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Evaluating Stress Physiology and Parasite Infection Parameters in the Translocation of Critically Endangered Woylies (Bettongia penicillata)
- Source :
- EcoHealth. 14(Suppl 1)
- Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Translocation can be stressful for wildlife. Stress may be important in fauna translocation because it has been suggested that it can exacerbate the impact of infectious disease on translocated wildlife. However, few studies explore this hypothesis by measuring stress physiology and infection indices in parallel during wildlife translocations. We analysed faecal cortisol metabolite (FCM) concentration and endoparasite parameters (nematodes, coccidians and haemoparasites) in a critically endangered marsupial, the woylie (Bettongia penicillata), 1–3 months prior to translocation, at translocation, and 6 months later. FCM for both translocated and resident woylies was significantly higher after translocation compared to before or at translocation. In addition, body condition decreased with increasing FCM after translocation. These patterns in host condition and physiology may be indicative of translocation stress or stress associated with factors independent of the translocation. Parasite factors also influenced FCM in translocated woylies. When haemoparasites were detected, there was a significant negative relationship between strongyle egg count and FCM. This may reflect the influence of glucocorticoids on the immune response to micro- and macro-parasites. Our results indicate that host physiology and infection patterns can change significantly during translocation, but further investigation is required to determine how these patterns influence translocation success.
- Subjects :
- 0106 biological sciences
0301 basic medicine
Hydrocortisone
Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Parasitic Diseases, Animal
Zoology
Chromosomal translocation
Animals, Wild
Potoroidae
010603 evolutionary biology
01 natural sciences
03 medical and health sciences
Critically endangered
Immune system
Bettongia penicillata
Stress, Physiological
Parasitic Diseases
Parasite hosting
Animals
Marsupial
Ecology
biology
biology.organism_classification
030104 developmental biology
Marsupialia
Animal ecology
Immunology
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 16129210
- Volume :
- 14
- Issue :
- Suppl 1
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- EcoHealth
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....c34de66bb7cbc1f884a0c3ff7e1443a9