Monitoring_Lynx-lynx-carpathicus

4. Posudzovanie zdravotného stavu a genetika / Health screening and genetics________________________________________________________________________________________Causes of death of lynx in Switzerland are oftenof non-infectious origin, especially traffic accidents(Ryser-Degiorgis 2009b). However, infectiousdiseases are regularly recorded and are likely to beunder-represented in the investigated material.These infections include sarcoptic mange (Fig. 3),bacterial infections following traumatic injuriessuch as bites or gunshot wounds and, lessfrequently, viral diseases such as canine distemper.Diseases of non-infectious origin also includecongenital malformations, mainly diagnosed inlynx orphans. Furthermore, histological heartlesions consisting of arteriosclerosis and myocardfibrosis have been regularly observed, mostly withunclear relevance to the health status of theanimal, but in some cases also as the cause of heartfailure and death. The occurrence of moderate tosevere lesions has been recorded mainly in adultmales from the Alpine lynx population, and agenetic origin of these lesions is suspected.Results of lynx health surveillance inSwitzerland have underlined the usefulness of asample archive. Such a collection allows theinvestigation of a large number of samplescollected over a long period of time once newquestions arise. This is highly valuable toinvestigate the emerging character of apparently“new” diseases or infectious agents and to assessthe emergence of inbreeding depression. Detailedrecords of captures and anaesthesia procedureshave also contributed to the improvement ofcapture methods and preventive measures aimedat decreasing the risks of capture. For example, therisk of hypothermia has to be taken seriously inwinter, and the risk of hyperthermia needs to beconsidered during transport.From a strategic viewpoint, three componentsof health surveillance seem to be particularlyimportant: 1) long-term data and samplecollection; 2) a combination of several approaches(clinical examinations, pathology, laboratory tests,health observations from photo-trapping;examination of marked animals and of those foundby chance; examination of diseased and “healthy”animals such as victims of traffic accidents, whichcan be used as controls); 3) harmonization of datacollection over time and between study areas (tobe able to compare data). For the lynx populationin Slovakia, representing a previous and futuresource for reintroductions, it would be particularlyimportant to be able to carry out comparisonsbetween populations in the future, for exampleconcerning the potential emergence of inbreedingdepression in reintroduced populations, such asthe heart lesions observed in lynx in Switzerland.From a methodical point of view, too, a numberof points need to be considered: 1) For successfulcarcass collection, it is often necessary to makecompromises between the submitters’ needs andresearch needs (e.g. submission of carcasseswithout skin and head), to minimize the costs andeffort required from the submitters, and to givethem feedback; 2) for efficient data collection, it isimportant: to use standardized protocols anddatasheets; to keep detailed records of allinvestigations (necropsies, clinical examinations,anaesthesia); to organize a document archive andsample archive; and to use an electronic database;3) for obtaining a broad spectrum of information,it is essential to collaborate with differentspecialists in laboratories and in the field.Finally, once a certain amount of data has beencollected, it is essential to perform data analysesand adapt protocols as appropriate. Overall, theaim is to carry out adaptive management based onscientific data (Fig. 4).To facilitate the implementation of a lynx healthsurveillance program in Slovakia, protocols havebeen proposed (see Appendices) anddemonstrations of necropsies, data and samplecollection have been performed. Furthermore,several recommendations have been formulated.The next steps to be achieved include: theorganization/promotion of carcass collection,including lynx killed in traffic accidents; thedevelopment/adaptation of protocols anddatasheets; the setting up of necropsy procedures;the establishment of a database and organizationof a document/data archive; the organization of asample archive; the regular organization ofmeetings with goal-setting and deadlines, theformulation of agreements and documentation ofminutes.________________________________________________________________________________________Monitoring Lynx lynx carpathicus, Rigg & Kubala (2015) 66