Instituto de Conservação de Animais Silvestres

Understanding variation in home range size (HR) provides important insights into the underlying ecological processes driving space use. However, it remains unclear whether the interspecific allometric scaling of mammals' HR can also be consistently observed within species and for both sexes. To address this knowledge gap, we GPS-tracked 349 resident individuals across Brazil, encompassing 18 mammal species. We estimated individuals' HR and modelled intraspecific variation in HR against body mass (BM) and sex. While males showed a positive allometric scaling similar to interspecific findings reported in the literature (exponent = 1.23), females' BM had no statistically discernible relationship with HR. We suggest that males have greater energetic and evolutionary incentives to expand their HR with increasing BM, and more physical capacity to do so. Traditional studies on HR scaling that disregard individual sex may, in reality, reflect an average of two distinct patterns, while failing to accurately represent either one.

A leishmaniose, doença parasitária causada por protozoários do gênero Leishmania, também pode acometer os porquinhos-da-índia (Cavia porcellus). Nestes animais, a infecção ocorre por Leishmania (Mundinia) enriettii, espécie não zoonótica. Apesar da gama de estudos realizados desde sua primeira descrição em 1948, são poucos os relatos de tratamentos efetivos para a espécie. Assim, objetivou-se, com este trabalho, relatar um caso de leishmaniose tegumentar em um Cavia porcellus utilizando como terapia a conchectomia e uso de homeopáticos. O animal apresentava lesão nodular ulcerada na orelha esquerda e o exame citológico indicou a presença de amastigotas de Leishmania spp. O tratamento de suporte que normalmente é preconizado nestas situações não surtiu efeito. Assim, optou-se por realizar conchectomia, com uso analgésicos e antibioticoterapia no pós-operatório, como também dos homeopáticos Antimonium crudum 6CH e Echinacea angustifolia 6CH. O tratamento demonstrou eficácia na redução do sinal clínico e não houve recidivas após 8 meses do procedimento, momento no qual o animal teve morte súbita, por causa desconhecida (não foi realizada necrópsia).

Surveillance is an important component of One Health; however, disease surveillance in wild animals is hindered by challenges in obtaining and preserving adequate biological samples from free-ranging animals. The protozoan Toxoplasma gondii is the etiologic agent causing toxoplasmosis, a worldwide zoonosis with a high prevalence in Brazil. There is limited literature on toxoplasmosis in giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla); therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the seroprevalence of T. gondii in M. tridactyla from midwest Brazil. Blood samples from 71 free-ranging animals from the Cerrado (n=65) and Pantanal (n=6) biomes in Mato Grosso do Sul state, were collected from 2016 to 2021, as part of Wild Animals Conservation Institute (ICAS) studies. A modified agglutination test was used to detect anti-T. gondii antibodies. Overall, 62% (44/71) of free-ranging anteaters tested positive, with titers ranging from 16 to 4,096, confirming exposure of giant anteaters in this area of Brazil to T. gondii. Anti-T. gondii antibodies were detected in anteaters from both the Pantanal wetland and Cerrado savanna biomes, indicating the presence of T. gondii in both.

Globally, illegal sport hunting can threaten prey populations when unregulated. Due to its covert nature, illegal sport hunting poses challenges for data collection, hindering efforts to understand the full extent of its impacts. We gathered social media data to analyze patterns of illegal sport hunting and wildlife depletion across Brazil. We collected data for 2years (2018-2020) across 5 Facebook groups containing posts depicting pictures of illegal sport hunting events of native fauna. We described and mapped these hunting events by detailing the number of hunters involved, the number of species, the mean body mass of individuals, and the number and biomass of individuals hunted per unit area, stratified by Brazilian biome. We also examined the effects of defaunation on hunting yield and composition via regression models, rank-abundance curves, and spatial interpolation. We detected 2046 illegal sport hunting posts portraying the hunting of 4658 animals (∼29t of undressed meat) across all 27 states and 6 natural biomes of Brazil. Of 157 native species targeted by hunters, 19 are currently threatened with extinction. We estimated that 1414 hunters extracted 3251kg/millionkm2. Some areas exhibited more pronounced wildlife depletion, in particular the Atlantic Forest and Caatinga biomes. In these areas, there was a shift from large mammals and reptiles to small birds as the main targeted taxa, and biomass extracted per hunting event and mean body mass across all taxonomic groups were lower than in other areas. Our results highlight that illegal sport hunting adds to the pressures of subsistence hunting and the wild meat trade on Brazil's wildlife populations. Enhanced surveillance efforts are needed to reduce illegal sport hunting levels and to develop well-managed sustainable sport hunting programs. These can support wildlife conservation and offer incentives for local communities to oversee designated sport hunting areas.

