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A ventral midline surgical approach for fish celiotomy is commonly performed in veterinary clinical medicine and research, although the relevant ventral body wall anatomy of many fish species is not well documented. Histological evaluation of tissue samples from the ventral body wall of 12 fish species was performed to provide a reference for surgical approach and closure decisions. The width between muscle bundles running parallel to the long axis and total thickness of tissue layers varied among species. An appreciable space between longitudinal muscles of the ventral body wall and a lack of muscle, vessels and nerves on midline in all species examined supports recommendations of ventral midline incisions to spare important structures. Dense connective tissue consistent with an aponeurosis between musculature along the ventral body wall was not observed in any species evaluated. Connective tissue was concentrated within the dermis of all species evaluated, with an additional layer of collagen along the coelomic membrane in Russian sturgeon Acipenser gueldenstaedtii, koi Cyprinus carpio, goldfish Carassius auratus, black drum Pogonias cromis, black seabass Centropristis striata, tomtate Haemulon aurolineatum and scup Stenotomus caprinus. A sufficiently wide space on ventral midline for practical targeting during the surgical approach is present in A. gueldenstaedtii, C. carpio, striped bass Morone saxatilis, H. aurolineatum, P. cromis, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and brown trout Salmo trutta. Sand perch Diplectrum formosum, C. auratus, S. caprinus, grey triggerfish Balistes capriscus and black sea bass Centropristis striata have a negligible space between longitudinal muscles on midline. The variation in ventral body wall structure observed in this study helps inform surgical decision making for celiotomy incision and closure in these species.

We studied domestic ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) to evaluate the physiologic effects of routine surgery. Standard plasma biochemistry panels and 1H-NMR spectroscopy of heparinized whole blood were performed on samples taken 24 h prior to and immediately after surgery from female and male ferrets undergoing routine gonadectomy. Increases in plasma glucose, phosphorus, potassium, and creatine kinase concentrations associated with the duration of surgery were identified on plasma biochemistry panels. Whole-blood NMR spectra allowed us to identify 42 metabolites and one drug residue. Variations between pre- and postoperative metabolite concentrations were most pronounced for female ferrets, which underwent more prolonged surgery than males. Affected metabolites included organic acids and osmolytes (betaine, methylmalonate, D-lactate), fatty acids and lipids (2-hydroxy-3-methylbutyric acid), and amino acid groups (acetylglycine, alloisoleucine, leucine, and isoleucine). These findings indicate that 1H-NMR spectroscopy of whole blood provides insight into metabolic perturbations in domestic ferrets undergoing surgery that are not detected in routine clinical chemistry panels.

The distribution of cone photoreceptor subtypes (important for color vision and vision quality) varies widely in different carnivore species, but there have been limited studies on bear (ursid) cone distribution. A previous behavioral study suggests that American black bears (Ursus americanus) are dichromatic, indicating that they possess two cone subtypes, although the retinal distribution of cones is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the subtype and topography of cones in American black bear retinas to further predict the nature of their color vision and image resolution. We studied 10 eyes from seven individual legally hunted black bears in northeastern North Carolina. Cryosections and retinal wholemounts were labeled using antibodies targeting two cone opsin subtypes: long/medium (L/M) wavelength sensitive and short (S) wavelength sensitive. Cones in fluorescent microscopy images were counted and density maps were created for retinal wholemounts. The black bear retina contains both cone subtypes and L/M cones outnumber S cones by at least 3:1, a finding confirmed in retinal frozen sections. There are higher concentrations of S cones present than typically seen in other carnivores with some evidence for co-expression of L/M and S cones. A cone-dense area centralis is present dorsotemporal to the optic nerve, similar to other carnivores. These results confirm that American black bears are predicted to have a dichromatic vision with high acuity indicated by the presence of a dorsotemporally located area centralis.

