Abstract
Iron Overload Disorder (IOD) is a syndrome developed by captive browsing rhinoceroses like black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis), in which hemosiderosis develops in vital organs while free iron accumulates in the body, potentially predisposing to various secondary diseases. Captive grazing species like white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum) do not seem to be affected. The authors hypothesized that inflammation and oxidative stress may be implicated in the pathogenesis of IOD in captive black rhinoceroses, making this syndrome a potential common denominator to various diseases described in captivity in this species. In this prospective study, 15 black (BR) and 29 white rhinoceroses (WR) originating from 22 European zoos were blood-sampled and compared for their iron status (serum iron), liver/muscle biochemical parameters (AST, GGT, cholesterol), inflammatory status (total proteins, protein electrophoresis) and oxidative stress markers (SOD, GPX, dROMs). Results showed higher serum iron and liver enzyme levels in black rhinoceroses (P < 0.01), as well as higher dROMs (P < 0.01) and a trend for higher GPX (P = 0.06) levels. The albumin/globulin ratio was lower in black rhinoceroses (P < 0.05) due to higher α2-globulin levels (P < 0.001). The present study suggests a higher inflammatory and oxidative profile in captive BR than in WR, possibly in relation to iron status. This could be either a consequence or a cause of iron accumulation. Further investigations are needed to assess the prognostic value of the inflammatory and oxidative markers in captive black rhinoceroses, particularly for evaluating the impact of reduced-iron and antioxidant-supplemented diets.
Highlights
Black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis, BR) are browsers found in eastern and southern Africa
The authors hypothesized that inflammation and oxidative stress may be implicated in the pathogenesis of Iron Overload Disorder (IOD) in captive BR, making this syndrome a potential common denominator to various diseases described in captivity in this species
Findings of the present study suggest that captive Black Rhinoceroses exhibit higher iron concentrations, higher inflammatory status and higher oxidative stress levels than captive White Rhinoceroses
Summary
Black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis, BR) are browsers found in eastern and southern Africa. Ex situ conservation of BR in zoological institutions remains challenging because captive individuals develop several diseases not described in wild BR [3], including hemolytic anemia, hepatopathy, ulcerative dermatopathy and Iron Overload Disorder (IOD). The latter is a syndrome that is being exponentially described in captive BR [4,5,6,7], but is not reported in wild BR [4,8,9,10] nor in grazer rhinoceroses such as white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum, WR), whether they be captive or wild. The main hypothesis to explain captive BR’s susceptibility to iron accumulation is a discrepancy between the natural diet and the diets fed in captivity, which may lead to increased availability of iron in the latter [6,11,13,14,15,16]
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