O Mergulho de Segurança Pública é uma atividade exercida em sua grande maioria por Bombeiros Militares, para a recuperação de corpos e bens, além de evidências criminais, em ambientes aquáticos e apresenta uma extensa variedade de riscos, tais como: efeitos do hiperbarismo, visibilidade zero, possibilidade de algum tipo de contaminação, enroscos, correnteza, intempéries, materiais perfuro cortantes ou contundentes, além da possibilidade de ataque por animais silvestres aquáticos que naturalmente estão presentes nestes ambientes. O objetivo deste trabalho é apresentar, relatar e discutir uma ocorrência que envolveu um acidente a um mergulhador causado por arraia no Rio Araguaia. A partir deste estudo de caso, foi apresentado observações importantes a respeito da técnica do tipo Arrasto utilizada nestes rios com correntezas, além de discussões e conclusões a respeito do atendimento realizado para pronta recuperação do mergulhador de segurança pública afetado.

Population management is becoming critically important for species that inhabit urban areas, particularly due to the public health risks they pose. The South American coatis (Nasua nasua), recognized as synanthropic species in Brazil, have raised increasing concerns due to their cohabitation with humans, especially in recreational settings such as parks, where the potential for zoonotic disease transmission is heightened. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a minimally invasive sterilization method for female South American coatis, employing tubal ligation via mini-laparotomy. A total of nine females were selected for this procedure, which was performed in both an ecological park and a zoo setting. The techniques employed involved either the application of titanium hemostatic clips (n = 2) or a nylon suture (n = 7). The results demonstrated that the nylon suture technique was not only quicker (12.7 ± 1.7 vs. 47.5 ± 2.5 min) and more cost-effective but also maintained effective contraception. There were no recorded instances of pregnancy among the sterilized females, whether they were later exposed to males in captivity or recaptured in the wild. Furthermore, the procedure did not alter the social dynamics or sexual behaviors of the coatis upon their return to their natural habitat. The methods used in this study were proven to be safe, enabling quick recovery and showing no post-surgical complications, highlighting their viability for managing populations of synanthropic species in urban environments.

Simple SummaryAnteaters are insectivores, consuming diets consisting primarily of termites and ants in the wild; therefore, feeding them under human care has been a challenge and frequently leads to nutritional disorders. Through analysis of free-ranging giant anteaters’ stomach content, the findings of this study provide valuable information for optimizing anteater nutrition in zoological institutions and rehabilitation centers causing a significant impact on the welfare of the species.Using the stomach contents of 24 wild road-killed giant anteaters as proxies for their diet, we found that estimated wild diets were much lower in calcium (about ten times less) and phosphorus compared with manufactured feeds commonly fed to anteaters under human care. Indicators of soil consumption, such as ash, iron, and manganese were higher in the stomach contents than in either wild termites or manufactured diets, likely due to high levels of soil ingestion during feeding in the wild. Protein and fat levels in insects, stomach contents, and commercial diets all met carnivore recommendations. Both giant anteaters and tamanduas in managed care often develop hypercalcemia, perhaps because these taxa have an enhanced ability to retain calcium allowing them to survive on such low calcium diets. Results from this study indicate that, for anteaters in managed care, it is important to keep dietary calcium and vitamins D and K within recommended levels to prevent nutritional diseases such as hyper- and hypocalcemia and vitamin K deficiency.