title: Field immobilization for treatment of an unknown illness in a wild chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) at Gombe National Park, Tanzania: findings, challenges, and lessons learned.
abstract: Infectious diseases are widely presumed to be one of the greatest threats to ape conservation in the wild. Human diseases are of particular concern, and the costs and benefits of human presence in protected areas with apes are regularly debated. While numerous syndromes with fatal outcomes have recently been described, precise identification of pathogens remains difficult. These diagnostic difficulties are compounded by the fact that direct veterinary intervention on wild apes is quite rare. Here we present the unique case of a wild chimpanzee at Gombe National Park that was observed with a severe illness and was subsequently examined and treated in the field. Multiple specimens were collected and tested with the aim of identifying the pathogen responsible for the illness. Our findings represent the first extensive screening of a living wild chimpanzee, yet despite our efforts, the cause and source of illness remain unknown. Nevertheless, our findings represent valuable baseline data for the ape conservation community and for comparison with other recent findings. In addition, we present the case here to demonstrate the planning required and multiple types of expertise necessary to maximize the amount of data obtained from such a rare intervention, and to provide lessons learned for future studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Franklin and Marshall College, P.O. Box 3003, Lancaster, PA, 17604, USA, elizabeth.lonsdorf@fandm.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lonsdorf
authors.forename: Dominic
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Travis
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ssuna
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lantz
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gamble
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Terio
authors.forename: Fabian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leendertz
authors.forename: Bernhard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ehlers
authors.forename: Brandon
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Keele
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pond
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Raphael
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Collins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018420:Ape Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis / Q000662:veterinary; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D007103:Immobilization / Q000662:veterinary; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D007649:Ketamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008124:Locomotion; D008297:Male; D002679:Pan troglodytes; D013636:Tanzania; D014743:Videotape Recording
chemical_list: D007649:Ketamine