The latest Ursus spelaeus in Italy, a new contribution to the extinction chronology of the cave bear

AbstractThe skeleton of a young prime adult cave bear, Ursus spelaeus, was found in Chiostraccio Cave (Siena, Tuscany, central Italy), only slightly buried under rock falls. The specimen was dated yielding a conventional age of 24,030 ± 100 14C yr BP (29,200–28,550 cal yr BP), which makes it the latest known representative of the species in Italy. The skeleton was accompanied by the remains of wolf (Canis lupus), wild boar (Sus scrofa), aurochs (Bos primigenius), red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), bat (Vespertinus murinus), and crow (Corvus monedula). The site seems confirming that the latest Italian U. spelaeus populations shared the risk of intrusion. The association of the cave bear with other animals suggests that the assemblage is an attritional palimpsest of remains of different species not originally associated in life. Cave bears were probably more vegetarian than brown bears and possibly became extinct when plant productivity dropped at the onset of MIS 2. Central and southern Italy may have offered isolated and sheltered refugia for cave bears.

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Composition of the wolf’s Canis lupus L. diet in the Wigry National Park

Forest Research Papers ◽

10.2478/frp-2018-0013 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 79 (2) ◽

pp. 119-124

Author(s):

Robert W. Mysłajek ◽

Sabina Nowak ◽

Maciej Romański ◽

Katarzyna Tołkacz

Keyword(s):

Wild Boar ◽

National Parks ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Canis Lupus ◽

National Park ◽

Red Deer ◽

Roe Deer ◽

Capreolus Capreolus ◽

Natura 2000 ◽

Important Prey

Abstract The diet of wolves Canis lupus L. was assessed in the Wigry National Park in North-Eastern Poland, which overlaps with the Natura 2000 site “Ostoja Wigierska”. The content of a total of 149 scat samples was collected in 2017 and analysed in order to determine dietary composition. Wolves primarily feed on wild ungulates, which make up 75.4% of food biomass. Despite the fact that wild boar Sus scrofa L. and red deer Cervus elaphus L. dominate in the ungulate community in the study area, the primary prey species was observed to be roe deer Capreolus capreolus L. with 39.6%, while red deer and wild boar only constituted 18.7% and 8.3% of the food biomass, respectively. Additionally, beaver Castor fiber L. was found to be an important prey (10.9%) as well and livestock accounted for 15.1% of all biomass consumed. The livestock eaten by wolves also included carcasses of domestic animals illegally disposed of in the forest. We therefore conclude that decisions on the management of the wolf’s food base within protected areas, such as national parks or Natura 2000 sites, should be preceded by intensive local studies.

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Characterization of Rhodococcus equi isolates from submaxillary lymph nodes of wild boars (Sus scrofa), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Veterinary Microbiology ◽

10.1016/j.vetmic.2014.04.020 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 172 (1-2) ◽

pp. 272-278 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Magdalena Rzewuska ◽

Lucjan Witkowski ◽

Agata A. Cisek ◽

Ilona Stefańska ◽

Dorota Chrobak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lymph Nodes ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Sus Scrofa ◽

Red Deer ◽

Roe Deer ◽

Capreolus Capreolus ◽

Rhodococcus Equi ◽

Wild Boars

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Bioserotypes and virulence markers of Y. enterocolitica strains isolated from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Polish Journal of Veterinary Sciences ◽

10.2478/pjvs-2014-0043 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 17 (2) ◽

pp. 315-319 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

A. Bancerz-Kisiel ◽

A. Szczerba-Turek ◽

A. Platt-Samoraj ◽

P. Socha ◽

W. Szweda

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Roe Deer ◽

Capreolus Capreolus ◽

Hunting Season ◽

Virulence Markers ◽

Serotype O ◽

Gene Coding ◽

Environmental Reservoir ◽

Enterocolitica Infection

AbstractFree-living animals are an important environmental reservoir of pathogens dangerous for other animal species and humans. One of those is Yersinia (Y.) enterocolitica, the causative agent of yersiniosis - foodborne, enzootic disease, significant for public health. The purpose of the study was to identify bioserotypes and virulence markers of Y. enterocolitica strains isolated from roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) obtained during the 2010/2011 hunting season in north-eastern Poland. From among 48 rectal swabs obtained from 24 roe deer, two strains of Y. enterocolitica from one animal were isolated. Although both belonged to biotype 1A they were identified as different serotypes. The strain obtained from cold culture (PSB) belonged to serotype O:5, while the strain isolated from warm culture (ITC) was regarded as nonidentified (NI), what may suggest mixed infection in that animal. The presence of ystB gene, coding for YstB enterotoxin, directly related to Y. enterocolitica pathogenicity was detected in both strains using triplex PCR. The effect of the examination of 32 swabs obtained from 16 red deer was the isolation of two Y. enterocolitica strains from two different animals. Both belonged to biotype 1A with NI serotype, but were originated from different types of culture. They gave positive results in case of products of a size corresponding to the ystB gene. No amplicons corresponding to ail and ystA genes were found. Roe deer and red deer may carry and shed Y. enterocolitica, what seems to be important in aspect of an environmental reservoir of this pathogen. The Y. enterocolitica strains isolated from wild ruminants had the amplicons of the ystB gene, what suggest they can be potential source of Y. enterocolitica infection for humans

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Characterisation of Faecal Staphylococci from Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus) and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus) and Their Susceptibility to Gallidermin

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins ◽

10.1007/s12602-019-9522-3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 302-310

Author(s):

A. Lauková ◽

E. Bino ◽

I. Kubašová ◽

V. Strompfová ◽

R. Miltko ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Roe Deer ◽

Capreolus Capreolus

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Does habitat type modify group size in roe deer and red deer under predation risk by Iberian wolves?

