As one of five survived tiger subspecies, the South-China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) specially disperses in China. This paper dedicated distribution and quantity of wild South-China tiger, and also introduced d...As one of five survived tiger subspecies, the South-China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) specially disperses in China. This paper dedicated distribution and quantity of wild South-China tiger, and also introduced distribution, quantity and pedigree of captive South-China tiger. In the middle of this century, about several thousands South-China tiger distributed in following provinces, such as Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Hubei, Sichuan, Henan, Shanxi, Shanxi, Gansu. etc. Until now, there are only about 20–30 wild South-China tigers distributing in the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, and Hunan, Sichuan, and 50 captive South-China tiger are raised in zoos of China.展开更多
Captive environments often fail to resemble the wild environment in respects of limited space, unchanging habitat, lack of stimulus and contingency. Common animal welfare problems which occur in captive animals includ...Captive environments often fail to resemble the wild environment in respects of limited space, unchanging habitat, lack of stimulus and contingency. Common animal welfare problems which occur in captive animals include low behavioral diversity, abnormal behavior and excessive inactivity. Environmental enrichment, as an effective strategy to tackle these problems and promote mental health of captive animals, has been recognized as an important principal for captive animal management. Among all the enriehment techniques, olfactory enrichment is a simple and effective method for improving the well-being of the olfactory sensitive felids. Behavioral problems were observed in six Amur leopards Panthera pardus orientalis at Beijing Zoological Garden. These were held in the older type exhibits which have now been rebuilt. These behaviors include stereotypic behavior and excessive inactivity caused by the spatially limited enclosures with low levels of stimuli. To determine the effects of predator, prey, and herb odors as potential enrichment materials for captive leopards, we conducted olfactory enrichment experiments for the leopards and tested the effects of nutmeg Myristica fragrans, feces of roe deer Capreolus capreolus and urine of Amur tiger Panthera tigris altaica to test for an increase in behavioral repertoire and activity. Odors provided in this study were also believed to improve the psychological and physiological health of individuals. To standardize the method of presentation the odors were introduced to the enclosures by rubbing or spraying onto a clean towel. Our results show that the selected three odors effectively increased the behavioral diversity. Ten new behavior types were observed in the nutmeg experiment, eight in the feces of roe deer experiment and six in the tiger urine experiment. Among the three odors, cats responded to nutmeg for the longest duration, followed by tiger urine and feces of roe deer. Leopards showed more play behavior in presence of nutmeg while more investigatory behavior in presences of feces of roe deer and tiger urine. Providing novel odors increased the spatial use of the exhibit and the animal＇ s increased use of the logs, sleeping platforms and bars in the cages. Novel odors also significantly increased the overall activity of the leopards, but the effects were diminished in about three hours.展开更多
The influence of social upbringing on the activity pattern of lion Panthera leo cubs was investigated at three sites. In this study, stimulus objects such as sticks, grass, fresh dung （elephant Loxondota africana, ze...The influence of social upbringing on the activity pattern of lion Panthera leo cubs was investigated at three sites. In this study, stimulus objects such as sticks, grass, fresh dung （elephant Loxondota africana, zebra Equus quagga, impala Aepyceros melampus, duiker Sylvicapra grimmia, kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros, giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis and wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus） and cardboard boxes, were utilized in an enrichment program aimed at encouraging active behaviors of captive lion cubs at Antelope Park and Masuwe. Lion cubs at Chipangali were not behaviorally enriched. Activity patterns were recorded for 10 days at each site. We recorded moving, resting, playing, grooming, visual exploration and display of hunting instincts. We found that behavioral enrichment enhanced the active behaviors of captive lion cubs. Orphan-raised cubs spent more time moving, playing and displaying hunting instincts than mother-raised cubs, but the time spent grooming was similar across areas and suggests that grooming is not influenced by enrichment. Mother-raised cubs spent more time engaged in visual exploration than orphan-raised cubs and this could be a behavior acquired from mothers or a result of confidence to explore because of their presence. Activity patterns were different among time treatments across our three study sites. Based on these findings, we suggest that lion cubs raised in captivity could benefit from behavioral enrichment to encourage active behaviors essential for eventual reintroduction into the wild展开更多
We reported here the first known case of natural infection of a lion(Panthera leo-Linnaeus,1738) with Leishmania(Leithmania) chagasi(L.chagasi) in Brazil.The specimen was created by a circus handler in the state of Ma...We reported here the first known case of natural infection of a lion(Panthera leo-Linnaeus,1738) with Leishmania(Leithmania) chagasi(L.chagasi) in Brazil.The specimen was created by a circus handler in the state of Mato Grosso and was donated to the zoological park of the Federal University of Mato Crosso.Infection by I.chagasi was detected using a PCR-RFLP test.It was known that the domestic felids can act as reservoir of infection of L.chagasi in endemic areas, making it important that studies demonstrate their participation in the epidemiological chain. We demonstrate in this work that wild animals can have an important role in the epidemiological chain and must be considered in order to plan methods of control of this zoonosis.展开更多
