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BackgroundHummingbirds are frequently presented to California wildlife rehabilitation centers for medical care, accounting for approximately 5% of overall admissions. Age, sex, and reason for admission could impact hummingbird survivability, therefore identification of these factors could help maximize rehabilitation efforts.MethodsMixed-effects logistic regression models were used to identify specific threats to the survival of 6908 hummingbirds (1645 nestlings and 5263 non-nestlings) consisting of five species (Calypte anna, Calypte costa, Selasphorus rufus, Selasphorus sasin, Archilochus alexandri), found in urban settings, and admitted to California wildlife rehabilitation centers over 26 years.ResultsIn total, 36% of birds survived and were transferred to flight cage facilities for further rehabilitation and/or release. Nestlings were more likely to be transferred and/or released compared to adult hummingbirds. After accounting for age, birds rescued in spring and summer were twice as likely to be released compared to birds rescued in the fall. A high number of nestlings were presented to the rehabilitation centers during spring, which coincides with the nesting season for hummingbirds in California, with the lowest number of nestlings presented in fall. Reasons for presentation to rehabilitation centers included several anthropogenic factors such as window collisions (9.6%) and interactions with domesticated animals (12.9%). Survival odds were lower if a hummingbird was rescued in a “torpor-like state” and were higher if rescued for “nest-related” reasons. Evaluation of treatment regimens administered at wildlife rehabilitation centers identified supportive care, including providing commercial nutrient-rich nectar plus solution, to significantly increase hummingbird survivability.DiscussionOur results provide evidence of threats to hummingbirds in urban habitats, based on reasons for rescue and presentation to rehabilitation centers. Reasons for hummingbird admissions to three California wildlife rehabilitation centers were anthropogenic in nature (i.e., being associated with domestic animals, window collisions, and found inside a man-made structure) and constituted 25% of total admissions. There was a clear indication that supportive care, such as feeding a commercial nectar solution, and medical treatment significantly increased the odds of survival for rescued hummingbirds.

A male Korean raccoon dog of unknown age was rescued and placed at the Daejeon Wildlife Rescue Center, Korea. Physical examination revealed severe emaciation and dehydration, as well as thick crusts and alopecia over most of the body. During medical care, the animal died and was submitted for postmortem examination. Firm, brown-red lesions of various sizes were observed on the surface of the lungs. In cross-sections of the lungs, pulmonary vessels were thickened and dilated, with white irregular papillary luminal projections. Histologically, pulmonary blood vessels were severely hyperplastic, characterized by thickened dilated walls and fibrous papillary projections covered with a single layer of endothelial cells (ECs). Hyperplastic fibrous connective tissue was confirmed by Masson trichrome staining. The ECs expressed CD31. We diagnosed the lesion as intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia, a unique non-neoplastic reactive process that has not been reported previously in pulmonary vessels of canids, equids, or felids, to our knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For inexperienced scientist-science communicators, this work is valuable for developing the ability to "see the world" through the eyes of their audience (empathy), a key skill for effective science communication [[13]]. As my goal is to guide inexperienced scientist-science communicators through the practical basics of getting started with science communication, the rules are ordered to encourage a step-by-step process (but note the integrative nature of science communication activities, Rule 10). Rule 4: Come up with a clear headline message There are several excellent templates for crafting an effective science communication message (The COMPASS Message Box, Olson's And/But/Therefore, the Union of Concerned Scientists' basic science/new finding/implications approach, etc.) [[3], [17]-[19]]. [Extracted from the article]

The giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) belong to the superorder Xenarthra, they have low metabolism and anatomical features distinct from other groups of mammals. The species is classified as vulnerable by the IUCN Red List and ICMBio, being commonly found participating in ex situ conservation programs or received in wildlife rescue centers. The objective of this paper is to compile retrospective data and analyze the effectiveness of using ketamine associated with midazolam for the chemical restraint of giant anteaters. Fifty-five anesthetic files were selected from a heterogeneous group of giant anteaters, anesthetized between 2006 and 2023, at Sorocaba Zoo, and whose anesthetic protocol consists in the association between ketamine and midazolam in different doses, intramuscularly (IM). The ketamine dose ranged from 4 -12 mg/kg, and of midazolam, from 0,27 - 1 mg/kg. During anesthetic maintenance, the mean physiological parameters were 78 ± 32 bpm of heart rate, 10 ± 7 bpm of respiratory rate, and 33,9 ± 1°C of rectal temperature. The working time was, on average, 56 minutes and only 11 animals showed prolonged recovery, above 2 hours and 30 minutes. The protocol analyzed produced rapid induction and adequate working time, even with the possibility of extending the anesthetic protocol with isoflurane. There were no episodes of apnea or severe depression of the parameters during the procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The illegal wildlife trade is a significant threat to biodiversity, with animals being taken from the wild and sold illegally. Often, species with the greatest demand are those that are already threatened, with illegal trade placing even more pressure on these populations. Knowing where traded animals or animal parts have come from is critically important for enforcement, education, and conservation actions. Using three highly traded Philippine species, the Palawan forest turtle, the Philippine cockatoo, and the Philippine pangolin, we developed a novel method of determining the geographic origin of animals or animal parts using a portable X-ray fluorescence device. This method can make significant contributions to combating the illegal wildlife trade through providing a rapid, non-destructive, cost-effective method for identifying the source of traded animals. End users of this tool include enforcement agencies, border force officials, wildlife rescue centres, and conservation researchers. The illegal wildlife trade is a significant threat to global biodiversity, often targeting already threatened species. In combating the trade, it is critical to know the provenance of the traded animal or part to facilitate targeted conservation actions, such as education and enforcement. Here, we present and compare two methods, portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) and stable isotope analysis (SIA), to determine both