Blood Mineral Concentrations in the Endangered Huemul Deer (<i>Hippocamelus bisulcus</i>) from Chilean Patagonia

Chihuailaf, R; Stevenson, Valentina B.; Saucedo, Cristián; Corti, Paulo

doi:10.7589/2013-03-063

Cited by 6 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…This pattern resembles that for white-tailed deer (McDowell et al 1995;Flueck et al 2012). The data reported by Chihuailaf et al (2014) suggest that most huemul were Se deficient by North American cattle standards. The role of Se deficiency thus merits further consideration in explaining huemul declines and in conservation efforts, especially given that soils in huemul habitat are Se deficient (Flueck et al 2014).…”

supporting

confidence: 59%

“…To help inform recovery efforts, Chihuailaf et al (2014) reported plasma mineral concentrations in endangered huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus). They described plasma selenium (Se) concentrations as similar to those of other cervids and within reference intervals for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), citing McDowell et al (1995).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The standard for nutritional and medical purposes is to establish reference values from healthy populations, and reference intervals imply categorization to aid in recognizing deficiencies and toxicities. By stating the plasma Se reference interval to be 0-127 ppm (Chihuailaf et al 2014), rather than using interval categories (e.g., McDowell et al 1995), all values, including those potentially reflecting deficiency, were merged into one category, suggesting this interval represents healthy blood Se levels and perhaps confounding others' interpretations in the context of huemul conservation.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We believe that considering the plasma Se levels reported by Chihuailaf et al (2014) as reference values merits further discussion. In deficient areas, ungulates commonly have blood Se levels below detection limits.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These samples are then included in analyses using values below the detection limit. As noted by Chihuailaf et al (2014), 4 of their 11 samples were not included in the reference range because values were below detection limits. To offer an alternative interpretation, we simulated a sample (n57) with the use of the reported range values, median, and similar mean6SD (6796436 ppm Se vs. 6806468 ppm Se).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Alternative Interpretation of Plasma Selenium Data from Endangered Patagonian Huemul Deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus)

Flueck

Smith-Flueck

Mincher

et al. 2014

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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supporting

confidence: 59%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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An Alternative Interpretation of Plasma Selenium Data from Endangered Patagonian Huemul Deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus)

Flueck

Smith-Flueck

Mincher

et al. 2014

Journal of Wildlife Diseases

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The next frontier for recovering endangered huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus): how to avoid recurrent misdiagnoses of health status and risks

Flueck

Smith-Flueck

2020

Anim. Prod. Sci.

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Context The currently remaining 350–500 huemuls in Argentina are not recovering. We evaluated live huemuls, along with animals that died soon after confinement, or those that had died recently. Although information on the health status is highly valuable, repeated misdiagnoses of the health status indicate a need for other strategies. Aims . Discrepancies between clinical and postmortem diagnoses are critical for improving subsequent management decisions. Methods Initial clinical interpretations and risk assessments were reinterpreted on the basis of necropsies and other data. Results Two debilitated huemul individuals examined by veterinarians died soon afterwards, supposedly one being intoxicated and one being without lesions. Necropsies showed osteopathology and fluorosis (fluorine concentrations of 2209 and 2979 mg/kg). Another male was tied up, with authorities and veterinarians arriving the next day. After being sedated, and judged healthy, the animal was translocated. Because there was no reversal, this animal died 22 h post-capture. Exhumation showed severe osteopathology. Elsewhere, huemuls were considered adequate in selenium because values below the detection limit were excluded. However, when all values were included, 75% of the animals were selenium-deficient; this population had numerous cases of osteopathology. Recently, specialists went to Torres del Paine Park suspecting caseous lymphadenitis, reporting of which has been obligatory since 1937. However, many cases documented in 1999–2007 have not elicited responses since that time by health professionals. Selenium deficiency negatively affects antibody responses against caseous lymphadenitis. One province had denied huemul capture (2012 and 2013) on recommendation of scientific advisors. Because of the right for transparency, it was found out in 2016 that authorities had requested advice from only one veterinarian who assessed that darting was too risky. Another 2016 project proposed to dart the first huemul in Argentina. Two weeks earlier, that same team was called to rescue a tied-up huemul; the team opted not to involve a laboratory with drugs and radios that was only 1 h away. This huemul died and was left in the woods. Finally, the first huemul enclosure in Argentina was proposed (1995), but the permission was denied. Again, in 2000, the first huemul centre with private funding secured for 30 years was proposed. However, the Regional Delegation for Patagonian National Parks prevented aerial surveys, and advised not to provide a permit for the centre. Conclusions Future assessments should consider osteopathology. Risk assessments should be transparent and based on assessment by multiple qualified professionals. Implications Clinical misdiagnoses may reduce life expectancy, in contrast to taking individuals to enclosures, which would also allow valuable reintroductions. Not permitting captures, censusses and enclosures has resulted in unwarranted delays in conservation progress.

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Osteopathology and selenium deficiency co-occurring in a population of endangered Patagonian huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus)

Flueck

2015

BMC Res Notes

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BackgroundAbout 1,000 endangered Patagonian huemul deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) remain in Chile and 350–500 in Argentina. Most groups (>100) are not recovering, and prevalence of osteopathology in Argentina was at least 57%. Here I describe relevant cases of osteopathology from a Chilean population which, however, recently also provided data on trace mineral status, supporting the initial hypothesis that nutrition may be a primary etiologic factor. Additionally, recent data on bone chemical composition of Argentine cases and soil analyses are discussed.ResultsFluoride levels in Argentine cases with osteopathology were low and fluorosis was discarded as an etiological factor. Selenium deficiency occurred in 73% of huemul from the Chilean population which exhibited several cases with osteopathology. The pathophysiognomy included extensive erosion; tooth loss; porosification; perforations of palate, maxillar and mandibular bone with frequent exposure of tooth roots; and fractured mandibula. Areas currently used by remaining huemul have mainly acidic volcanic soils, which reduces selenium bioavailability: mean soil selenium levels from areas typically used by extant huemul were very deficient (0.19 ppm), corroborating documented overt selenium deficiency in local livestock and plants. The area of extant huemul is known to result in primary iodine deficiency in livestock which is aggravated by selenium deficiency.ConclusionsCurrently the most parsimonious explanation for frequent osteopathology and lack of numerical recovery are the combined effects of selenium and iodine deficiencies based on: osteopathology in a population of selenium deficient huemul; selenium deficient livestock, plants and soils; acidic soils; and regional primary iodine deficiency. The nexus between mineral nutrition and population dynamics of huemul may be due to constraints on their movements to fertile lowlands, including the elimination of historic migratory traditions, and concomitant elimination of source populations.

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Blood Mineral Concentrations in the Endangered Huemul Deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus) from Chilean Patagonia

Abstract: ABSTRACT:Concentrations of calcium, magnesium, copper, zinc, and selenium were measured in plasma from 11 huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus) from Chilean Patagonia. Except for zinc and copper, concentrations of these minerals were similar to those of other deer species.

Cited by 6 publications

References 15 publications

An Alternative Interpretation of Plasma Selenium Data from Endangered Patagonian Huemul Deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus)

An Alternative Interpretation of Plasma Selenium Data from Endangered Patagonian Huemul Deer (Hippocamelus bisulcus)

The next frontier for recovering endangered huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus): how to avoid recurrent misdiagnoses of health status and risks

Osteopathology and selenium deficiency co-occurring in a population of endangered Patagonian huemul (Hippocamelus bisulcus)

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