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z07-129 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 86 (3) ◽

pp. 170-176 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

I. Barja ◽

S. Rosellini

Keyword(s):

Predation Risk ◽

Group Size ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Roe Deer ◽

Habitat Type ◽

Capreolus Capreolus ◽

Antipredator Response ◽

The Mean ◽

Grouping Behavior

We examined whether group size in red deer ( Cervus elaphus L., 1758) and roe deer ( Capreolus capreolus (L., 1758)) under predation risk by Iberian wolves ( Canis lupus L., 1758) is affected by the type of habitat in which the deer reside. We hypothesized that group size (i) would be larger in open than in closed habitats, since it is an antipredator response, and (ii) would vary more with habitat type in the species that had higher wolf predation rates. In the study area, wolves were the only predator of wild ungulates, with roe deer being the main target prey. We performed monthly transects along paths to observe the group size of red and roe deer. In roe deer, the mean group size was significantly higher in open than in closed habitats, serving as an antipredator response. However, in red deer, habitat type did not affect group size. The results indicate that under predation risk by wolves the habitat type influences the grouping behavior of roe deer but not red deer. Furthermore, compared with forests, heaths offer less protection from predators and species in this habitat would benefit from larger group sizes.

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Molecular Detection of Bartonella Sp. in Wild Ruminants and Analysis of its Genetic Diversity on the Basis of 16S–23S Rrna Intergenic Spacer (ITS)

Bulletin of the Veterinary Institute in Pulawy ◽

10.2478/v10213-012-0003-7 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 56 (1) ◽

pp. 15-19

Author(s):

Małgorzata Adamska

Keyword(s):

Genetic Diversity ◽

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Phylogenetic Trees ◽

Red Deer ◽

Roe Deer ◽

Intergenic Spacer ◽

Capreolus Capreolus ◽

Its Region ◽

Its Sequences ◽

23S Rrna

Abstract The aim of this study was to describe the state of infection of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) by Bartonella sp. in North-Western Poland through PCR detection of Bartonella 16S-23S rRNA ITS region in isolates of animal tissues, and also to describe the genetic diversity of detected Bartonella species based on molecular analysis of ITS. The multiple alignment analysis of ITS sequences was carried out, and homology matrices and phylogenetic trees were constructed. The DNA of Bartonella sp. was detected in tissues of 45.6% (36/79) C. capreolus and of 50% (15/30) C. elaphus. Products of two different sizes were detected: 317 bp, characteristic for B. schoenbuchensis, and 198 bp, characteristic for B. bovis. The obtained results suggest that roe and red deer are potential reservoirs of Bartonella sp. Most of the analysed ITS sequences was not specific for one host species. In constructed phylogenetic trees, sequences obtained from roe and red deer clustered together. These results suggest a lack of host specificity of most detected B. schoenbuchensis and B. bovis intraspecies strains

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Observations on autochtonous liver flukes in wild ruminants in Slovakia

Helminthologia ◽

10.1515/helm-2017-0035 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 54 (4) ◽

pp. 307-313

Author(s):

A. Iglódyová ◽

P. Lazar ◽

J. Čurlík ◽

R. Karolová ◽

J. Ciberej ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cervus Elaphus ◽

Red Deer ◽

Roe Deer ◽

Fasciola Hepatica ◽

Slovak Republic ◽

Capreolus Capreolus ◽

Fallow Deer ◽

Wild Ruminants ◽

Faecal Samples ◽

Liver Flukes

SummaryThe aim of the study was monitoring of liver flukes in wild ruminants including red deer (Cervus elaphus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), fallow deer (Dama dama) and mouflon (Ovis musimon) in selected regions of Slovak Republic. Between 2014 – 2016 we examined 782 faecal samples from selected wild ruminants using coprological techniques and serological methods (ELISA detection ofF. hepaticacoproantigens). None of the samples was positive for the presence ofFasciola hepatica, 5.89 % of faecal samples were positive forDicrocoelium dendriticum. Higher prevalence was recorded in mouflon (30.83 %), lower in red deer (1.49 %).D. dendriticuminfection was not determined in fallow deer and roe deer. The seasonal distribution of dicrocoeliosis indicated a highest prevalence in autumn. Significantly higher prevalence was recorded in fenced rearing when compared with open hunting grounds, suggesting that animal agglomeration, constant use of the same areas and possible stress are the main risk factors. Parasitological examination of livers of hunted wild ruminants revealed dicrocoeliosis in mouflon.

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