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The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) can be found in zoos around the world, and various behavioral restraint procedures are used as part of their health care. Wild animals that are kept in zoos, including red pandas, are known to have a longer life span than those in the wild. Therefore, the health management of aging animals is considered especially important for zoos that maintain many precious wild animals. Blood pressure measurement is important for determining cardiovascular dynamics, however there are no reports of blood pressure measurements performed in red pandas without anesthesia. In this study, we measured blood pressure in four red pandas, over 4 years to establish a blood pressure measurement method using behavioral restraints. As a result, the blood pressure of red pandas was found to be similar to that of dogs and cats. In addition, in one case of red panda that evaluated high blood pressure during the measurement period, we added the antihypertensive drug and showed good effect for improvement of hypertension on long- term monitoring. Blood pressure values obtained using noninvasive methods were useful for red pandas. Moreover, these data were considered important for animal welfare.

Lions (Panthera leo) breed well under captivity, so contraception has been commonly conducted for population management, leading to a demand for a less invasive and reversible contraceptive approach in lions. In this study, we examined the efficacy of a commercial gonadotropin-releasing hormone vaccine as a method of suppressing reproductive activity in a sexually matured female lion. Under behavioral restraint, the vaccine was injected twice (days 0 and 109). After the initial vaccination, ovarian activity is still observed. After the second vaccination, contraceptive effect was confirmed for 246 days until restart of estrous cycles. We confirmed only a slight swelling around the injection site after the second vaccination. This study may suggest an alternative option for a contraceptive method in lions.