Causes of mortality in free-living Mauritian pink pigeons Columba mayeri, 2002–2006

Abstract

ESR Endangered Species Research Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout the JournalEditorsSpecials ESR 9:213-220 (2008) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00088 Causes of mortality in free-living Mauritian pink pigeons Columba mayeri, 2002–2006 Nancy Bunbury1,2,5,*, Mark F. Stidworthy3, Andrew G. Greenwood3, Carl G. Jones2,4, Shiva Sawmy2, Ruth E. Cole2, Kelly Edmunds1,2, Diana J. Bell1 1Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK 2Mauritian Wildlife Foundation, Grannum Road, Vacoas, Mauritius 3International Zoo Veterinary Group, Keighley Business Centre, South Street, Keighley, W. Yorkshire BD21 1AG, UK 4Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès Manor, Trinity, Jersey JE3 5BP, Channel Islands, UK 5Present address: Seychelles Islands Foundation, La Ciotat Building, Mont Fleuri, PO Box 853, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles *Corresponding author: Email: mahmood@nova.edu ABSTRACT: With disease playing an often unknown role in populations of endangered species, necropsy studies are an important component of conservation management programmes. In the present study, we investigate causes of mortality in the free-living population of endangered pink pigeons Columba mayeri, endemic to Mauritius. Fifty carcasses of free-living pink pigeons were found over a 5 yr period between January 2002 and December 2006. Causes of mortality and other post-mortem findings are reported for 43 of these birds, which were aged between 6 wk and 15 yr. The protozoan disease trichomonosis was the most common cause of death, with 22 (52%) freshly dead birds identified as dying from this disease. Four birds were suspected to have been killed by introduced mammalian predators, 4 died as the result of an impact injury and most of the remaining birds either died of unknown causes or the carcasses were too decomposed for necropsy. Our study highlights trichomonad protozoal infections as an important mortality factor in post-fledging pink pigeons in recent years. A number of other novel or rarely described parasites are also identified, highlighting the relative paucity of knowledge on background levels of parasitism in free-living endangered species. KEY WORDS: Conservation management · Disease · Mauritius · Necropsy · Predation · Trichomonosis Full text in pdf format PreviousNextCite this article as: Bunbury N, Stidworthy MF, Greenwood AG, Jones CG and others (2008) Causes of mortality in free-living Mauritian pink pigeons Columba mayeri, 2002–2006. Endang Species Res 9:213-220. https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00088Export citation Mail this link - Contents Mailing Lists - RSS Facebook - Tweet - linkedIn Cited by Published in ESR Vol. 9, No. 3. Online publication date: April 23, 2008 Print ISSN: 1863-5407; Online ISSN: 1613-4796 Copyright © 2008 Inter-Research.