass may be associated with pathogen resistance in deer and thus may be an honest signal of genetic quality. We also detected associations between Odvi-DRB characteristics and serum testosterone during the breeding season, suggesting that certain MHC characteristics may help deer cope with stresses related to breeding activity. In addition, we observed a negative relationship between degree of antler development and overall abundance of abomasal helminths. Our observations provide support for the hypothesis that antler development in white-tailed deer is an honest signal of quality.

Influences of hunting on the behavior of white-tailed deer: implications for conservation of the Florida panther

Treesearch

John C. Kilgo; Ronald F. Labisky; Duane E. Fritzen

1998-01-01

The effects of deer hunting by humans on deer population dynamics and behavior may indirectly affect the population dynamics and behavior of deer predators. The authors present data on the effects of hunting on the behavior of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) on the Osceola National Forest, a potential reintroduction site for the endangered Florida panther (...

Chronic wasting disease in a Wisconsin white-tailed deer farm

USGS Publications Warehouse

Keane, D.P.; Barr, D.J.; Bochsler, P.N.; Hall, S.M.; Gidlewski, T.; O'Rourke, K. I.; Spraker, T.R.; Samuel, M.D.

2008-01-01

In September 2002, chronic wasting disease (CWD), a prion disorder of captive and wild cervids, was diagnosed in a white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) from a captive farm in Wisconsin. The facility was subsequently quarantined, and in January 2006 the remaining 76 deer were depopulated. Sixty animals (79%) were found to be positive by immunohistochemical staining for the abnormal prion protein (PrPCWD) in at least one tissue; the prevalence of positive staining was high even in young deer. Although none of the deer displayed clinical signs suggestive of CWD at depopulation, 49 deer had considerable accumulation of the abnormal prion in the medulla at the level of the obex. Extraneural accumulation of the abnormal protein was observed in 59 deer, with accumulation in the retropharyngeal lymph node in 58 of 59 (98%), in the tonsil in 56 of 59 (95%), and in the rectal mucosal lymphoid tissue in 48 of 58 (83%). The retina was positive in 4 deer, all with marked accumulation of prion in the obex. One deer was considered positive for PrPCWD in the brain but not in the extraneural tissue, a novel observation in white-tailed deer. The infection rate in captive deer was 20-fold higher than in wild deer. Although weakly related to infection rates in extraneural tissues, prion genotype was strongly linked to progression of prion accumulation in the obex. Antemortem testing by biopsy of rectoanal mucosal-associated lymphoid tissue (or other peripheral lymphoid tissue) may be a useful adjunct to tonsil biopsy for surveillance in captive herds at risk for CWD infection.

Pathophysiology of white-tailed deer vaccinated with porcine zona pellucida immunocontraceptive

USGS Publications Warehouse

Curtis, P.D.; Richmond, M.E.; Miller, L.A.; Quimby, F.W.

2007-01-01

White-tailed deer (n = 14 treated, n = 7 control) were examined postmortem to identify any possible pathophysiology resulting from PZP immunocontraception vaccination. Deer were treated twice in 1997; given a booster in 1998, with six being revaccinated in September 2000. Granulomas were found at injection sites of most deer, even 2 years post-treatment. Eosinophilic oophoritis occurred in 6 of 8 (75%) deer vaccinated in 1998, and 3 of 6 (50%) revaccinated in 2000. The 2000 revaccinates without oophoritis, had significantly fewer normal secondary follicles than control females (P = 0.03), and deer in the1998 treatment group (P = 0.04). PZP immunocontraceptive vaccine elicited ovarian pathologies in deer similar to those observed in other species. ?? 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Research progress on molecular genetics of forest musk deer].

PubMed

Jie, Hang; Zheng, Cheng-li; Wang, Jian-ming; Feng, Xiao-lan; Zeng, De-jun; Zhao, Gui-jun

2015-11-01

Forest musk deer is one of the large-scale farming musk deer animals with the largest population at the same time. The male musk deer can secrete valuable medicines, which has high medicinal and economic value. Due to the loss of habitat and indiscriminate hunting, the numbers of wild population specie and the distribution have been drastically reduced. Therefore, in-depth understanding of the molecular genetics progress of forest musk deer will pave a way for musk deer protection and breeding. In this review, the progress associated with the molecular marker, genetic classification, artificial breeding, musk secretion and disease in past decades were reviewed, in order to provide a theoretical basis for subsequent molecular genetic researches in forest musk deer.

Prevalence and genetic diversity of Bartonella species in sika deer (Cervus nippon) in Japan.

PubMed

Sato, Shingo; Kabeya, Hidenori; Yamazaki, Mari; Takeno, Shinako; Suzuki, Kazuo; Kobayashi, Shinichi; Souma, Kousaku; Masuko, Takayoshi; Chomel, Bruno B; Maruyama, Soichi

2012-12-01

We report the first description of Bartonella prevalence and genetic diversity in 64 Honshu sika deer (Cervus nippon centralis) and 18 Yezo sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Japan. Overall, Bartonella bacteremia prevalence was 41.5% (34/82). The prevalence in wild deer parasitized with ticks and deer keds was 61.8% (34/55), whereas no isolates were detected in captive deer (0/27) free of ectoparasites. The isolates belonged to 11 genogroups based on a combination of the gltA and rpoB gene sequences. Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated sequences of the ftsZ, gltA, ribC, and rpoB genes of 11 representative isolates showed that Japanese sika deer harbor three Bartonella species, including B. capreoli and two novel Bartonella species. All Yezo deer's isolates were identical to B. capreoli B28980 strain isolated from an elk in the USA, based on the sequences of the ftsZ, gltA, and rpoB genes. In contrast, the isolates from Honshu deer showed a higher genetic diversity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.