Sea turtle strandings due to cold-stunning are seen when turtles are exposed to ocean temperatures that acutely and persistently drop below approximately 12°C. In North Carolina, this syndrome affects imperiled loggerhead Caretta caretta, green Chelonia mydas, and Kemp's ridley Lepidochelys kempii sea turtle species. Based on oceanic and meteorological patterns of cold-stunning in sea turtles, we hypothesized that we could predict the daily size of cold-stunning events in North Carolina using random forest models. We used cold-stunning data from the North Carolina Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network from 2010 to 2015 and oceanic and meteorological data from the National Data Buoy Center from 2009 to 2015 to create a random forest model that explained 99% of the variance. We explored additional models using the 10 and 20 most important variables or only oceanic and meteorological variables. These models explained similar percentages of variance. The variables most frequently found to be important were related to air temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind direction, and wind speed. Surprisingly, variables associated with water temperature, which is critical from a biological perspective, were not among the most important variables identified. We also included variables for the mean change in these metrics daily from 4 d before the day of stranding. These variables were among the most important in several of our models, especially the change in mean air temperature from 4 d before stranding to the day of stranding. The importance of specific variables from our random forest models can be used to guide the selection of future model predictors to estimate daily size of cold-stunning events. We plan to apply the results of this study to a predictive model that can serve as a warning system and to a downscaled climate projection to determine the potential impact of climate change on cold-stunning event size in the future.

Briefly considered extinct in the wild, the future of the wild population of the Wyoming toad (Anaxyrus baxteri) continues to rely on captive breeding to supplement the wild population. Given its small natural geographic range and history of rapid population decline at least partly due to fungal disease, investigation of the diversity of key receptor families involved in the host immune response represents an important conservation need. Population decline may have reduced immunogenetic diversity sufficiently to increase the vulnerability of the species to infectious diseases. Here we use comparative transcriptomics to examine the diversity of toll-like receptors and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) sequences across three individual Wyoming toads. We find reduced diversity at MHC genes compared to bufonid species with a similar history of bottleneck events. Our data provide a foundation for future studies that seek to evaluate the genetic diversity of Wyoming toads, identify biomarkers for infectious disease outcomes, and guide breeding strategies to increase genomic variability and wild release successes.

A concern about statistics in wildlife studies, particularly of endangered and threatened species, is whether the data collected meet the assumptions necessary for the use of parametric statistics. This study identified published papers on the nine endangered and six threatened species found only on Puerto Rico using five different databases. The results from the Zoological Record database identified the most articles, including all identified by the other databases. Of the 222 identified articles, 108 included some form of statistics, 26 used only descriptive statistics, 34 included only parametric statistics, 26 used only nonparametric statistics, and 22 reported both parametric and nonparametric statistical analyses. This meta-study showed that the percentage of articles with no statistical treatment decreased in the most recent 20 years, and that although parametric statistics continue to be the most commonly used in published wildlife studies of Puerto Rican wildlife, there has been a distinct increase in the use of nonparametric statistics over time.

Recent sarcoptic mange epizootics have affected free-ranging black bears (Ursus americanus) in the northeastern US, but not in North Carolina. To determine whether black bears in eastern North Carolina have exposure to Sarcoptes scabiei, serum samples from hunter-harvested black bears (n=45) were collected and evaluated for antibodies using a commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay previously validated in black bears. No dermal lesions consistent with sarcoptic mange were identified in the sampled bears. The seroprevalence among these asymptomatic bears was 18%, with no significant difference between sexes or association with age. This suggests that exposure to Sarcoptes scabiei occurs within the population, and highlights the importance of serosurveys in regions without a history of clinical mange.