Lion faecal samples, collected in the field between 1 hour to 1 week after defecation were preserved in three different media （ethanol, ASL buffer and Twostep storage）. The aim was to determine which faecal DNA fiel...Lion faecal samples, collected in the field between 1 hour to 1 week after defecation were preserved in three different media （ethanol, ASL buffer and Twostep storage）. The aim was to determine which faecal DNA field preservation method best enhances PCR amplification success. Samples stored in ethanol showed a significantly higher amplification success of microsat ellite loci than samples stored in the other two media. In contrast, amplification success of a mitochondrial locus was similar among the samples stored in the three types of media. We reviewed twelve previous studies that employed different media for the storage of faeces, although patterns of success were not fully consistent among different media, ethanol storage was scored high est in the majority of these tests展开更多
The wild population of the African lion Panthera leo continues to decline, requiring alternate conservation programs to be considered. One such program is ex situ reintroduction. Prior to release, longterm monitoring ...The wild population of the African lion Panthera leo continues to decline, requiring alternate conservation programs to be considered. One such program is ex situ reintroduction. Prior to release, longterm monitoring and assessment of behavior is required to determine whether prides and coalitions behave naturally and are sufficiently adapted to a wild environment. Social network analysis （SNA） can be used to provide insight into how the pride as a whole and individuals within it, function. Our study was conducted upon 2 captive-origin prides who are part of an ex situ reintroduction program, and 1 wild pride of African lion. Social interactions were collected at all occurrence for each pride and categorized into greet, social grooming, play, and aggression. Betweenness centrality showed that offspring in each pride were central to the play network, whereas degree indicated that adults received （indegree） the greatest number of overall social interactions, and the adult males of each pride were least likely to initiate （outdegree） any interactions. Through the assessment of individual centrality and degree values, a social keystone adult female was identified for each pride. Social network results indicated that the 2 captive-origin prides had formed cohesive social units and possessed relationships and behaviors comparable with the wild pride for the studied behaviors. This study provided the first SNA comparison between captive-bred origin and a wild pride of lions, providing valuable information on individual and pride sociality, critical for determining the success of prides within an ex situ reintroduction program.展开更多
Neurological signs like ataxia and hind limb paresis have often been reported in cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), lions (Panthera leo) and snow leopards (Panthera unica). As a cause, copper and Vitamin A deficiencies have...Neurological signs like ataxia and hind limb paresis have often been reported in cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), lions (Panthera leo) and snow leopards (Panthera unica). As a cause, copper and Vitamin A deficiencies have been discussed. Many cases were seen in cheetahs and lions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) within the last years. The aim of this study was to find correlations between nutrition, serum, and tissue levels, focusing on copper and Vitamin A. Blood and tissue samples of affected and unaffected animals were analyzed at the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Dubai, UAE. Animals were split into three different groups (A, B and C) according to their diets. Minerals were determined in serum, tissue, food and water samples, and serum was additionally analyzed for Vitamin A and E. Liver, kidney and spinal cord samples were taken for histopathological investigations. Mean serum copper and liver copper levels of animals fed pure chicken muscle meat without supplements were significantly lower (0.41 ± 0.71 μM/L;2.16 ± 0.95 ppm wet weight) than in animals fed a whole carcass prey diet (12.16 ± 3.42 μM/L;16.01 ± 17.51 ppm wet weight) (p < 0.05). Serum Vitamin A and E levels were highest in animals fed whole carcass prey diets (1.85 ± 0.68;27.31 ± 5.69 μM/L). Liver zinc concentrations were highest in animals fed pure chicken meat only (43.75 ± 16.48 ppm wet weight). In histopathology, demyelination of the spinal cord was found in all of the affected animals and most commonly when fed a diet based on poultry without supplements.展开更多
