Assessment of organochlorine pesticides and metals in ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) at Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve, Madagascar.
Like most of Madagascar's endemic primates, ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) face a number of threats to their survival. Although habitat loss is of greatest concern, other anthropogenic factors including environmental contamination may also affect lemur health and survival. In this study, we examined ring-tailed lemurs from the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR), southern Madagascar for exposure to organochlorine (OC) pesticides and metals and examined differences in contaminant concentrations between sexes and among age groups, troops, and habitats. A total of 14 pesticides and 13 metals was detected in lemur blood (24 individuals) and hair (65 individuals) samples, respectively. p,p'-DDT, heptachlor, aldrin, heptachlor epoxide, endrin aldehyde, and endrin were among the most prevalent pesticides detected. Surprisingly, the persistent metabolite of p,p'-DDT, p,p'-DDE, was not detected. The most commonly detected metals were aluminum, zinc, boron, phosphorus, silicon, and copper, whereas metals considered more hazardous to wildlife (e.g. arsenic, cadmium, lead, selenium, vanadium) were not found above detection limits. Overall, concentrations of OC pesticides and metals were low and similar to those considered to be background concentrations in other studies examining the ecotoxicology of wild mammals. Few inter-sex, -age, -troop, and -habitat differences in contaminant concentrations were observed, suggesting a uniform distribution of contaminants within the reserve. Several statistically significant relationships between lemur body size and contaminant concentrations were observed, but owing to the lack of supportive data regarding contaminant exposure in wild primates, the biological significance of these findings remains uncertain. Results of this study document exposure of ring-tailed lemurs at BMSR to multiple OC pesticides and metals and provide essential baseline data for future health and toxicological evaluations of lemurs and other wild primates, especially those in regions with expanding agricultural and mining operations.
Rainwater
Thomas R
TR
Department of Environmental Toxicology, The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA. trrainwater@gmail.com
Sauther
Michelle L
ML
Rainwater
Katherine A E
KA
Mills
Rachel E
RE
Cuozzo
Frank P
FP
Zhang
Baohong
B
McDaniel
Les N
LN
Abel
Michael T
MT
Marsland
Eric J
EJ
Weber
Martha A
MA
Youssouf Jacky
Ibrahim Antho
IA
Platt
Steven G
SG
Cobb
George P
GP
Anderson
Todd A
TA
D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D007900:Lemur / Q000097:blood*; D008270:Madagascar; D008297:Male; D008670:Metals / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism
D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D008670:Metals; D010575:Pesticides