Baylisascaris procyonis is an important zoonotic nematode of raccoons (Procyon lotor). Infection with this parasite has important health implications for humans, zoo animals, and free-ranging wildlife. As a large, natural habitat zoo, the North Carolina Zoo (NC Zoo) coexists with native wildlife. Raccoons are abundant at the NC Zoo and the prevalence of B. procyonis is unknown. Raccoon latrines were located through employee reporting and systematic searching throughout the zoo and sampled for B. procyonis in October and November of 2018 and 2019. Parasite prevalence, latrine location, substrate category and latrine persistence were recorded. Thirty-three latrines were located in 2018 and eight new latrines in 2019 while four latrines from the prior year were no longer available to be sampled. Of the 29 latrines sampled over the two years, 16 (55%) persisted for at least one year. The majority of the latrines were found on natural substrate with rock showing the highest preference. Just over half (n = 21 of 41 total) of the active latrines in the study were in or immediately adjacent to animal enclosures. Two latrines were found in public areas including one contaminating children’s play equipment. Additionally, fresh fecal samples were collected from five adult raccoons presented to the zoo’s veterinary clinic in 2018 and 2019. All fecal samples tested by centrifugal flotation for both years were negative for B. procyonis. The results of this study show the value of field sampling to properly assess risk and enable informed decision-making regarding public health and wildlife management.

In North Carolina, winter weather events causing sea surface temperatures to acutely drop below approximately 12°C may result in strandings of threatened loggerhead Caretta caretta, green Chelonia mydas and endangered Kemp's ridley Lepidochelys kempii sea turtles due to cold stun syndrome. Clinically, these turtles have been shown to have metabolic and respiratory acidosis. The purpose of this study was to apply NMR-based metabolomics to further our understanding of the pathogenesis of cold stun syndrome in sea turtles. Heparinized whole blood and plasma samples were collected from apparently healthy loggerhead (whole blood n = 8), green (whole blood n = 12, plasma n = 10) and Kemp's ridley (whole blood n = 14, plasma n = 10) sea turtles. Blood and plasma samples were also collected from juvenile, in-water or beach-cast cold stun affected sea turtles (loggerhead n = 9, green n = 11, Kemp's n = 6). We identified 18 metabolites in our spectra including amino acids, energy compounds, glycerol, ketone bodies, nucleosides/nucleotides, organic acids and osmolytes. There were several significant differences between metabolites in control and affected turtles, likely secondary to anorexia, such as differences in dimethyl sulfone, glycerol, leucine, isoleucine and trimethylamine N-oxide concentrations. Significant differences in multiple metabolites related to exertion and anaerobic metabolism included concentrations of acetate, creatine, lactate and succinate. Changes in glycerol and propylene glycol concentrations suggest some metabolic changes may have cold protective properties. The primary metabolomic findings were consistent with what is known about clinical biochemistry and blood gas panel perturbations in cold stun affected turtles. This study provides a baseline for the metabolic profile of control and cold stun affected sea turtles in North Carolina and we have identified several metabolites worthy of further investigation with regards to their roles in hypoxia, ischemia and reperfusion.

Metabolomics is the study of metabolites, the small-molecular-weight end products of metabolism. Propylene glycol is a synthetic diol commonly used as antifreeze, as a humectant, and in the production of polyester compounds. In otherwise healthy animals, propylene glycol has generally been considered a contaminant, iatrogenic, or unexplained. We demonstrate the presence of propylene glycol in plasma of free-ranging apparently healthy green sea turtles Chelonia mydas and individuals impacted by cold stun syndrome, without iatrogenic administration or known sample processing contamination, using one- and two-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy techniques. There was not a statistically significant difference in relative propylene glycol concentration between the two cohorts (two-sided random sampling two-sample permutation test, P = 0.842, R = 1,000). The presence of this metabolite raises important questions about sea turtle physiology and potential latent environmental contamination and serves as a starting point for future characterization of lipid metabolism and glycolysis in green sea turtles.

Aquatic vertebrates and cephalopods, amphibians, reptiles, and birds offer unique safety and occupational health challenges for laboratory animal personnel. This paper discusses environmental, handling, and zoonotic concerns associated with these species.

