Comércio de répteis exóticos: as suas implicações para a conservação da natureza

O comércio de espécies selvagens tem crescido bastante ao longo das últimas décadas. Atualmente é considerado o quarto maior tráfico ilegal no mundo, logo seguido da transação de drogas, de armas e de humanos. Estima-se que o comércio de espécies selvagens pode ultrapassar os 12 milhões de euros por ano na UE. Abrange tanto as plantas como os animais vivos; mas, nestes últimos, incluem-se também os seus derivados, tais como sejam as peles, os ossos, alimento, entre outros. O uso das espécies selvagens é bastante vastos, as espécies são utilizadas para alimentação, uso medicinal, investigação científica, comércio de peles, alimentação e o mais comum é para animais de estimação. As espécies exóticas muitas vezes tornam-se espécies exóticas invasoras, começam a ser um perigo para a biodiversidade e para as espécies nativas. O processo de invasão apresenta-se por quatro fases: dispersão ou transporte, estabelecimento, naturalização e por fim dispersão geográfica e/ou invasão. Vários são os mecanismos para combater as espécies exóticas invasoras, sendo que o mecanismo mais radical a erradicação de espécimes. Em Lisboa, estão descritas três espécies exóticas invasoras: a tartaruga da Florida Trachemys scripta, a tartaruga de Nelson Pseudemys nelsoni e a tartaruga corcunda do Mississipi Graptemys pseudogeographica; ABSTRACT: The wildlife trade is growing fast over the last decades. It is now considered the fourth largest illegal trade in the world, followed by the drugs, weapons and humans. It is estimated that trade with species can exceed 12 million € per year in the EU. This trade comprises plants or live animals; but also is derivatives, such as skins, bones, food, and others. The use of wildlife is diverse, can be for food, medical, scientific research, trade of skins, but the most common is for pets. Alien species can become invasive alien species and so they become a threat to biodiversity and for native species. The process of invasion has four phases: dispersion or transport, establishment, naturalization and geographic dispersion and/or invasion. There are several mechanisms to combat such invasive alien species: the most radical mechanism is eradication of specimens. In Lisbon, are described three invasive alien species: the red-eared slider turtle Trachemys Florida, the Florida red-bellied turtle Pseudemys nelsoni and the false map turtle Graptemys psedogeographica.

Evaluación de los problemas dermatológicos de origen infeccioso no viral de las tortugas hicoteas (Trachemys sp.) del Zoológico Jaime Duque

Tesis (Médico Veterinario). -- Universidad de La Salle. Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias. Programa de Medicina Veterinaria, 2014

The role of forest certification for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainability of cork oak woodlands

Doutoramento em Engenharia Florestal e dos Recursos Naturais - Instituto Superior de Agronomia - UL

Estabelecimento de prioridades para a conservação dos vertebrados terrestres do Parque Natural da Ria Formosa e selecção de áreas para a sua protecção

Dissertação de mest. em Gestão e Conservação da Natureza, Faculdade de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Univ. do Algarve, 2004

Crystallization, preliminary X-ray analysis and molecular-replacement solution of haemoglobin-II from the fish matrinxa (Brycon cephalus)

Haemoglobins constitute a set of proteins with interesting structural and functional properties, especially when the two large animal groups reptiles and fishes are focused on. Here, the crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of haemoglobin-II from the South American fish matrinxa (Brycon cephalus) is reported. X-ray diffraction data have been collected to 3.0 Angstrom resolution using synchrotron radiation (LNLS). Crystals were determined to belong to space group P2(1) and preliminary structural analysis revealed the presence of two tetramers in the asymmetric unit. The structure was determined using the standard molecular-replacement technique.