The complete sequences of the mitochondrial DNA genomes of Panthera tigris,Panthera pardus,and Panthera uncia were determined using the polymerase chain reaction method.The lengths of the complete mitochondrial DNA se...The complete sequences of the mitochondrial DNA genomes of Panthera tigris,Panthera pardus,and Panthera uncia were determined using the polymerase chain reaction method.The lengths of the complete mitochondrial DNA sequences of the three species were 16990,16964,and 16773 bp,respectively.Each of the three mitochondrial DNA genomes included 13 protein-coding genes,22 tRNA,two rRNA,one O L R,and one control region.The structures of the genomes were highly similar to those of Felis catus,Acinonyx jubatus,and Neofelis nebulosa.The phylogenies of the genus Panthera were inferred from two combined mitochondrial sequence data sets and the complete mitochondrial genome sequences,by MP (maximum parsimony),ML (maximum likelihood),and Bayesian analysis.The results showed that Panthera was composed of Panthera leo,P.uncia,P.pardus,Panthera onca,P.tigris,and N.nebulosa,which was included as the most basal member.The phylogeny within Panthera genus was N.nebulosa (P.tigris (P.onca (P.pardus,(P.leo,P.uncia)))).The divergence times for Panthera genus were estimated based on the ML branch lengths and four well-established calibration points.The results showed that at about 11.3 MYA,the Panthera genus separated from other felid species and then evolved into the several species of the genus.In detail,N.nebulosa was estimated to be founded about 8.66 MYA,P.tigris about 6.55 MYA,P.uncia about 4.63 MYA,and P.pardus about 4.35 MYA.All these estimated times were older than those estimated from the fossil records.The divergence event,evolutionary process,speciation,and distribution pattern of P.uncia,a species endemic to the central Asia with core habitats on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and surrounding highlands,mostly correlated with the geological tectonic events and intensive climate shifts that happened at 8,3.6,2.5,and 1.7 MYA on the plateau during the late Cenozoic period.展开更多
Inbreeding increases genome homozygosity within populations,which can exacerbate inbreeding depression by exposing homozygous deleterious alleles that are responsible for declines in fitness traits.In small population...Inbreeding increases genome homozygosity within populations,which can exacerbate inbreeding depression by exposing homozygous deleterious alleles that are responsible for declines in fitness traits.In small populations,genetic purging that occurs under the pressure of natural selection acts as an opposing force,contributing to a reduction of deleterious alleles.Both inbreeding and genetic purging are paramount in the field of conservation genomics.The Amur tiger(Panthera tigris altaica)lives in small populations in the forests of Northeast Asia and is among the most endangered animals on the planet.Using genome-wide assessment and comparison,we reveal substantially higher and more extensive inbreeding in wild Amur tigers(F_(ROH)=0.50)than in captive individuals(F_(ROH)=0.24).However,a relatively reduced number of lossof-function mutations in wild Amur tigers is observed compared to captive individuals,indicating genetic purging of inbreeding load with relatively large-effect alleles.The higher ratio of homozygous mutation load and number of fixed damaging alleles in the wild population indicates a less-efficient genetic purging,with purifying selection also contributing to this process.These findings provide valuable insights for the future conservation of Amur tigers.展开更多
文摘As one of five survived tiger subspecies, the South-China tiger (Panthera tigris amoyensis) specially disperses in China. This paper dedicated distribution and quantity of wild South-China tiger, and also introduced distribution, quantity and pedigree of captive South-China tiger. In the middle of this century, about several thousands South-China tiger distributed in following provinces, such as Hunan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Zhejiang, Hubei, Sichuan, Henan, Shanxi, Shanxi, Gansu. etc. Until now, there are only about 20–30 wild South-China tigers distributing in the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangxi, and Hunan, Sichuan, and 50 captive South-China tiger are raised in zoos of China.
基金founded by the Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CXTDS2005-4)the Natural Scientific Foundation of China (No.30230080,No.30670267)
文摘Captive environments often fail to resemble the wild environment in respects of limited space, unchanging habitat, lack of stimulus and contingency. Common animal welfare problems which occur in captive animals include low behavioral diversity, abnormal behavior and excessive inactivity. Environmental enrichment, as an effective strategy to tackle these problems and promote mental health of captive animals, has been recognized as an important principal for captive animal management. Among all the enriehment techniques, olfactory enrichment is a simple and effective method for improving the well-being of the olfactory sensitive felids. Behavioral problems were observed in six Amur leopards Panthera pardus orientalis at Beijing Zoological Garden. These were held in the older type exhibits which have now been rebuilt. These behaviors include stereotypic behavior and excessive inactivity caused by the spatially limited enclosures with low levels of stimuli. To determine the effects of predator, prey, and herb odors as potential enrichment materials for captive leopards, we conducted olfactory enrichment experiments for the leopards and tested the effects of nutmeg Myristica fragrans, feces of roe deer Capreolus capreolus and urine of Amur tiger Panthera tigris altaica to test for an increase in behavioral repertoire and activity. Odors provided in this study were also believed to improve the psychological and physiological health of individuals. To standardize the method of presentation the odors were introduced to the enclosures by rubbing or spraying onto a clean towel. Our results show that the selected three odors effectively increased the behavioral diversity. Ten new behavior types were observed in the nutmeg experiment, eight in the feces of roe deer experiment and six in the tiger urine experiment. Among the three odors, cats responded to nutmeg for the longest duration, followed by tiger urine and feces of roe deer. Leopards showed more play behavior in presence of nutmeg while more investigatory behavior in presences of feces of roe deer and tiger urine. Providing novel odors increased the spatial use of the exhibit and the animal＇ s increased use of the logs, sleeping platforms and bars in the cages. Novel odors also significantly increased the overall activity of the leopards, but the effects were diminished in about three hours.