Diets currently provided to captive North American river otters (Lontra canadensis) are highly variable with different institutions providing various whole foods, commercial complete prepared diets, or combinations of both. This study investigated the digestible energy intake, gastrointestinal transit time, and digestive efficiency of three different diets being fed at three North Carolina institutions. Otters housed at Institution A (n = 3) were fed strictly fish. Otters housed at Institutions B (n = 3) and C (n = 2) were fed a majority fish based diet (58.5 and 74.1%, respectively), supplemented with fruits, vegetables, and supplemental protein sources as enrichment. There was an apparent trend between increased percentage of fish in the diet and faster transit time and higher digestive efficiency. As less fish was included in the diets, the GI transit time was longer (Institution A, 106 minutes; Institution B, 145 minutes; Institution C, 208 minutes). Median digestive efficiency was high for all three groups (A, 91.4%; B, 87.8%; C, 89.8%) but was higher for the institutions feeding fish. Additionally, the overall median gross energy intake for the eight animals in this study was 163.1 kcal/kgBM0.75/day (range: 92.2 to 260.7 kcal/kgBM0.75/day). While all three institutions had healthy otter populations, it appears that a higher fish diet should be further studied as the model North American river otter diet.

Immersion euthanasia methods reported over the most recent decades for aquatic invertebrates use organic alcohols or halogenated hydrocarbons that can interfere with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis. A rolling study design evaluated potassium chloride (KCl), magnesium chloride (MgCl

We investigated a method for collecting and processing tear samples from loggerhead (

Background The Southern Stingray (Dasyatis americana) is a batoid elasmobranch frequently exhibited in zoological institutions. Blood is commonly collected from the caudal hemal arch at the tail base in stingrays for the purpose of health assessment and clinical pathology tests. An alternative site that allows a dorsal or ventral approach without necessitating puncture of a cartilaginous structure has been identified between the cartilaginous pectoral fin rays (ceratotrichia). Objectives The purpose of the study was to compare CBC, plasma biochemistry analytes, and blood gas variables between blood samples collected from the caudal and pectoral fin vasculature sites of the Southern Stingray. Methods Fifteen captive Southern Stingrays (10 females, 5 males) from 4 zoo and aquarium facilities were sampled. Lithium heparinized blood samples were collected from the caudal and pectoral venipuncture sites of each animal. Values from estimated total and differential leukocyte counts, plasma biochemistry analytes, and blood gas variables were compared. Results There were no statistically significant differences between venipuncture sites for the measured analytes except for CK activity, which was statistically significantly higher in the pectoral site samples. Levels of agreement between sites were good or moderate for 22 analytes and poor for ALT, AST, CK, pO2, lactate, monocytes, and eosinophils. Conclusions The good agreement between sampling sites for the majority of the measured analytes and the lack of differences that would alter clinical interpretation support the use of the pectoral site as an alternative to the traditional caudal fin venipuncture site in Southern Stingrays.

Baylisascaris procyonis is an important zoonotic nematode of raccoons (Procyon lotor). Infection with this parasite has important health implications for humans, zoo animals, and free-ranging wildlife. As a large, natural habitat zoo, the North Carolina Zoo (NC Zoo) coexists with native wildlife. Raccoons are abundant at the NC Zoo and the prevalence of B. procyonis is unknown. Raccoon latrines were located through employee reporting and systematic searching throughout the zoo and sampled for B. procyonis in October and November of 2018 and 2019. Parasite prevalence, latrine location, substrate category and latrine persistence were recorded. Thirty-three latrines were located in 2018 and eight new latrines in 2019 while four latrines from the prior year were no longer available to be sampled. Of the 29 latrines sampled over the two years, 16 (55%) persisted for at least one year. The majority of the latrines were found on natural substrate with rock showing the highest preference. Just over half (n = 21 of 41 total) of the active latrines in the study were in or immediately adjacent to animal enclosures. Two latrines were found in public areas including one contaminating children’s play equipment. Additionally, fresh fecal samples were collected from five adult raccoons presented to the zoo’s veterinary clinic in 2018 and 2019. All fecal samples tested by centrifugal flotation for both years were negative for B. procyonis. The results of this study show the value of field sampling to properly assess risk and enable informed decision-making regarding public health and wildlife management.