First molecular determination of herpesvirus from two mysticete species stranded in the Mediterranean Sea

BACKGROUND Herpesvirus can infect a wide range of animal species: mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibians and bivalves. In marine mammals, several alpha- and gammaherpesvirus have been identified in some cetaceans and pinnipeds species. To date, however, this virus has not been detected in any member of the Balaenoptera genus. CASE PRESENTATION Herpesvirus was determined by molecular methods in tissue samples from a male fin whale juvenile (Balaenoptera physalus) and a female common minke whale calf (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) stranded on the Mediterranean coast of the Region of Valencia (Spain). Samples of skin and penile mucosa from the fin whale and samples of skin, muscle and central nervous system tissue from the common minke whale tested positive for herpesvirus based on sequences of the DNA polymerase gene. Sequences from fin whale were identical and belonged to the Alphaherpesvirinae subfamily. Only members of the Gammaherpesvirinae subfamily were amplified from the common minke whale, and sequences from the muscle and central nervous system were identical. Sequences in GenBank most closely related to these novel sequences were viruses isolated from other cetacean species, consistent with previous observations that herpesviruses show similar phylogenetic branching as their hosts. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this is the first molecular determination of herpesvirus in the Balaenoptera genus. It shows that herpesvirus should be included in virological evaluation of these animals.

Identification of Hotspots in the European Union for the Introduction of Four Zoonotic Arboviroses by Live Animal Trade

Live animal trade is considered a major mode of introduction of viruses from enzootic foci into disease-free areas. Due to societal and behavioural changes, some wild animal species may nowadays be considered as pet species. The species diversity of animals involved in international trade is thus increasing. This could benefit pathogens that have a broad host range such as arboviruses. The objective of this study was to analyze the risk posed by live animal imports for the introduction, in the European Union (EU), of four arboviruses that affect human and horses: Eastern and Western equine encephalomyelitis, Venezuelan equine encephalitis and Japanese encephalitis. Importation data for a five-years period (2005-2009, extracted from the EU TRACES database), environmental data (used as a proxy for the presence of vectors) and horses and human population density data (impacting the occurrence of clinical cases) were combined to derive spatially explicit risk indicators for virus introduction and for the potential consequences of such introductions. Results showed the existence of hotspots where the introduction risk was the highest in Belgium, in the Netherlands and in the north of Italy. This risk was higher for Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE) than for the three other diseases. It was mainly attributed to exotic pet species such as rodents, reptiles or cage birds, imported in small-sized containments from a wide variety of geographic origins. The increasing species and origin diversity of these animals may have in the future a strong impact on the risk of introduction of arboviruses in the EU.

Toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls and N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine in the juvenile turtle, Chelydra serpentina

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and substituted phenylamine antioxidants (SPAs) are two chemical groups that have been used in multiple Canadian industrial processes. Despite the production ban of PCBs in North America in 1977, they are still ubiquitous in the environment and in wildlife tissues. Previous studies of fish, amphibians, birds, and mammals have shown that PCBs are toxic and act as endocrine disruptors. In contrast, SPAs, specifically N-phenyl-1-naphthylamine (PANA), have received very little attention despite their current use in Canada and their expected environmental releases. The effects of PCB and PANA exposures in reptiles remain unknown thus, juvenile Chelydra serpentina were used in this thesis as a model vertebrate to fill in missing toxicity research gaps due to their importance as an environmental indicator. First, food pellets were spiked at an environmentally relevant concentration of the PCB mixture Aroclor 1254 (A1254) to model hepatic bioaccumulation (0.45 μg/g A1254 for 31 days) and depuration (clean food for 50 days) of PCBs in turtles. No significant differences in PCB concentrations were observed between the control and treated animals, suggesting that juvenile turtles exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of PCBs can likely detoxify low concentrations of PCBs. Additionally, two dose-response experiments were performed using A1254 or PANA spiked food (0-12.7 μg/g and 0-3,446 μg/g, respectively) to determine hepatic toxicity and bioaccumulation in juvenile C. serpentina. An increase in hepatic cyp1a was observed when exposed to the highest dose of both chemicals: 1) for A1254, induction correlated to the significant increase in hepatic PCB congeners that are known to be metabolized by CYP1A; and 2) for PANA, induction suggested that CYP1A has a potential role in its detoxification. PCBs are known endocrine disruptors, but no significant changes were observed for both thyroid receptors (alpha and beta) or by estrogen and androgen receptors. This lack of response, also noted in the PANA exposure, suggests that C. serpentina is less sensitive to endocrine disruption than other vertebrates. Furthermore, the expression of genes involved in cellular stress was not altered in PCB and PANA exposed animals, supporting the resilience of turtles to oxidative stress. This is the first study to demonstrate the toxicity of PCBs and PANA in C. serpentina, demonstrating the turtle’s high tolerance to contamination.

