title: Hematology and blood chemistry parameters differ in free-ranging maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) living in the Serra da Canastra National Park versus adjacent farmlands, Brazil.
abstract: There has been growing interest in the specific impacts of anthropogenic factors on the health of wildlife. This study examined hematology and serum chemistry status of a prominent carnivore, the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), living in, on the boundaries to, or on adjacent farmlands to the Serra da Canastra National Park, Brazil. Twenty-eighty wolves were captured, and values were compared 1) between subadults (n=8 animals) and adults (n=20 animals), 2) males (n=12 animals) and females (n=16 animals), and 3) among wolves living inside the park (n=11), near the park border (n=11 animals), and in neighboring farming areas (n=6 animals). Age, gender, and wolf locations influenced (P<0.05) hematology and serum biochemistry values. Specifically, adults had lower (P<0.05) circulating phosphorus than subadults. Males had lower (P<0.05) serum glucose, creatinine phosphokinase, and cholesterol and higher (P<0.05) potassium than females. Erythrocyte count and serum cholinesterase were lower (P<0.05) in wolves living within the park compared with near the park border or on farmlands. Mean corpuscular volume was lower (P<0.05) in wolves living near the park border than those ranging within the park and on farmlands. Aspartate transaminase and chloride were higher (P<0.05) in wolves living inside the park compared with those ranging near the park border. Creatinine phosphokinase was lower (P<0.05) in wolves living on farmland compared with the other two locations. These results clearly reveal a relationship between age and gender on hematology and serum biochemistry values in free-living maned wolves. More importantly, certain traits indicative of health are potentially compromised in wolves living in areas under anthropogenic pressure. These data lay a foundation for examining the influence of farming and local domestic species on disease susceptibility and fitness in the maned wolf.
authors.affiliation: Projeto Lobo-Guará, Instituto Pró-Carnívoros, Sã o Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: May-Júnior
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Songsasen
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.forename: F H G
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rodden
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Wildt
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Morato
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000097:blood; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000662:veterinary*; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary*; D001938:Brazil; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012737:Sex Factors; D019596:Wolves / Q000097:blood*