the geographic and source provenance (captive or wild) of traded animals and their parts. Using three critically endangered, frequently illegally traded Philippine species, the Palawan forest turtle (Siebenrockiella leytensis), the Philippine cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia), and the Philippine pangolin (Manis culionensisis), we demonstrate that using these methods, we can more accurately assign provenance using pXRF data ( x ¯   = 83%) than SIA data ( x ¯   = 47%). Our results indicate that these methods provide a valuable forensic tool that can be used in combating the illegal wildlife trade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the understanding of the virome and bacterial microbiome in the wildlife rescue station of Poyang Lake, China. Ten smear samples were collected in March 2019 Metagenomic sequencing was performed to delineate bacterial and viral diversity. Taxonomic analysis was performed using the Kraken2 and Bracken methods. A maximum-likelihood tree was constructed based on the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) region of picornavirus. We identified 363 bacterial and 6 viral families. A significant difference in microbial and viral abundance was found between samples S01–S09 and S10. In S01–S09, members of Flavobacteriia and Gammaproteobacteria were the most prevalent, while in S10, the most prevalent bacteria class was Actinomycetia. Among S01–S09, members of Myoviridae and Herelleviridae were the most prevalent, while the dominant virus family of S10 was Picornaviridae. The full genome of the pigeon mesivirus-like virus (NC-BM-233) was recovered from S10 and contained an open reading frame of 8,124 nt. It showed the best hit to the pigeon mesivirus 2 polyprotein, with 84.10% amino acid identity. Phylogenetic analysis showed that RdRp clustered into Megrivirus B. This study provides an initial assessment of the bacteria and viruses in the cage-smeared samples, broadens our knowledge of viral and bacterial diversity, and is a way to discover potential pathogens in wild birds [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In wildlife captive management, contraception is highly desirable due to inbreeding risk and needed control of intra- and inter-specific aggressions. Deer, for which surgical castration can cause abnormal growth of the antlers, are suitable candidates for pharmacological castration. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pharmacological castration on the physiological patterns and volatile chemical profiles of two deer species. We placed a subcutaneous implant of deslorelin acetate (4.7 mg) on four male red deer (Cervus elaphus) and two male fallow deer (Dama dama) (N = 6) living together in a mixed-sex and -species group housed at a wildlife rescue centre in Tuscany, Italy. We combined hormone measurements and chemical investigation of metatarsal scent-gland odour secretions to test whether pharmacological castration will influence the volatile chemical profile, potentially modifying the olfactory communication during the rutting season. We used radioimmunoassay technique to determine faecal and plasma testosterone as well as faecal cortisol levels, and solid-phase microextraction coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyse the scent-gland odour secretions. We found that deer testosterone levels decreased after the subcutaneous deposition of the implant. However, castrated red deer exhibited more variability in testosterone concentrations throughout the study period compared to fallow deer, whose testosterone levels remained low after the implant. We detected a total of 124 (red deer) and 88 (fallow deer) volatile compounds in male scent-gland odour secretions, including naturally occurring ketones, alcohols, aldehydes, terpenes, carboxylic acids, esters, volatile fatty acids, and hydrocarbons. Odour richness, but not total abundance or ratios of compounds, changed with testosterone levels in red deer. In conclusion, our preliminary findings suggest that deslorelin acetate, causing a decrease of testosterone level and impacting the chemical profile of odour secretions, could work as a non-invasive contraception approach in human-managed populations of deer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The scientific community has recently turned its interest to wildlife, including birds, as a potential marker of environmental antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this work was to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of 100 commensal Escherichia coli strains isolated from wild birds admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Perugia (Central Italy) and the possible presence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing E. coli and Salmonella spp. Antimicrobials have been selected on the basis of their relevance for public health. The majority of the birds investigated were nocturnal and diurnal raptors and came from "WildUmbria", a wildlife rescue centre in Central Italy. The initial clinical assessment revealed injuries mainly due to traumatic events. The E. coli isolates displayed significant resistance (p < 0.001) to ampicillin (85%) and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (47%), which are widely used in veterinary and human medicine. Resistance to ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime, and ceftazidime showed values of 18%, 17% and 15%, respectively. Eight out of the hundred E. coli isolates (8%) were ESBL and seven displayed a multidrug resistance profile. Salmonella spp. was not isolated. Resistance to beta-lactams in all multidrug-resistant E. coli, including the presence of third-generation cephalosporins, highlights the need to increase wildlife monitoring studies to assess the potential risk to public health. The role of wildlife, including birds, in antimicrobial resistance is nowadays a speculative topic for the scientific community as they could be spreaders/sources of antimicrobial resistance genes. In this respect, we aimed to investigate the antimicrobial susceptibility of 100 commensal Escherichia coli strains, isolated from wild birds from an Umbrian rescue centre and admitted to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital of Perugia (Central Italy) mainly for traumatic injuries. The possible presence of Salmonella spp. and ESBL-producing E. coli was also estimated. The highest prevalence of resistance was observed for ampicillin (85%) and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (47%), probably due to their extensive use in human and veterinary medicine. Seventeen out of the one hundred E. coli isolates (17%) displayed a multidrug-resistance profile, including the beta-lactam category, with the most common resistance patterns to three or four classes of antibiotics. Resistance to ciprofloxacin, cefotaxime and ceftazidime exhibited values of 18%, 17% and 15%, respectively. Eight out of the hundred E. coli isolates (8%) were ESBL and seven showed multidrug resistance profiles. Salmonella spp. was not isolated. Resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, also detected in long-distance migratory birds, suggests the need for monitoring studies to define the role of wild birds in antimicrobial resistance circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]