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In this study we aim to obtain a holistic view over the consequences of human-induced threats to the wild bird populations in the study area, based on data collected from a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre (WRC) through the method of Partial Least Squares-Path Modelling (PLS-PM). The study area comprised 76 rural and urban municipalities located in northern Portugal. Within PLS-PM the threats ("anthropogenic pressures") are termed exogenous latent variables, while the final environmental consequence (wild bird mortality) is termed endogenous latent variable. Latent variables are concepts assessed by numerical parameters. The PLS-PM results identified as most significant pressures, the number of small and medium companies in the municipalities, both in traumatic and non-traumatic deaths. Although the pattern of weights is similar regardless of the general cause of death, traumatic causes seem to play a more prominent role given the larger weights in the relevant specific causes (number of companies). The high coefficients of determination (R 2  > 0,8) reveal that the variance of wild bird mortality is largely explained by the variance of the pressures, which indicates a cause-effect relationship between the independent (pressures) and dependent (mortality) variables. The ample coverage of northern Portugal with a huge dataset suggests that this cause-effect relationship is typical from this region. The use of a sophisticated statistical method PLS-PM and its incorporation into a Geographic Information System (GIS) revealed to be an important tool for analysing wildlife impacts of environmental and human factors. The results obtained with this model indicate that there is a substantial negative impact of human activity on wild bird mortality., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Simple Summary: Neonatal and pediatric diseases are complex and can cause high mortality in kittens, associated with bacterial infections, blood type mismatches, congenital defects, viral and parasitic diseases, and poor care, among others. This study aimed to identify the leading causes of death and prevalence of congenital malformations by performing necropsies on 68 stray kittens under two months old. Results showed that respiratory lesions were the leading cause of death in the youngest kittens, while older kittens primarily suffered from gastrointestinal problems. Infectious diseases were common in all age groups, and 40% of the kittens had congenital malformations, with the most common being megaesophagus, cardiovascular anomalies, and bone and kidney defects. The findings highlight the importance of good hygiene in preventing infections and emphasize the need for better care and preventive measures to enhance kitten survival rates. Neonatal and pediatric mortality in kittens could be associated with bacterial infections, complications from inadequate management, congenital malformations, neonatal isoerythrolysis, parasitic diseases, and viral diseases. The complexity of causes, coupled with kittens' physiological and immunological immaturity, complicates the diagnosis and treatment of disease, highlighting the necessity for preventive measures. This study aimed to identify the leading causes of death and the occurrence of congenital malformations in stray kittens. Necropsies were performed on 68 kittens, all aged under two months. Results indicated that respiratory lesions were the leading cause of death in the youngest group, while gastrointestinal problems were more prevalent in older groups. Infectious causes were predominant across all age groups. Congenital malformations were observed in 40% of the animals, with megaesophagus, cardiovascular anomalies, bone defects, and kidney defects being the most prevalent. The findings underscore the critical importance of hygiene in preventing infections and related complications. Promoting sterilization and sanitary control in stray cats is essential to reduce overpopulation and improve living conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post mortem exam is important in diagnosing and investigating wildlife diseases. It is even more important to monitor the population of species that are not easily observed in the wild, such as otters. Of the 13 otter species, 11 are endangered due to many factors, such as climate change, pollution, or urbanisation. The authors present a review of the patterns of mortality of free-ranging otters worldwide, aiming to improve the knowledge of otter mortality and the role of mortality studies in their conservation. The main cause of death in aquatic otters is vehicle collision; hence, sea otter deaths are associated with shark attacks and imprisonment in fishing gear. It is possible to conclude that humans and human activity play a significant role in the mortality of these animals. In the future, a more standardised analysis of otter carcasses is necessary to understand their threats and diseases and design significant measures to protect these species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anticoagulant rodenticides are biocides that interfere with normal blood clotting, inhibit the vitamin K cycle in the liver, and cause death by hemorrhages. Even though the main target of these compounds is rodents, they may affect non-target species such as nocturnal birds of prey that feed on those rodents. To study secondary exposure to ARs, select species that specialize in rodent prey, such as nocturnal birds of prey. Besides their specialized diet in rodents, nocturnal birds of prey are one of the most widely distributed birds in Europe and live in rural and non-rural habitats, making them excellent sentinel species for several studies' ecotoxicology studies. There are numerous studies regarding secondary AR exposure in raptor species all around the world, but evidence for population-level effects is still absent. The objective of this review is to show how ARs have influenced wild nocturnal birds of prey in Europe in the last decades, most affected species, and in summary, explain how they act and the main clinical signals/lesions that can be observed in poisoned birds. Overall, a total of 19 works were included in this review, between the years 1983 to 2021 that satisfied all literature criteria. These 19 papers corresponded to 44 observations of different species, regarding eight types of anticoagulant rodenticide. In the future, more caution is needed in the use of anticoagulants for rodent control where avian predators may be exposed to poisoned prey. Some combinations can be highly lethal to the predator, putting it at risk species that are already treated, therefore new eco-friendly alternatives should be found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This study aims to investigate the admission causes, outcomes, and mortality of vultures admitted to a wildlife rehabilitation centre and necropsy service in Northern Portugal. The data were obtained from the Rehabilitation of Wild Fauna archives centre of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal. Over 17 years (2005–2022), 84 animals were admitted: 10 A. monachus, 69 G. fulvus, and 5 N. percnopterus. The main causes of admission to the centre were 80% (n = 63) unknown cause, 13% (n = 10) found debilitated, 6% (n = 5) vehicle collision, 4% (n = 3) captivity, 1% (n = 1) gunshot, and 1% (n = 1) electrocution. Most animals were admitted during the summer (45.2%) and autumn (36.9%). Analysis of outcome data showed that 73% (n = 58) of the animals that arrived alive at the centre