Granulocytic ehrlichiosis in a roe deer calf in Norway

A case of granulocytic ehrlichiosis is described in a roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) calf from Norway. The calf was heavily infested with Ixodes ricinus and died from Escherichia coli septicemia. Granulocytic Ehrlichia sp. was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from several organs and sequence determination identified a variant of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE) agent. This is the first report of a possible clinical granulocytic Ehrlichia sp. infection in a roe deer.     

Presumptive gangrenous ergotism in free-living moose and a roe deer

Presumptive gangrenous ergotism in 10 moose (Alces alces) and one roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) is reported. Three of the moose came from a municipality in southeastern Norway where the disease occurred as a cluster in 1996. The other moose represented solitary or sporadic cases diagnosed in four municipalities in northwestern Norway between 1996 and 2004. Affected moose (seven calves, three yearlings) were found between October and June, showing distal limb lesions on one to three limbs. The lesions in the moose found during October and November presented as dry gangrene, whereas moose found between December and June presented with loss of the distal part of the limbs or open lesions close to sloughing. Four of the moose also had bilateral ear lesions affecting the outer third of the pinnae. A retrospective diagnosis of ergotism (June 1981) was made in a 1-yr-old roe deer from northwestern Norway showing loss of the distal part of all four limbs.     

Antibodies to granulocytic Ehrlichia in moose, red deer, and roe deer in Norway

Serum samples from 104 moose (Alces alces), 124 red deer (Cervus elaphus) and 114 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), collected from different counties in southern Norway from 1994 to 2000, were analysed by an indirect immunofluorescent antibody staining method for antibodies to Ehrlichia equi. The overall seroprevalences for granulocytic Ehrlichia spp. in moose, red deer, and roe deer from Ixodes ricinus infested counties were 43%, 55%, and 96%, respectively. Antibody prevalence was significantly higher in roe deer than in moose and red deer (P < 0.001). Mean antibody titers (log10 +/- SD) to E. equi in sera from moose, red deer, and roe deer were 1:1,497 (3.17 +/- 0.646), 1:234 (2.37 +/- 0.424) and 1:676 (2.83 +/- 0.404), respectively. The present work indicates that all these wild ruminant species are exposed to granulocytic Ehrlichia in Norway.     

Descriptive epidemiology of roe deer mortality in Sweden

A retrospective epidemiologic study was conducted to examine causes of mortality of 985 wild roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) submitted to the National Veterinary Institute (SVA; Uppsala, Sweden) from January 1986 to December 1995. Age, sex, body condition, and geographic distribution as related to disease conditions are reported herein. The most common causes of mortality in roe deer were trauma (19%), winter starvation (18%), gastritis/enteritis (15%), bacterial infections (11%), parasitic infection (11%), systemic diseases (11%), neoplasia (2%), congenital disorders (1%), and miscellaneous causes (6%). Cause of death was not determined in 6% of the cases. The distribution of causes of death reported in this study differ from previous works in Sweden in that infectious and parasitic diseases were more common than winter starvation. The pathologic findings in studies like this do not necessarily represent what is occurring in the natural environment, but they do provide a good indication of distribution of diseases over time as well as age and sex structure in relation to disease conditions. Further research and more detailed studies are in progress to better understand specific mortality factors as well as etiologies of certain described diseases in roe deer in Sweden.     

Polydactyly in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)

Supernumerary digits on roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) have been recorded over many decades in Germany. The case described in this communication is believed to be only the second documented example from the UK. A right hind foot of a buck had three equally developed digits arising from a metatarsal that trifurcated.     

Tolerance of understory plants subject to herbivory by roe deer

Classical foraging theory states that animals feeding in a patchy environment can maximise their long term prey capture rates by quitting food patches when they have depleted prey to a certain threshold level. Theory suggests that social foragers may be better able to do this if all individuals in a group have access to the prey capture information of all other group members. This will allow all foragers to make a more accurate estimation of the patch quality over time and hence enable them to quit patches closer to the optimal prey threshold level. We develop a model to examine the foraging efficiency of three strategies that could be used by a cohesive foraging group to initiate quitting a patch, where foragers do not use such information, and compare these with a fourth strategy in which foragers use public information of all prey capture events made by the group. We carried out simulations in six different prey environments, in which we varied the mean number of prey per patch and the variance of prey number between patches. Groups sharing public information were able to consistently quit patches close to the optimal prey threshold level, and obtained constant prey capture rates, in groups of all sizes. In contrast all groups not sharing public information quit patches progressively earlier than the optimal prey threshold value, and experienced decreasing prey capture rates, as group size increased. This is more apparent as the variance in prey number between patches increases. Thus in a patchy environment, where uncertainty is high, although public information use does not increase the foraging efficiency of groups over that of a lone forager, it certainly offers benefits over groups which do not, and particularly where group size is large.     

