Abstract
BackgroundA sudden decline of the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) population in one of the best hunting districts for small game species in northern Germany, the German North-Sea island Pellworm, in the years 2007/08 following marked habitat changes led to the implementation of a thorough health assessment program of the population. 110 animals were collected during the normal hunting season in the years 2010 and 2011. A post-mortem examination and histopathological investigation was performed on all animals. Additionally, routine bacteriology of the small intestine and parasitology were carried out. Sera of hares were tested for European Brown Hare Syndrome (EBHS) by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, and for Treponema sp. by indirect immunofluorescent test. Additional testing was performed when deemed necessary.ResultsThe most striking result was a shift in the intestinal bacterial flora towards Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae with a predominance of either Escherichia coli, or Aeromonas sp., or a high-grade double-infection with these two pathogens with subsequent catarrhal enteritis. Additionally, a marked coccidiosis, and varying infestations with the nematode Trichostrongylus retortaeformis were found. The sero-prevalence for EBHS was 78.1%, and for Treponema 43.9%.ConclusionsThe shift and decrease in diversity of the intestinal flora was the main and most consistent result found. In the authors’ opinion the change of the habitat combined with other stressors increased the animals’ sensitivity to ubiquitous bacterial species and parasites which usually would not have such fatal effects.
Highlights
A sudden decline of the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) population in one of the best hunting districts for small game species in northern Germany, the German North-Sea island Pellworm, in the years 2007/08 following marked habitat changes led to the implementation of a thorough health assessment program of the popu‐ lation. 110 animals were collected during the normal hunting season in the years 2010 and 2011
Diseases have been identified to have a high impact on the mortality [10]. These include amongst others the European Brown Hare Syndrome (EBHS), a highly contagious viral disease with a reported mortality across Europe varying between 4 and 56% [11]
We report the findings of a thorough health assessment including necropsy, histopathology, parasitology, bacteriology, serology and further analysis (PCR, special stains for histology) when deemed necessary of a free-ranging island population of European brown hares
Summary
A sudden decline of the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) population in one of the best hunting districts for small game species in northern Germany, the German North-Sea island Pellworm, in the years 2007/08 following marked habitat changes led to the implementation of a thorough health assessment program of the popu‐ lation. 110 animals were collected during the normal hunting season in the years 2010 and 2011. The European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) is one of the most important game animal species in Central Europe. Diseases have been identified to have a high impact on the mortality [10]. These include amongst others the European Brown Hare Syndrome (EBHS), a highly contagious viral disease with a reported mortality across Europe varying between 4 and 56% [11]. Pasteurellosis, known as haemorrhagic septicemia, is caused by Pasteurella multocida It is a very common bacterium in compromised animals the disease can lead to death within 12–48 h [12]. One of the most important causes of death in hares, with an increase in colder months, is pseudotuberculosis caused by pathogenic strains of the genus Yersinia [13, 14]
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