could be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Thirteen animals died during treatment and five were found dead. Portugal is the habitat of three species of vultures. According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Neophron percnopterus is an Endangered species, Aegypius monachus is nearly Threatened, and Gyps fulvus is of Least Concern. This study aims to investigate the admission causes, morbidity, and outcomes of vultures admitted to a wildlife rehabilitation centre and necropsy service in Northern Portugal. Over 17 years (2005–2022), 84 animals were admitted: 10 A. monachus, 69 G. fulvus, and 5 N. percnopterus. The main causes of admission to the centre were 80% (n = 63) unknown cause, 13% (n = 10) found debilitated, 6 % (n = 5) vehicle collision, 4% (n = 3) captivity, 1% (n = 1) gunshot, and 1% (n = 1) electrocution. Most animals were admitted during the summer (45.2%) and autumn (36.9%). Analysis of outcome data showed that 73% (n = 58) of the animals that arrived alive at the centre could be rehabilitated and released back into the wild. Thirteen animals died during treatment and five were found dead. This is the first time that such a lengthy study of results and mortality has been carried out for these species in Portugal. Although the data are limited, they can already provide some information about these populations, particularly for the endangered species that are so rare to observe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildfires are common occurrences worldwide that can destroy vast forest areas and kill numerous animals in a few hours. Climate change, rising global temperatures, precipitation, the introduction of exotic species of plants (e.g., eucalyptus), intensive agriculture, and deforestation have increased the number of fires and their intensity and destructive power. Nearly 4% of the global land surface (30–46 million/km2) is burned annually. There are many studies regarding the impact of wildfires on ecosystems, flora, domestic animals, and humans. Even though wildfires are a common and recurrent problem around the world, most of the time, they are a neglected issue, especially regarding wildlife. The information available is scarce and dispersed across several bibliographical references, and the veterinarian teams, most of the time, need to be trained to act in these situations. In this brief review, we describe different species' behavior during a wildfire, the effects on the ecosystem, and the socioeconomic impact on the region. From a veterinarian's perspective, we list the major injuries that are expected to be observed and how to proceed. In conclusion, we discuss better prevention and response measures in a wildfire scenario. This information can be used by veterinarians and all the entities involved in the prevention and combat of wildfires, and the general public has an important role in these situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: Wild mammals are among the most threatened species of the world in large part due to human activity. In this work, we used the method of partial least squares-path modeling associated with a geographic information system to analyze the impact of anthropogenic pressures on the mortality of wild mammals. Materials and Methods: We collected the data related to the cause of death of native wild mammals admitted to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of Parque Biológico de Gaia in Northern Portugal, during 10 years (2008-2017). Results: A total of 359 animals from 42 municipalities (rural and urban areas) were included in the study. The main cause of death was of traumatic origin. From the anthropogenic pressures included in the study, water reservoirs, small companies, and residential buildings were the ones that contributed the most to increase the mortality of traumatic and nontraumatic origin. This relation of cause-effect (mortality-anthropogenic pressures) was supported by the high coefficients of determination obtained (R2?0.8). Conclusion: The present results allow a general view on the reality of mammal's mortality in Northern Portugal. Furthermore, it could also constitute a valuable tool for the conservation of wild mammals in those areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A volvulus is a twisting of the intestine on its mesenteric axis that could result in bowel obstruction and ischemic injury. Here the authors report a case of intestinal volvulus in a 20 years old captive hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius, Linnaeus, 1758), the first well described case in this specie. The animal died suddenly after a previous history of diarrhea. At post mortem examination the animal presented a good body condition and abdominal distention. Upon opening of the peritoneal cavity, a large twisted segment of small intestine was observed. The segment was rotated on its mesenteric axis and was dilated with gas and fluid and with dark red coloration, due to hemorrhage. The cause of death was intestinal volvulus. Its diagnosis is a challenge to veterinary surgeons due to the progressive onset of the symptoms that can delay diagnosis and treatment. The result is the progression to the acute fulminating type with bowel infarction and death. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The Western European hedgehog Erinaceus europaeus (Linnaeus, 1758) is one of the most common mammals in urban areas. We collected data over 17 years (2002–2019) regarding outcomes and causes of mortality on this species from two of the main wildlife rehabilitation centers in the north of Portugal. A total of 740 animals were admitted; the majority were juveniles, with the highest admission rate occurring during summer (36.8%). The main cause of admission was debilitation (30.7%). Of the total number of individuals admitted to these centers, 66.6% were released successfully. The main cause of death was trauma of unknown origin (32.7%). This study aimed to analyze the admission causes, outcomes, primary causes of death, and main lesions observed in the post mortem examinations of Western European hedgehogs, Erinaceus europaeus (Linnaeus, 1758), in the north of Portugal. The data were obtained by consulting the records from the two main wildlife rehabilitation centers located in the north of Portugal (Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of Parque Biologico de Gaia and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre of the University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro). Over 17 years (2002–2019) a total of 740 animals were admitted. Most of the animals were juveniles, with the highest number of admissions occurring during summer (36.8%) and spring (33.2%). The main reasons for admission were debilitation (30.7%) and random finds (28.4%). Of the total number of individuals admitted to these centers, 66.6% were successfully released back into the wild. The most relevant causes of death were trauma of unknown origin (32.7%), nontrauma causes of unknown origin (26.6%), and nutritional disorders (20.2%). The main lesions observed were related to trauma, including skeletal and skin lesions (fractures, hemorrhages, wounds) and organ damage, particularly to the lungs and liver. The hedgehog is a highly resilient and adaptable animal. The urban environment has many benefits for hedgehogs, yet the presence of humans can be harmful. In the future, the public needs to become even more involved in the activities of the wildlife centres, which will make a positive difference for these populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]