Serosurvey for selected pathogens in Iberian roe deer

Background  

The roe deer is the most abundant and widespread wild Eurasian cervid. Its populations are expanding and increasingly in contact with livestock. This may affect the distribution of infectious diseases shared with other wild and domestic ungulates.     

Activity patterns in moose and roe deer in a north boreal forest

The activity patterns of a coarse browser, the moose. Alces alces , and a selective browser, the roe deer, Capreolus capreolus . in a north boreal forest, central Sweden, were compared with respect to time allocated for foraging and processing (ruminating) in different seasons. Data were quantified by measuring 24 h activity patterns which included both the duration and frequency of active and inactive periods. Activity patterns were measured from 9 female moose and 9 roe deer that were radiomarked during April 1974–May 1978 (roe deer) and February 1982–December 1984 (moose). In total, data were available from 4345 h for roe deer and 14745 h for moose. Roe deer differed from moose in having active bouts more evenly distributed over the day. Generally, both species were most active during sunrise and sunset. Total daily active time varied with season, reaching the highest value in late May – early June among roe deer (56.7% of the day) and a month later among moose (51.9%). Both species were least active in February (30–40%). Average length of active bouts did not differ significantly between the species but changed with season (roe deer 48.6–99.2 min, moose 61.6–88.7 min). Average length of inactive bouts varied significantly with season, with moose having consistently longer bouts (89.3–156.3 min) than roe deer (55.8–107.0 min). The number of activity bouts per day were also higher among roe deer. During midsummer, they changed activity nearly twice as many times as moose (26 times d⁻¹ vs 16 times d⁻¹).     

Isozyme variation in roe deer in relation to their population history in Britain

The level of genetic variation in 245 roe deer (Cupreolus cupreolus L.), taken from 15 populations across Britain, was estimated by investigating electrophoretic polymorphism at 15 enzyme loci. The proportion of polymorphic loci and the average heterozygosity of roe deer in Britain were estimated as 13.3% and 3.2%, respectively. Allele frequencies at one locus suggested the existence of an east-west cline of an allelic variant in southern Britain which may have originated from an introduction of roe from continental Europe in the last century. These results are discussed in relation to the theoretical expectations for this species and the documented historical background of roe deer inBritain.     

Seasonal variation of activity patterns in roe deer in a temperate forested area

We investigated the activity patterns of a European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) population living in a forested Apennine area in central Italy, in order to shed light on the environmental and biological factors that were expected to account for the observed activity patterns on daily and yearly bases. Daily and seasonal activity patterns of 31 radio-collared roe deer were assessed through sessions of radio tracking for a total period of 18 consecutive months. Roe deer showed bimodal activity patterns throughout the year, with the two highest peaks of activity recorded at dawn and dusk. Activity patterns of males and females differed during the territorial period (from early spring to late summer), whereas they did not during the nonterritorial period. Most likely, behavioral thermoregulation can be held responsible for variation of daily activity patterns in different seasons. In winter, for instance, activity during the dawn period was significantly higher than in other seasons and daylight activity was significantly higher than at night. Nocturnal activity was highest in summer and lowest in winter. During the hunting season, moreover, roe deer showed lower activity levels than during the rest of the year. The prediction that roe deer would show lower activity levels during full moon nights, when the predation risk was assumed to be higher, was not confirmed by our data. Activity rhythms in roe deer were thus subjected to both endogenous and environmental factors, the latter working as exogenous synchronization cues. Accordingly, in changing environmental and ecological conditions, a circadian cycle of activity could be seen as the result of complex interactions among daily behavioral rhythm, digestive physiology, and external modifying factors.     

Ideal free distribution and natal dispersal in female roe deer

We investigated whether adult ( 2 years) female roe deer Capreolus capreolus conform to an ideal free or an ideal despotic distribution, in order to understand whether natal dispersal is voluntary or socially enforced. The study was undertaken in a high-density, free-ranging population close to Stockholm, Sweden, during 1989–1994. Data on population density, habitat quality, and five parameters on female reproduction and body condition, in addition to age distribution, were obtained in two nearby located areas, the field and the forest, representing contrasting habitats. Population density was estimated by faecal pellet group counting in addition to total counts of culled animals after a major deer harvest. Density in the field area was twice that in the forest area (66 vs 33 deer/km²). Habitat quality was determined by analysing the amount of faecal nitrogen from samples of faeces collected in the two areas, and by comparing size of summer home ranges for adults of both sexes with the aid of telemetry. Both estimates indicated a higher nutritional quality and resource abundance, respectively, in the field area, with faecal nitrogen content being higher (2.96 vs 2.43%), and ranges being smaller (12.9 vs 20.9 ha). No significant differences were found in any of the parameters on reproduction or body condition obtained from culled females, i.e. number of corpora lutea (1.8 vs 1.8), proportion of females with offspring (71 vs 56%), body mass (16.9 vs 17.3 kg), kidney fat index (91.9 vs 98.5), and length of the lower mandible (152.8 vs 151.4 mm). Neither did the age distribution among females, as determined from tooth wear, differ between the areas. These results are consistent with the prediction of the ideal free hypothesis. This, in turn, suggests that female dispersal in this species is voluntary, the underlying proximate cause being maximization of resource gain.     