Edge enhancement improves disruptive camouflage by emphasising false edges and creating pictorial relief

Disruptive colouration is a visual camouflage composed of false edges and boundaries. Many disruptively camouflaged animals feature enhanced edges; light patches are surrounded by a lighter outline and/or a dark patches are surrounded by a darker outline. This camouflage is particularly common in amphibians, reptiles and lepidopterans. We explored the role that this pattern has in creating effective camouflage. In a visual search task utilising an ultra-large display area mimicking search tasks that might be found in nature, edge enhanced disruptive camouflage increases crypsis, even on substrates that do not provide an obvious visual match. Specifically, edge enhanced camouflage is effective on backgrounds both with and without shadows; i.e. this is not solely due to background matching of the dark edge enhancement element with the shadows. Furthermore, when the dark component of the edge enhancement is omitted the camouflage still provided better crypsis than control patterns without edge enhancement. This kind of edge enhancement improved camouflage on all background types. Lastly, we show that edge enhancement can create a perception of multiple surfaces. We conclude that edge enhancement increases the effectiveness of disruptive camouflage through mechanisms that may include the improved disruption of the object outline by implying pictorial relief.

An experimental study of gill net and trammel net 'ghost fishing' off the Algarve (southern Portugal)

Four 100 m lengths of both monofilament gill nets and trammel nets were deployed at depths between 15 and 18 m off the coast of the Algarve (south of Portugal) between April 1995 and June 1996. The nets were set on a natural rocky bottom with one end cut loose to simulate lost nets. Changes in net structure (net height, effective fishing area, movement, colonisation, wear and tear) and their catches (species, sizes, numbers, and biomass) were monitored by divers. Similar patterns were observed in all the nets, with a sharp decrease in net height and effective fishing area, and an increase in visibility within the first few weeks. Net movement was negligible except in the case of interference from other fishing gears. Catch rates were initially comparable to normally fished gill nets and trammel nets in this area, but decreased steadily over time. No sea birds, reptiles or mammals were caught in any of the 8 nets. Catches were dominated by fish (89 % by number, at least 27 species), in particular by sea breams (Sparidae) and wrasses (Labridae). Under the conditions experienced throughout the study the fishing Lifetime of a 'lost' net is between 15 and 20 wk. Based on an exponential model, we estimated that 100 m lengths of gill net and trammel net will catch 314 and 221 fish respectively over a 17 wk period. However, we consider this to be an underestimate due to high rates of predation and scavenging by octopuses, cuttlefish, moray eels, conger eels, and other fish such as the wrasse Coris julis. When the nets were surveyed in the following spring, 8 to 11 mo after being deployed, they were found to be completely destroyed or heavily colonised by algae and had become incorporated into the reef.

Clínica de animais exóticos

Este relatório de estágio descreve as atividades desenvolvidas no estágio curricular e desenvolve o tema ―Inseminação artificial em Python regius‖. O estágio de seis meses foi realizado na Exoclinic – clínica veterinária de aves e exóticos, permitindo consolidar conhecimentos através da prática clínica e agregar-lhes a área da medicina de animais exóticos, dedicando especial atenção à medicina de répteis. Desenvolvem-se os casos mais frequentes: medicina preventiva nas várias classes de animais, patologia dentária em roedores e lagomorfos, doença do bico e das penas dos psitacídeos e anorexia em répteis. Na monografia aborda-se a anatomofisiologia e o comportamento reprodutivos das cobras e a sua influência no maneio reprodutivo em cativeiro, métodos de avaliação de reprodutores e técnicas de inseminação artificial. Realizou-se um ensaio prático com seis animais, realizando colheitas de sémen, avaliação de alguns parâmetros do sémen, controlo folicular por ecografia e inseminação artificial. Apresentam-se os métodos, os resultados e respetiva discussão; Abstract: Exotic animal medicine This traineeship report describes the activities during the traineeship and develops the theme "Artificial insemination in Python regius." The six-month internship was held in Exoclinic - clínica veterinária de aves e exóticos, consolidating knowledge through clinical practice and adding the medical field of exotic animals, with special attention to reptiles. The most frequent clinical cases are developed: preventive medicine in the various classes of animals, dental pathology in rodents and lagomorphs, Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease in birds and anorexia in reptile. The monograph addresses the anatomy, physiology and reproductive behavior of snakes and their influence on reproductive management in captivity, methods for reproductors selection and evaluation and artificial insemination techniques. Implementation of a field trial with six animals, performing semen crops and evaluation of some of its parameters, follicular monitoring by ultrasound and artificial insemination. Methods and results are presented and discussed.

