Cardiovascular and neoplastic disease are common morbidities in managed care chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Despite the potential for these states to induce hemostatic derangements, coagulation assessments remain poorly explored in this species. A portable, point-of-care device, such as VCM Vet (VCM), may be advantageous for evaluating coagulation kinetics in zoological and field settings opposed to laboratory thromboelastography (TEG) or conventional coagulation parameter (CCP) assays. Using whole blood opportunistically collected from anesthetized chimpanzees (n = 26), this study investigated proof of concept for VCM, established reference values for VCM clot formation and clot strength parameters, compared VCM profiles across sex, age, and sample collection characteristics, and compared clinical interpretations of VCM to plasma-based TEG and CCP. Samples from 25 chimpanzees were analyzed with the VCM, all of which produced interpretable kinetic tracings without error. Reference values were established based on results from 21 healthy chimpanzees from this sample population. Relative to established reference values in domestic dogs, cats, and horses, chimpanzees formed strong clots at a fast rate. Female chimpanzees formed significantly stronger clots than males, and older chimpanzees (>30 yr old) formed clots significantly faster than younger chimpanzees (≤30 yr old) (p < 0.05). Additionally, baseline values derived from descriptive statistics were reported for plasma-based TEG and CCP based on results from 19 healthy chimpanzees from the sample population. Comparisons made visually between VCM and TEG tracings, and between clinical interpretations for VCM, TEG, and CCP, support that these diagnostics may provide similar clinical information, although complete corroboration was limited due to evaluation in predominately healthy chimpanzees. This foundational dataset provides key reference values to encourage use of coagulation assessments and improve standard of care for chimpanzees in managed settings.
For many large carnivores, minimizing the financial burden they impose on local people is critical to their conservation. Incentive-based programs that provide people with financial benefits for taking pro-conservation actions or achieving conservation goals are a promising tool for promoting human-carnivore coexistence. Although the number of incentive-based programs aimed at conserving large carnivores is growing, there has been little published research on the use of this approach. We reviewed the design, implementation, and results of a novel lion conservation incentive payment (CIP) program piloted in Tanzania's Ngorongoro Conservation Area. Under the program, developed in collaboration with local stakeholders, villages earned direct payments based on the number of lions observed on their land each month. During the program's 3-year pilot period, villages earned more than double the value of livestock injured or killed by lions and used their earnings primarily to support education-related projects. A household survey conducted at the conclusion of the pilot indicated widespread awareness of and support for the CIP program. Lessons from this experience that may be valuable for the development of similar incentive-based conservation schemes in Tanzania and beyond include the importance of developing a practical and dynamic earnings framework, evaluating and adaptively managing program communications, supporting participating stakeholders to effectively deploy their CIP earnings, and identifying potential sources of sustainable funding.
Research on animal disability (defined here as the loss of a critical adaptation that impacts the animal’s stability, mobility, typical behaviour, or perception) remains limited, often focusing on individual case studies or a narrow range of taxa, particularly mammals. This reflects broader taxonomic biases in behaviour and welfare sciences, which may contribute to differences in the care and management of disabilities across species in human care. Zoological organisations offer an ideal opportunity to research animal disability, yet the prevalence of disability and related care practices has not been previously documented. To address this, a survey was shared with organisations accredited through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to assess the prevalence and taxa of animals with disabilities, explore care staff perceptions of disabled animal welfare, and document modifications provided to animals with disabilities. There were 115 respondents, representing 45 organisations (approximately 19% of AZA-accredited organisations). All but one organisation (98% of organisations surveyed) reported having an animal with a disability in their care, suggesting that animals with disabilities may be common in zoological organisations. Animals with disabilities were reported from all vertebrate groups as well as arachnids, insects, and other invertebrates. Birds, mammals, and reptiles were the most likely to receive care and management modifications for their disability. Animal care staff perceived the welfare of animals with disabilities as similar to animals without disabilities. These data can serve as a foundation for future research on animal disability that can inform strategies to enhance welfare for animals in human care.
An increasing number of mpox cases caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV; Orthopoxvirus monkeypox ), are reported in West and Central Africa, driven by frequent zoonotic spillovers into human populations that sometimes give rise to epidemic lineages. Designing mitigation strategies to reduce spillover requires a better understanding of the ecology underlying the zoonotic emergence of MPXV. Here, we show that orthopoxviruses, including MPXV, infect duikers, which are popular bushmeat in many mpox endemic regions. In bushmeat markets from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), we detected orthopoxvirus DNA in a Weyns's duiker ( Cephalophus weynsi ) and a common duiker ( Sylvicapra grimmia ) using PCR. High throughput sequencing (HTS) detected a small number of reads assigned to MPXV, and 25% of the genome of a close relative to the taterapox virus (TATV; Orthopoxvirus taterapox ), respectively. In the Taï National Park (TNP), Côte d’Ivoire, tissue samples from a Maxwell’s duiker ( Philantomba maxwellii ) carcass were also MPXV PCR positive, and 50% of the viral genome could be recovered. Suspecting scavenging as a route of exposure, we ran metabarcoding analyses on duiker faeces from TNP, which revealed that more than 21% contained non-duiker mammal DNA, including species linked to previous MPXV infections in this ecosystem. Revisiting western chimpanzee ( Pan troglodytes verus ) diet data from an mpox outbreak in TNP in 2017, supported an epidemiological link to duiker consumption.
From plains zebras to zebra sharks, modern, accredited zoos and aquariums cooperate on the breeding and transfer of individuals from diverse species with unique needs. As a result, the housing and husbandry of a species varies across organizations. The degree to which these practices align with a species’ needs can influence well-being and reproduction. As a key measure of well-being, animal behavior is often the most practical and useful tool for evaluating the impact of housing and husbandry on animals. However, studies conducted at a single organization can be limited in their ability to explore these factors and a multi-institutional approach is needed. Recently, Lincoln Park Zoo launched the ZooMonitor Community, an expansion of the ZooMonitor behavior recording platform. This new collaboration tool is freely available to all zoos and aquariums to facilitate multi-institutional data sharing and project management. Here, we provide an overview of the ZooMonitor Community tool and highlight several recent Community projects on diverse taxa, including giraffes, Asian small-clawed otters, common seadragons, and southern ground hornbills. We hope the ZooMonitor Community can provide population managers with an accessible tool to address broad, species-level questions on care, well-being, and reproduction that can enhance the lives of animals in managed settings.