Blood samples collected from American black bears (

We used nuclear magnetic spectroscopy (NMR) to evaluate the metabolic impacts of crude oil, Corexit 5900A, a dispersant, and a crude oil Corexit 5900A mixture exposure on skeletal muscle, heart, and liver physiology of hatchling loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). Tissue samples were obtained from 22 seven-day-old hatchlings after a four day cutaneous exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations of crude oil, Corexit 5900A, a combination of crude oil and Corexit 9500A, or a seawater control. We identified 38 metabolites in the aqueous extracts of the liver, and 30 metabolites in both the skeletal and heart muscle aqueous extracts, including organic acids/osmolytes, energy compounds, amino acids, ketone bodies, nucleosides, and nucleotides. Skeletal muscle lactate, creatines, and taurine concentrations were significantly lower in hatchlings exposed to crude oil than in control hatchlings. Lactate, taurine, and cholines appeared to be the basis of some variation in hatchling heart samples, and liver inosine, uracil, and uridine appeared to be influenced by Corexit and crude oil exposure. Observed decreases in concentrations of lactate and creatines may reflect energy depletion in skeletal muscle of oil-exposed animals, while decreased taurine concentrations in these animals may reflect higher oxidative stress.

Intravascular access in batoid species is commonly achieved using the ventral coccygeal or radial wing vessels. However, these approaches can be difficult because of the presence of cartilage, lack of specific landmarks, species variation, and small vessel size in many species. This study used postmortem contrast radiography and gross dissection to develop landmarks for a new, dependable vascular access in three Myliobatiform species commonly maintained in captivity: Atlantic stingray (Hypanus sabinus), cownose ray (Rhinoptera bonasus), and smooth butterfly ray (Gymnura micrura). The mesopterygial vein provides quick vascular access and is suitable for administration of large fluid volumes and intravascular drugs. It is located immediately ventrolateral to the metapterygium cartilage, which sits adjacent to the coelomic cavity and supports the caudal half of the pectoral fin. Using the pectoral girdle and cranial third of the metapterygium cartilage as landmarks, vascular access can be achieved by directing a needle medially at approximately a 30° (adult cownose rays) or 45° angle (Atlantic stingrays, juvenile cownose rays, smooth butterfly rays) toward the metapterygium cartilage. Differences in the degree of needle direction are due to species and age-specific shapes of the metapterygium cartilage. The mesopterygial vein is an alternate site of quick and reliable venous access in batoid species.

The southern flounder, Paralichthys lethostigma, is a left-eyed flat fish belonging to the family Paralichthyidae that ranges the east coast of North America in the Atlantic Ocean from North Caroli...

Much is still unknown about why freshwater mussels (Unionidae) are particularly sensitive to environmental change. A better understanding of freshwater mussel metabolism is needed, and the field of environmental metabolomics holds the promise to inform these questions. A number of protocols exist for the extraction of metabolites for identification from animal tissues. As a first step in the application of environmental metabolomics to the study of freshwater mussels, we compared extraction protocols using an inorganic oxidizing acid (perchloric acid), an organic nitrile (acetonitrile), and a salt/water solution (Ringer's solution) to establish an uncomplicated, robust, repeatable and inexpensive tissue extraction protocol for freshwater mussel tissue. Perchloric acid resulted in notable extraction of energy-related nucleotides (AMP/ADP/ATP), yet had the lowest peak count of the three extraction methods and showed poor repeatability. Acetonitrile and Ringer's solution yielded metabolite extracti...

Unbiased estimators of abundance and density are fundamental to the study of animal ecology and critical for making sound management decisions. Capture–recapture models are generally considered the most robust approach for estimating these parameters but rely on a number of assumptions that are often violated but rarely validated. Mark-resight models, a form of capture–recapture, are well suited for use with noninvasive sampling methods and allow for a number of assumptions to be relaxed. We used ancillary data from continuous video and radio telemetry to evaluate the assumptions of mark-resight models for abundance estimation on a barrier island raccoon (Procyon lotor) population using camera traps. Our island study site was geographically closed, allowing us to estimate real survival and in situ recruitment in addition to population size. We found several sources of bias due to heterogeneity of capture probabilities in our study, including camera placement, animal movement, island physiography, and animal behavior. Almost all sources of heterogeneity could be accounted for using the sophisticated mark-resight models developed by McClintock et al. (2009b) and this model generated estimates similar to a spatially explicit mark-resight model previously developed for this population during our study. Spatially explicit capture–recapture models have become an important tool in ecology and confer a number of advantages; however, non-spatial models that account for inherent individual heterogeneity may perform nearly as well, especially where immigration and emigration are limited. Non-spatial models are computationally less demanding, do not make implicit assumptions related to the isotropy of home ranges, and can provide insights with respect to the biological traits of the local population. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.

