scholarly journals Effect of winter conditions on wild ungulates mortality in the Owl Mountains (Poland)

2015 ◽  
Vol 57 (3) ◽  
pp. 187-193
Author(s):  
Marcin Warchałowski ◽  
Piotr Nowakowski ◽  
Andrzej Dancewicz

Abstract Relations between climatic factors during the winter season (n days with frost <0oC and −10oC; n days with snow cover: >1 cm, >10 cm and >30 cm; maximum snow cover during season [cm]) and mortality in free-living ungulates (red deer Cervus elaphus Linnaeus, 1758, roe deer Capreolus capreolus Linnaeus, 1758 and mouflon Ovis aries musimon Linnaeus, 1758) in the Owl Mountains (Lower Silesia – Poland) in years 1998–2010 were investigated. Significant effects of all analysed climatic factors on ungulates mortality were documented. Correlations (Pearson) between such weather factors as the depth of snow cover and number of days with frost and recorded mortality in total animal populations analysed ranged from r = 0.33 to r = 0.77. The least adapted to local weather conditions was mouflon introduced to this area ca. 100 years ago from more southern parts of Europe. Roe deer species seems to be environmentally plastic, and are doing quite well in severe winters. Tolerance of red deer to the snow cover is much lower at low temperatures due to the fact that this species, during the period of snow cover, has limited access to the plants covered with snow and difficult access to food base.

2006 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 1144-1150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violeta Fajardo ◽  
Isabel González ◽  
Inés López-Calleja ◽  
Irene Martín ◽  
Pablo E. Hernández ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paweł Nosal ◽  
Jerzy Kowal ◽  
Anna Wyrobisz-Papiewska ◽  
Gabriela Chovancová

Abstract Background Native to Asia highly pathogenic nematode Ashworthius sidemi is now in Europe, and several dozen years after its introduction is a widespread parasite of all wild cervids. For bovids, the nematode is a significant threat to the European bison (Bison bonasus) population and has also been found in mouflon (Ovis aries musimon). This study aimed to assess the risk of infection for the endemic subspecies of northern (Alpine) chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) – Tatra chamois (R. r. tatrica), having a critically endangered status. Methods The study was conducted in mountainous areas of Slovakia and Poland occupied by Tatra chamois (R. r. tatrica), Alpine chamois (R. r. rupicapra), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Animals (n = 93) shot during licensed hunting and killed in road accidents (roe deer, red deer), or died a natural death (chamois) were post-mortem examined on the presence of Haemonchinae. Results A. sidemi affected all of the roe deer, and 90.0% of red deer examined. As regards chamois, it was found in one R. rupicapra originating from the Low Tatras, but not in any pure R. r. tatrica individual living in High and Western Tatras. The present work is the first confirmation of northern chamois infection with this alien, blood-sucking nematode. Conclusions Due to an important health hazard related to A. sidemi infection for the Tatra chamois (R. r. tatrica), appropriate measures should be taken to reduce the possibility of parasite transmission between various cervid species living in the Tatra area, as well as the affected population of chamois, and the pure Tatra chamois population existing in the higher parts of the mountains, constituting their natural habitat.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 2108
Author(s):  
Anna Milczarek ◽  
Alina Janocha ◽  
Grażyna Niedziałek ◽  
Michalina Zowczak-Romanowicz ◽  
Elżbieta Horoszewicz ◽  
...  

The present studies aimed to analyse and assess the health-promoting properties of the musculus semimembranosus (MS) of roe and red deer harvested in the wild. The experimental materials comprising the carcasses of roe deer (15 does and 15 bucks) and red deer (15 hinds and 15 stags) were selected for analysis based on the following criteria: age of animals at harvest—3–4 years; time that passed from the harvest of animals to carcass cutting—48–54 h. After chilling the carcasses for 24 h at +2 °C, the haunches were cut from the carcasses and transported to the laboratory in isothermal ice-packed containers. Samples of the musculus semimembranosus were analysed to determine the chemical composition (proximate components, energy value, Fe, Pb, Cd, fatty acids). More (p ≤ 0.05) dry matter and total protein and less (p ≤ 0.05) crude fat was found in the musculus semimembranosus of roe deer in comparison to red deer. No significant influence of the animal’s sex was observed in the content of the evaluated nutrients, apart from crude fat content, which was increased in the haunch of females from both species. The energy content in the muscle of roe deer was 10% higher than the energy value of MS in red deer (p ≤ 0.05). The content of iron was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher (6.64 mg/kg) in the meat of red deer compared to the meat of roe deer (31.68 mg/kg). Roe deer haunch contained more lead but less cadmium than red deer haunch. Irrespective of sex, the lipid fraction of red deer muscle contained more saturated fatty acids (SFA). Intramuscular fat (IMF) in roe deer meat contained a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The atherogenicity (AI) and thrombogenicity (TI) index values were significantly lower in roe deer haunch, and the hypocholesterolaemic-to-hypercholesterolaemic fatty acids ratio (HH) was lower (p ≤ 0.05) in red deer meat. To sum up, the evaluated roe deer and red deer haunch featured high dietary value as it contained a high protein and low fat content and had an advantageous fatty acids composition. As regards the content of cadmium and lead, roe deer and red deer haunch can be considered safe for consumers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Glendinning ◽  
Buğra Genç ◽  
R. John Wallace ◽  
Mick Watson

AbstractThe rumen microbiota comprises a community of microorganisms which specialise in the degradation of complex carbohydrates from plant-based feed. These microbes play a highly important role in ruminant nutrition and could also act as sources of industrially useful enzymes. In this study, we performed a metagenomic analysis of samples taken from the ruminal contents of cow (Bos Taurus), sheep (Ovis aries), reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and red deer (Cervus elaphus). We constructed 391 metagenome-assembled genomes originating from 16 microbial phyla. We compared our genomes to other publically available microbial genomes and found that they contained 279 novel species. We also found significant differences between the microbiota of different ruminant species in terms of the abundance of microbial taxonomies, carbohydrate-active enzyme genes and KEGG orthologs. We present a dataset of rumen-derived genomes which in combination with other publicly-available rumen genomes can be used as a reference dataset in future metagenomic studies.


2014 ◽  
Vol 172 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 272-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Rzewuska ◽  
Lucjan Witkowski ◽  
Agata A. Cisek ◽  
Ilona Stefańska ◽  
Dorota Chrobak ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 315-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Bancerz-Kisiel ◽  
A. Szczerba-Turek ◽  
A. Platt-Samoraj ◽  
P. Socha ◽  
W. Szweda

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


1980 ◽  
Vol 26 (94) ◽  
pp. 65-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Gubler

AbstractStability indices at different slope aspects and characteristic parameters describing the snow cover and the weather conditions are recorded simultaneously and automatically in potential fracture zones of avalanches during the whole winter season. A remote, solar-powered system including measurements of snow depth, mass flux of wind-blown snow and of the snow temperature profile as well as on-line and off-line data processing has been developed and tested. The results show that this type of data-recording and processing system makes quantitative case studies of natural stability variations possible.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 302-310
Author(s):  
A. Lauková ◽  
E. Bino ◽  
I. Kubašová ◽  
V. Strompfová ◽  
R. Miltko ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 170-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Barja ◽  
S. Rosellini

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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