Local and seasonal variations of roe deer diet in relation to food resource availability in a Mediterranean environment

Feeding behaviour patterns of European roe deer are well known but not in their southern range, where in contrast to Central and northern Europe the climate is characterised by mild winters, but hot and dry summer months. Spatial and temporal variations of the roe deer diet were investigated by analyses of 597 faecal samples in a coastal area in Italy. The aim was to evaluate the adaptive strategies of dietary intake to seasonal availability of different forage types in areas of fairly natural Mediterranean scrubwood and different areas dominated by agricultural habitats. A wide range of plant taxa (151 species/genera) was used, belonging to eight categories. A gradient was found from a diet dominated by woody plants and fruits in natural habitats to one characterised by cultivated plants in the agricultural areas. Usage of forage categories in areas dominated by woodland was proportional to their availability, whereas diet selection was found in the agricultural habitats, particularly marked in summer, the time at which food quantity and quality decreased due to harvest and drought. As to seasonal variation, the summer and autumn diets included more deciduous browse, whereas the winter diet was characterised by an increasing use of cereals and grass. In most areas, half-woody browse and fruit were preferred; grass and cereals were used less than expected by their availability. Most probably, selective behaviour patterns are linked to the difference of quality between plants together with their variable abundance, which is more evident in agricultural areas than in the woodland.     

Host status of wild roe deer in bovine tuberculosis endemic areas

Rarely found infected, roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) are not considered a bovine tuberculosis (bTB) reservoir. However, serial cases discovered between 2010 and 2014 in one of the bTB endemic regions in France threw doubt on the epidemiological role played by this small wild cervid in ecosystems where cattle and other wild animals are both infected. Our objective was to analyse the bTB host status of roe deer as regards infection prevalence within the population and Mycobacterium bovis-induced pathology in this species. From November 2001 to March 2016, 668 roe deer were analysed (culture and/or PCR) through active surveillance implemented in three bTB endemic areas in France (Brotonne forest, Dordogne and Côte d’Or) and 132 through passive surveillance (presence of macroscopic lesions) in the whole country. Only seven roe deer were found infected by M. bovis, exclusively in bTB endemic areas, one through active surveillance (Brotonne forest; n = 203, apparent prevalence 0.49%). On the basis of these results, observed pathological patterns (mainly pulmonary lesions), species social behaviour (less gregarious than other ungulates) and food behaviour (mainly a selective browser), roe deer does not appear to be a true reservoir of bTB. However, once infected, it develops lesions reflecting a clear ability for bacterial excretion and therefore transmission to other species, most likely by indirect contact. It could thus be a spillover host included in a multi-host component reservoir in endemic areas. Consequently, passive surveillance is essential to detect infection and to implement specific management to limit interactions with cattle, where infected roe deer are found.     

A paretic condition in an Anaplasma phagocytophilum infected roe deer calf

This paper describes a case of Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in a roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) calf in Norway. The calf was found deserted, paretic, and heavily infested with Ixodes ricinus ticks. It was euthanized and investigated postmortem. Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected in several tissues by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and 16S rRNA sequence analyses. Analyses for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus infections were negative. This is the first report of a possible paretic condition in A. phagocytophilum infected roe deer.     

匈牙利平原环境中狍的集群行为

20 0 2年 4月至 2 0 0 3年 4月利用直接观察法对匈牙利平原农田环境中狍的集群行为进行了研究 ,结果显示平均群体数量在寒冷的秋冬季节较大 ,最大群体数量也具有类似的变动趋势 ,2 0 0 3年 2月最大群体有 92 - 94只 ,并保持集群长达 2 0d ,在冷季以大于 5只的群体所占百分比较高。 2 0 0 2年 4月和 2 0 0 3年 3月集群开始解散 ,雄性个体在 2 0 0 2年 6、 7月的交配期独居或保持家庭小群 ,雌性主要与幼体构成家庭群。生活在小片林地的群体数量小于农田群体 ,作者认为农田平原环境的开阔性结构和繁殖生理状态是导致狍群体较大和集群行为变化的近因