A 26-year-old male trumpeter hornbill (Bycanistes buccinator) presented with acute onset ataxia and incoordination. The animal had undergone a sinusotomy for excisional biopsy of a casque mass two ...

Hybridization presents a unique challenge for conservation biologists and managers. While hybridization is an important evolutionary process, hybridization is also a threat formany native species. The endangered species recovery effort for the red wolf Canis rufus is a classic system for understanding and addressing the challenges of hybridization. From 1987?1993, 63 red wolves were released from captivity in eastern North Carolina, USA, to establish a free-ranging, non-essential experimental population. By 1999, managers recognized hybridization with invasive coyotes Canis latrans was the single greatest threat to successful recovery, and an adaptive management plan was adopted with innovative approaches for managing the threat of hybridization. Here we review the application and results of the adaptive management efforts from 1993 to 2013 by comparing: (1) the numbers of wolves, coyotes, and hybrids captured, (2) the numbers of territorial social groups with presumed breeding capabilities, (3) the number of red wolf and hybrid litters documented each year and (4) the degree of coyote introgression into the wild red wolf gene pool. We documented substantial increases in the number of known red wolves and red wolf social groups from 1987–2004 followed by a plateau and slight decline by 2013.The number of red wolf litters exceeded hybrid litters each year and the proportion of hybrid litters per year averaged 21%. The genetic composition of the wild red wolf population is estimated to include < 4% coyote ancestry from recent introgression since reintroduction. We conclude that the adaptive management plan was effective at reducing the introgression of coyote genes into the red wolf population, but population recovery of red wolves will require continuation of the current management plan, or alternative approaches, for the foreseeable future. More broadly, we discuss the lessons learned from red wolf adaptive management that could assist other endangered species recovery efforts facing the challenge of minimizing hybridization.

Despite the ease of collection, heparinized whole blood (HWB) is underutilized in 1 H-NMR-based metabolomics particularly because of the lack of sample homogeneity. Drabkin’s reagent (DR), an aqueous solution of potassium ferricyanide, potassium cyanide, and sodium bicarbonate, causes hemolysis and has been used for quantification of hemoglobin. The objectives of this study were to determine if the use of DR with HWB for metabolomics samples would result in consistent hemolysis, while being invisible to 1 H-NMR and quenching metabolic activity. HWB from a chicken ( Gallus gallus domesticus ) and a horse ( Equus caballus ) was used. All HWB samples were mixed 1:10 volume:volume HWB:DR. Spectrophotometric evaluation of incubated DR treated samples revealed little change in absorbance after approximately 10-15 min incubation at room temperature (20-21 °C); all following samples were incubated for 10 min, except where noted. Samples subjected to five repeated extractions with DR showed a decrease in absorbance of >95% after the first extraction; all subsequent samples were extracted with a single aliquot of DR. Lyophilized DR rehydrated with a 100% deuterium oxide solution was invisible to 1 H-NMR. Standard (10 min incubation, 20 min centrifugal filtration) and delayed (120 min incubation, 20 min centrifugal filtration) samples were prepared for both species and did not appear considerably different upon visual inspection with the exception of minor differences in the major peaks of the metabolites 3-methylhistidine and betaine in the chicken samples. Comparison of standard and delayed samples via two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests found no significant differences with either species (chicken p = 1, horse p = 0.9887). Use of DR resulted in consistent, complete hemolysis, while being invisible to 1 H-NMR and quenching metabolic activity for at least 140 min at room temperature. This protocol should be considered when HWB is the only sample type available and/or if the investigator is interested in questions specific to erythrocyte metabolism.