文摘The influence of social upbringing on the activity pattern of lion Panthera leo cubs was investigated at three sites. In this study, stimulus objects such as sticks, grass, fresh dung （elephant Loxondota africana, zebra Equus quagga, impala Aepyceros melampus, duiker Sylvicapra grimmia, kudu Tragelaphus strepsiceros, giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis and wildebeest Connochaetes taurinus） and cardboard boxes, were utilized in an enrichment program aimed at encouraging active behaviors of captive lion cubs at Antelope Park and Masuwe. Lion cubs at Chipangali were not behaviorally enriched. Activity patterns were recorded for 10 days at each site. We recorded moving, resting, playing, grooming, visual exploration and display of hunting instincts. We found that behavioral enrichment enhanced the active behaviors of captive lion cubs. Orphan-raised cubs spent more time moving, playing and displaying hunting instincts than mother-raised cubs, but the time spent grooming was similar across areas and suggests that grooming is not influenced by enrichment. Mother-raised cubs spent more time engaged in visual exploration than orphan-raised cubs and this could be a behavior acquired from mothers or a result of confidence to explore because of their presence. Activity patterns were different among time treatments across our three study sites. Based on these findings, we suggest that lion cubs raised in captivity could benefit from behavioral enrichment to encourage active behaviors essential for eventual reintroduction into the wild
基金Supported by a grant from FAPEMAT(No.285871/2010)
文摘We reported here the first known case of natural infection of a lion(Panthera leo-Linnaeus,1738) with Leishmania(Leithmania) chagasi(L.chagasi) in Brazil.The specimen was created by a circus handler in the state of Mato Grosso and was donated to the zoological park of the Federal University of Mato Crosso.Infection by I.chagasi was detected using a PCR-RFLP test.It was known that the domestic felids can act as reservoir of infection of L.chagasi in endemic areas, making it important that studies demonstrate their participation in the epidemiological chain. We demonstrate in this work that wild animals can have an important role in the epidemiological chain and must be considered in order to plan methods of control of this zoonosis.
文摘Lion faecal samples, collected in the field between 1 hour to 1 week after defecation were preserved in three different media （ethanol, ASL buffer and Twostep storage）. The aim was to determine which faecal DNA field preservation method best enhances PCR amplification success. Samples stored in ethanol showed a significantly higher amplification success of microsat ellite loci than samples stored in the other two media. In contrast, amplification success of a mitochondrial locus was similar among the samples stored in the three types of media. We reviewed twelve previous studies that employed different media for the storage of faeces, although patterns of success were not fully consistent among different media, ethanol storage was scored high est in the majority of these tests
文摘The wild population of the African lion Panthera leo continues to decline, requiring alternate conservation programs to be considered. One such program is ex situ reintroduction. Prior to release, longterm monitoring and assessment of behavior is required to determine whether prides and coalitions behave naturally and are sufficiently adapted to a wild environment. Social network analysis （SNA） can be used to provide insight into how the pride as a whole and individuals within it, function. Our study was conducted upon 2 captive-origin prides who are part of an ex situ reintroduction program, and 1 wild pride of African lion. Social interactions were collected at all occurrence for each pride and categorized into greet, social grooming, play, and aggression. Betweenness centrality showed that offspring in each pride were central to the play network, whereas degree indicated that adults received （indegree） the greatest number of overall social interactions, and the adult males of each pride were least likely to initiate （outdegree） any interactions. Through the assessment of individual centrality and degree values, a social keystone adult female was identified for each pride. Social network results indicated that the 2 captive-origin prides had formed cohesive social units and possessed relationships and behaviors comparable with the wild pride for the studied behaviors. This study provided the first SNA comparison between captive-bred origin and a wild pride of lions, providing valuable information on individual and pride sociality, critical for determining the success of prides within an ex situ reintroduction program.
