Haematology and biochemistry of warru (Petrogale lateralisMacDonnell Ranges race) in captivity and the wild

Abstract

Objective Use haematology, biochemistry and protein electrophoresis analyses to establish reference values for, and describe the health status of, wild and captive colonies of critically endangered warru (black‐footed rock‐wallaby: Petrogale lateralis MacDonnell Ranges race). Methods Blood samples were taken from warru in three wild colonies (Alalka, Kalka, New Well) in the A nangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands in north‐west South Australia (SA) and from captive animals at Monarto Zoo, SA. General haematology, serum biochemistry and protein electrophoresis analyses were conducted and results used to establish reference ranges. For the parameters that are indicative of a population's health, comparisons among the study sites were completed using analysis of variance. Results General haematology results suggested that warru were not experiencing chronic anaemia and the protein electrophoresis values indicated that colonies were not suffering from population‐wide disease. However, the lower superoxide dismutase, retinol, total carotenoids and ascorbic acid values for New Well warru suggested those animals had a lower plane of nutrition than those at Kalka and Alalka. Higher urea concentrations in New Well and Alalka warru could be a reflection of the absence of reliable free water at these sites. Conclusion The results have implications for the management of in situ colonies, including potentially using supplementary feeding to improve nutrition, and suggested that these animals were not suffering from disease. The study presents the first blood reference values for P. lateralis and, potentially, a methodology for other threatened species recovery programs to follow to establish the health of their populations.

Physiological biomarkers of Hendra virus infection in Australian Flying-foxes (Pteropus spp.)

“…Males demonstrated an increasing trend during the lead up 78 to mating between December and February, followed by a low point during peak mating. This finding is consistent with other wildlife studies which have demonstrated that erythrocyte parameters are closely correlated with body condition (Algar et al 1988;Ruykys and McCarthy, 2012).…”

“…The mean hematologic and plasma biochemistry values and normal adult reference ranges reported here for P. alecto and P. conspicillatus are consistent with previous reports for Pteropus species, with the exception of mean leukocyte, neutrophil and lymphocyte counts (Heard and Whittier 1997;Olsen, 2002;Ruykys et al 2012;Heard and Whittier 1997;Hall et al 2013;ISIS 2014). In some Pteropus species, higher mean total leukocyte counts have been reported, usually associated with a higher mean lymphocyte count than report in P. alecto and P. conspicillatus in this 73 study.…”

“…Ruykys et al (2012), compared the health status of wild and captive populations of warru (Petrogale lateralis); Clarke et al (2013), assessed the health of threatened western ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) prior to translocation; and Pacioni et al (2013), assessed the population health of woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi). Similar approaches will be useful in assessing the health of Australian flying-foxes in order to understand and meaningfully interpret population health in ecological and epidemiological contexts.…”

“…The use of biochemical values as indicators of nutritional and health status of a population must also be considered with care and appropriate statistical analyses, as they may be confounded by large environmental variation (Ruykys et al 2012 immature animals and animals in poor body condition, the small data sets were due to the low numbers of these individuals captured and the decision on welfare grounds not to take volumes of blood exceeding 1% of body weight. The small data set for mating males was due to the short peak mating season, with only a limited number of animals able to be sampled during that period.…”

“…The study of hematologic and biochemical values has been employed to describe the health status of many wildlife species. Ruykys et al (2012), compared the health status of wild and captive populations of warru (Petrogale lateralis) suggesting that some populations had a 38 lower plane of nutrition and absence of reliable free water; Clarke et al (2013), assessed the health of threatened western ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) prior to translocation; and Pacioni et al (2013), assessed the population health of woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi).…”