Adverse Effects of Capture and Handling Little Bustard |
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Authors: | ANNA PONJOAN GERARD BOTA ELADIO L GARCÍA DE LA MORENA MANUEL B MORALES AXEL WOLFF IGNASI MARCO SANTI MAÑOSA |
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Institution: | 1. Àrea de Biodiversitat, Centre Tecnològic Forestal de Catalunya, Pujada del Seminari, sn, 25280 Solsona, Catalonia, Spain;2. Terrestrial Ecology Group, Departamento de Ecología UAM, Facultad de Ciencias (Biología), Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28049 Madrid, Spain;3. Conservatoire-Etudes des Ecosystèmes de Provence, Ecomusée de la Crau, Boulevard de Provence, 13310 Saint-Martin de Crau, France;4. Servei d'Ecopatologia de Fauna Salvatge, Facultat de Veterinaria, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain;5. Departament de Biologia Animal, Universitat de Barcelona, Facultat de Biologia, Avinguda Diagonal 645, 08028 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain |
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Abstract: | Abstract Capturing wild animals for research or conservation purposes may cause some adverse effects, which is only acceptable if these are outweighed by conservation benefits. We used information from 3 on-going telemetry studies on the endangered little bustard (Tetrax tetrax) in Western Europe to evaluate the risk factors associated with capture and handling. Of 151 telemetered birds, 23 (15.2%) exhibited impaired mobility and coordination after release, probably related to the occurrence of capture myopathy. Among the 23 impaired birds, 10 (43.5%) died before recovering normal mobility (6.6% of all birds captured). Logistic regression analyses identified longer handling time, longer restraint time, use of cannon nets, and capture of juveniles as inducing factors for these disorders. We conclude that little bustard is fairly susceptible to suffering ataxia and paresia after release as a result of restraint associated with capture and manipulation. Researchers can reduce this risk by keeping handling and restraint time below 10–20 minutes, particularly when using cannon nets or when capturing juveniles. |
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Keywords: | capture myopathy little bustard mortality radiotagging Tetrax tetrax trapping |
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