title: Diseases and mortality in free-ranging brown bear (Ursus arctos), gray wolf (Canis lupus), and wolverine (Gulo gulo) in Sweden.
abstract: Ninety-eight brown bears (Ursus arctos), 20 gray wolves (Canis lupus), and 27 wolverines (Gulo gulo), all free-ranging, were submitted to the National Veterinary Institute, Uppsala, Sweden, during 1987-2001 for investigation of diseases and causes of mortality. The most common cause of natural death in brown bears was infanticide. Infanticide also was observed in wolverines but not in wolves. Traumatic injuries, originating from road or railway accidents, were the most common cause of death in wolves and occurred occasionally in brown bears. Most wolverines were submitted as forensic cases in which illegal hunting/poaching was suspected. Sarcoptic mange was observed in several wolves but not in brown bears or wolverines. Sarcoptic mange most likely was acquired from infected red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) that were killed by wolves. Other parasites and infectious diseases were only found sporadically.
authors.affiliation: Department of Wildlife, National Veterinary Institute, SE-751 89 Uppsala, Sweden. torsten.morner@sva.se
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mörner
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Eriksson
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bröjer
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uhlhorn
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Agren
authors.forename: Carl Hård
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: af Segerstad
authors.forename: Désirée S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Jansson
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gavier-Widén
mesh_terms: D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000835:Animals, Wild; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005589:Foxes / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D045969:Mustelidae / Q000293:injuries; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012532:Scabies / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000635:transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D001503:Ursidae / Q000293:injuries; D019596:Wolves / Q000293:injuries; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000662:veterinary