文摘Neurological signs like ataxia and hind limb paresis have often been reported in cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), lions (Panthera leo) and snow leopards (Panthera unica). As a cause, copper and Vitamin A deficiencies have been discussed. Many cases were seen in cheetahs and lions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) within the last years. The aim of this study was to find correlations between nutrition, serum, and tissue levels, focusing on copper and Vitamin A. Blood and tissue samples of affected and unaffected animals were analyzed at the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory in Dubai, UAE. Animals were split into three different groups (A, B and C) according to their diets. Minerals were determined in serum, tissue, food and water samples, and serum was additionally analyzed for Vitamin A and E. Liver, kidney and spinal cord samples were taken for histopathological investigations. Mean serum copper and liver copper levels of animals fed pure chicken muscle meat without supplements were significantly lower (0.41 ± 0.71 μM/L;2.16 ± 0.95 ppm wet weight) than in animals fed a whole carcass prey diet (12.16 ± 3.42 μM/L;16.01 ± 17.51 ppm wet weight) (p < 0.05). Serum Vitamin A and E levels were highest in animals fed whole carcass prey diets (1.85 ± 0.68;27.31 ± 5.69 μM/L). Liver zinc concentrations were highest in animals fed pure chicken meat only (43.75 ± 16.48 ppm wet weight). In histopathology, demyelination of the spinal cord was found in all of the affected animals and most commonly when fed a diet based on poultry without supplements.
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos:30470244 and 30870359)the Foundations for Excellent Youth in Anhui Province (Grant No:04043409)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of Education Department of Anhui Province (Grant No:KJ2009B015)the Key Laboratory of Biotic Environment and Ecological Safety in Anhui Province
文摘The complete sequences of the mitochondrial DNA genomes of Panthera tigris,Panthera pardus,and Panthera uncia were determined using the polymerase chain reaction method.The lengths of the complete mitochondrial DNA sequences of the three species were 16990,16964,and 16773 bp,respectively.Each of the three mitochondrial DNA genomes included 13 protein-coding genes,22 tRNA,two rRNA,one O L R,and one control region.The structures of the genomes were highly similar to those of Felis catus,Acinonyx jubatus,and Neofelis nebulosa.The phylogenies of the genus Panthera were inferred from two combined mitochondrial sequence data sets and the complete mitochondrial genome sequences,by MP (maximum parsimony),ML (maximum likelihood),and Bayesian analysis.The results showed that Panthera was composed of Panthera leo,P.uncia,P.pardus,Panthera onca,P.tigris,and N.nebulosa,which was included as the most basal member.The phylogeny within Panthera genus was N.nebulosa (P.tigris (P.onca (P.pardus,(P.leo,P.uncia)))).The divergence times for Panthera genus were estimated based on the ML branch lengths and four well-established calibration points.The results showed that at about 11.3 MYA,the Panthera genus separated from other felid species and then evolved into the several species of the genus.In detail,N.nebulosa was estimated to be founded about 8.66 MYA,P.tigris about 6.55 MYA,P.uncia about 4.63 MYA,and P.pardus about 4.35 MYA.All these estimated times were older than those estimated from the fossil records.The divergence event,evolutionary process,speciation,and distribution pattern of P.uncia,a species endemic to the central Asia with core habitats on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and surrounding highlands,mostly correlated with the geological tectonic events and intensive climate shifts that happened at 8,3.6,2.5,and 1.7 MYA on the plateau during the late Cenozoic period.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China(2572022DQ03)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32170517)+2 种基金the Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Genome Read and Write(2017B030301011)the Start-up Scientific Foundation of Northeast Forestry University(60201524043)supported by China National GeneBank(CNGB).
文摘Inbreeding increases genome homozygosity within populations,which can exacerbate inbreeding depression by exposing homozygous deleterious alleles that are responsible for declines in fitness traits.In small populations,genetic purging that occurs under the pressure of natural selection acts as an opposing force,contributing to a reduction of deleterious alleles.Both inbreeding and genetic purging are paramount in the field of conservation genomics.The Amur tiger(Panthera tigris altaica)lives in small populations in the forests of Northeast Asia and is among the most endangered animals on the planet.Using genome-wide assessment and comparison,we reveal substantially higher and more extensive inbreeding in wild Amur tigers(F_(ROH)=0.50)than in captive individuals(F_(ROH)=0.24).However,a relatively reduced number of lossof-function mutations in wild Amur tigers is observed compared to captive individuals,indicating genetic purging of inbreeding load with relatively large-effect alleles.The higher ratio of homozygous mutation load and number of fixed damaging alleles in the wild population indicates a less-efficient genetic purging,with purifying selection also contributing to this process.These findings provide valuable insights for the future conservation of Amur tigers.