Blood samples collected from American black bears (Ursus americanus) in eastern and western North Carolina, US, were analyzed for piroplasms. Piroplasmids were detected in 17% (23/132) of the animals surveyed. We detected a Babesia spp. previously identified in North American raccoons (Procyon lotor) and a maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus); prevalence was 22% (14/64) and 13% (9/68) in the mountain and coastal black bear populations, respectively. The presence of the same Babesia species in black bears, raccoons, and a maned wolf suggests piroplasms may not be host specific.

Prolonged reproductive behavior of American black bears (Ursus americanus) has been reported in the southeastern United States compared with other regions, but functional spermatogenesis or potential fertility has not previously been described for these bears. Additionally, methods for gamete collection are only in early stages of development for ursids. Testicles were collected from 29 post-pubertal legally hunter-killed black bears in eastern North Carolina, USA, in November 2016. Active spermatogenesis was identified in 48.3% (14/29) of bears via histology. Epididymal sperm collection was attempted via mincing (n = 29), vas deferens flush (n = 24), and percutaneous aspiration (n = 5). Epididymal mincing identified sperm in 78.6%, and vas flush in 53.8%, of bears with spermatogenesis on histology. Percutaneous aspiration was unsuccessful. These findings provide evidence that male bears may maintain reproductive capabilities into the late autumn in this region, and that under the conditions of this study, sperm can be collected via epididymal mincing or vas deferens flush, but not percutaneous aspiration.

The recent co-occurrence of red wolves (Canis rufus) and coyotes (Canis latrans) in eastern North Carolina provides a unique opportunity to study prey partitioning by sympatric canids. We collected scats from this region and examined them for prey contents. We used fecal DNA analysis to identify which taxa deposited each scat and multinomial modeling designed for mark–recapture data to investigate diets of sympatric red wolves and coyotes. Diets of red wolves and coyotes did not differ, but the proportion of small rodents in the composite scats of both canids was greater in the spring than in the summer. White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), rabbits (Sylvilagus spp.), and small rodents were the most common diet items in canid scats. The similarity of diet between red wolves and coyotes suggests that these 2 species may be affecting prey populations similarly.

Tricaine methanesulfonate (MS-222) solutions are used routinely for clinical and experimental anesthesia of a variety of aquatic organisms. It is commonly accepted that MS-222 alters pH when added to freshwater, and buffering freshwater anesthetic solutions is considered to be the standard of care. However, buffering saltwater solutions is considered by many to be unnecessary; some individuals question whether any water with high natural mineral hardness needs to be buffered when MS-222 is added. To assess the need for buffering, we studied the dynamics of pH change when adding clinically relevant amounts of MS-222 to artificial seawater and to freshwater of varying hardness. We found that artificial seawater does not possess adequate buffering capacity to prevent a physiologically significant drop in pH when MS-222 is added, and hardness does not accurately predict the reaction of water pH to the addition of MS-222 in clinically relevant concentrations. Our data for salt water suggest that MS-22...

Hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. are globally emerging, obligate parasitic, epierythrocytic bacteria that infect many vertebrates, including humans. Hemoplasma infection can cause acute life-threatening symptoms or lead to a chronic sub-clinical carrier state. Hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. transmission, prevalence, and host specificity are uncertain. The purpose of this study was to determine the molecular prevalence of Mycoplasma species in blood from 68 free-ranging black bears from the eastern coast of North Carolina. DNA amplification of Mycoplasma 16S rRNA gene identified four distinct species infecting 34/68 (50%) of the black bear blood samples, including Candidatus M. haematoparvum. The high prevalence of hemotropic Mycoplasma infection in this wildlife species highlights the importance of understanding intra and inter species transmission. Black bears may play a role in the transmission of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. between animals, arthropod vectors, and humans. Further studies are needed to elucidate black bears as a potential reservoir for hemotropic Mycoplasma infections.