EVALUACIÓN ECOLÓGICA RÁPIDA DE UN ECOSISTEMA URBANO: EL CASO DE LA ICROCUENCA DEL RÍO PIRRO, HEREDIA, COSTA RICA.

Los sistemas naturales tienen un valor único e irrepetible en sí mismos, ya que son los hábitats de la fora y la fauna autóctonos, asimismo, los espacios libres o las zonas verdes en paisajes agropecua-rios o urbanos actúan como equilibradores de las disfunciones ecológicas que la actividad humana introduce. El modelo de crecimiento urbano implementado en las últimas décadas en la Gran Área Metropolitana de Costa Rica (GAM), carece de sensibilidad y responsabilidad ecológica y ambien-tal, así lo demuestran los resultados del estudio de caso de un pequeño territorio localizado dentro de la GAM, la microcuenca del río Pirro. De acuerdo con los resultados de la Evaluación Ecológica Rápida (EER), los ecosistemas urbanos presentes en el área de estudio se encuentran entre degra-dados y severamente degradados; desaparición completa del bosque natural ripario, así como del bosque húmedo y muy húmedo premontano, niveles severos de contaminación de  la calidad del agua superfcial, reducción en la biodiversidad de la fauna (aves, anfbios y reptiles) y alteraciones de la dinámica fuvial del río. Se requiere de estudios más profundos y de mayor temporalidad que permitan evaluar la resiliencia del ecosistema y las posibilidades de una recuperación a mediano y largo plazo. Es necesario además, un cambio en el modelo de desarrollo urbano tradicional, de tal manera que la planifcación territorial incorpore la variable ambiental en el ordenamiento, así como una cultura ambiental de responsabilidad con los ecosistemas naturales.

Can gut microbiota analysis be beneficial for ex-situ and in-situ conservation of threatened animal species?

Ex-situ conservation and the in-situ conservation of natural habitats are the tools to conserve biodiversity. Habitats and ecosystems have been becoming altered by human activities and a growing number of species requires form of management to ensure their survival. Conservation queries become more complex and urgent. Developing scientifically based and innovative approaches to ex-situ conservation is necessary. Recent studies underline importance of gut microbiome in animal health with implications for animal conservation and management. Animal and human studies have demonstrated that environmental factors can impact gut microbiome composition. Within this scenario, the present work focused on species belonging to different taxa, reptiles and mammals: Aldabrachelys gigantea, the giant tortoise of the Seychelles islands and Indri indri, the greatest leaving lemur of Madagascar. The Seychelles giant tortoise is vulnerable species with declining population, whereas the indri is a critically endangered species that could reach the extinction within 25 years. Both need research to help them to survive. Tortoises live for very long time and to observe how they can afford the environmental changes is very difficult. Indris, instead, are able to survive only in a small area of the Madagascar forest, with a very strong link between the species’ survival and the environment. The obtained results underline importance of environmental factors, both in-situ and ex-situ, for species conservation. Microbiome could help the organisms to respond on a short timescale and cope with, environmental changes. However, species with long generation time might not be able to adapt to fast changes but bacteria with a short generation time can adapt on a shorter timescale allowing the host to cope with fluctuating environment. Gut microbiome plays an important role in an animal’s health and has the potential to improve the management of individuals under human care for conservation purposes.