title: Mortality factors and diseases in free-ranging Eurasian cranes (Grus grus) in Germany.
abstract: Detailed postmortem examinations were performed on 167 free-ranging Eurasian Cranes (Grus grus) from Germany, collected between September 1998 and December 2008 to evaluate causes of death and diseases. The most common causes of mortality were traumatic injuries (n=105, 62.9%) from collisions with power lines (n=39, 23.4%) and wire fences (n=12, 7.2%). A group of 28 Eurasian Cranes (16.8%) died from organophosphate intoxication. Predation by White-tailed Sea Eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) occurred in four cases (2.4%). Pathologic changes due to infectious diseases were associated with Aspergillus spp. (n=7, 4.2%), endoparasites (n=7, 4.2%), avian poxvirus (n=6, 3.6%), Mycobacterium spp. (n=2, 1.2%), and adenovirus infection (n=1, 0.6%). A severe Strigea spp. infection (n=1, 0.6%) and a leiomyosarcoma (n=1, 0.6%) were newly recognized diseases in Eurasian Cranes in this study.
authors: Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
authors: Jane
authors: J
authors: Fanke
authors: Gudrun
authors: G
authors: Wibbelt
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Krone
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000293:injuries; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary; D001715:Bird Diseases / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D001717:Birds / Q000293:injuries*; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010273:Parasitic Diseases, Animal / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011041:Poisoning / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*