Livestock Carcasses Research Articles

Carnivore space use shifts in response to seasonal resource availability

AbstractEstimating spatial and temporal resource use and partitioning among carnivore species varies based on life history and is critical to understanding ecological relationships of sympatric carnivores and their prey. Temporal variation in food availability can have a substantial influence on distribution, foraging behavior, prey selection, and population dynamics of carnivores. We investigated shifts in space use of black bears (Ursus americanus), bobcats (Lynx rufus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and gray wolves (C. lupus) in response to seasonal availability of white‐tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) fawns in Michigan,USA, May–August 2009–2011. We used generalized linear mixed models to identify whether probabilistic fawn space use resulted in shifts in carnivore space use from deer pre‐parturition (PPP, 1 May–24 May) to fawn limited mobility (LMP, 25 May–30 June) and social mobility (SMP, 1 July–31 August) periods. We developed a rule‐based algorithm to identify “clusters” of carnivoreGPSlocations and investigated carnivore clusters to identify fawn predation sites. Carnivores shifted space use among periods, but responses varied among species regarding fawn space use. Black bears selected against areas with greater fawn use duringLMPand selected areas with greater fawn use duringSMP. We suggest black bear space use was unrelated to fawn space use and reflected availability of vegetative forage. Bobcats selected areas with greater fawn use duringLMPandSMP. Coyotes were indifferent to areas where fawns occurred duringLMPbut selected against areas with greater fawn use duringSMP, likely foraging on alternative prey. Coyotes were spatially constrained by wolves, selecting against areas with greater wolf use duringLMPandSMP. Wolves selected against areas with greater fawn use duringLMPandSMPand selected areas near habitat edges and areas containing livestock carcasses. Carnivore responses to fawn white‐tailed deer distribution and vulnerability were congruent with life history strategies, resulting in space use shifts in response to temporarily abundant resources. Carnivores did not overall rely predominantly on fawns, likely shifting their space use to maximize intake of other seasonal resources. These events provide additional insight into life history strategies among co‐occurring species and dynamics of multi‐species predator–prey systems.

Do Red Foxes (Vulpes Vulpes) Increase the Detectability of Scent Marks by Selecting Highly Conspicuous Substrates

In mammals, especially those that are nocturnal or crepuscular, chemical marks usually play a significant role as environmental labels. Scent marks in mammals can have many functions, including territorial defense and communication signals in the mating season. Furthermore, animals can increase the detectability of marks by selecting highly conspicuous locations and substrates on which to mark, such as stones and sticks, on or around faeces, other animal carcasses, anthropogenic features, and plants. Human-carnivore interactions can result in a conflict where perceived damage to livelihoods occurs in socio-economically poor areas. In the Shigar Valley, Karakorum Range, Pakistan, subsistence mixed farming is the predominant land use and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are widely persecuted. Understanding the effects of human activity and habitat factors on fox behaviors in the region are lacking. We used line transect surveys aided by a domestic dog (Canis familiaris) to detect fox faeces locations and characterize fox den form 2015-16-17. We encountered 467 fox scats by dog assistance. We tested for associations between scent deposition, and environmental variables including vegetation and substrate type, distribution of livestock carcasses and dung, roads and agricultural land at micro-habitat. We found more fox scats on aromatic plants, shrubs, and on or near livestock feaces and carcasses. Fox scent marking site selection varied for forested and shrub areas relative to open grassland or barren ground and vegetation cover and tree density at the microhabitat scale. The findings suggest that foxes do not avoid human activity per se and anthropogenic benefits (road kill, livestock carrion, crop food sources) may outweigh the costs of persecution. Foxes may also provide ecosystem benefits via seed dispersal, carrion removal and regulation of prey populations.

Time to monitor livestock carcasses for biodiversity conservation and public health

Abstract Law enforcement and integration of environmental issues into other policies able to affect species and ecosystems are cornerstones for the effective protection of biodiversity. We illustrate the necessity of monitoring and improving such enforcement and integration through the example of the European sanitary policies for managing livestock carcasses after the “mad cow disease” outbreak while supporting scavengers’ conservation. Continuous updates of EU sanitary regulations for reconciling scavenger conservation and public health have led to actions whose implementation and monitoring rely on delineating scavenger feeding zones and estimating livestock mortality and scavenger feeding requirements (SFRs). However, the lack of clear and homogeneous criteria to calculate SFRs results in remarkable variations (e.g. of up to >450% in some regions). Although we offer a prospective approach to improve SFR calculations, we show here the high levels of uncertainty in these estimates based on the imperfect information available regarding scavengers’ ecology. Synthesis and applications. The multiple socioeconomic and ecological impacts of sanitary crises such as “mad cow disease” underpin the need for high‐level political commitments to guarantee public health, food security and biodiversity conservation. To effectively integrate scavenger conservation into sanitary policies, the shortfalls here detected when estimating scavenger feeding requirements should be addressed. We recommend policymakers establish systematic on‐ground carcass monitoring for detecting implementation gaps (e.g. food shortages compromising scavenger conservation, potential risks of disease transmission), and to modify EU sanitary regulations accordingly. This monitoring would increase knowledge on scavenging ecology and epidemiological surveillance while enhancing cross‐compliance. Lessons learned in Europe may help to integrate conservation issues into other sectorial policies worldwide.

Q fever presenting as miliary pneumonia: Case imagery and differential diagnosis

CASE/IMAGERY DESCRIPTION: A 56-year-old immunocompetent male consulted for one month of relapsing fever, moderate dyspnea, nonproductive cough, headaches, and myalgias. Past medical history was unremarkable except for exposure to a variety of livestock carcasses. A computed tomographic scan revealed innumerable randomly distributed 1–3 mm micronodules. Initial diagnostic workup including bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was inconclusive.STUDY QUESTIONS: Is this miliary pneumonia? What diagnosis must initially be considered? In this specific case with negative BAL analysis/cultures, what would your differential diagnosis be? Is Q fever a possibility?

Watanabe Toshiya

Watanabe Toshiya Kakishima Takashi (bio) It is well known that the bubble economy began at the end of the Shōwa era (1926–89), collapsed shortly after the dawn of the Heisei era (1989–2019), and was then followed by a long period of stagnation referred to as Japanese society’s “lost 20 years.” The Great East Japan Earthquake occurred soon after the passing of these two decades, in 2011. In the immediate aftermath of the disaster, the Japanese media was flooded with stimulating and easy-to-understand images such as “abandoned livestock carcasses,” “a single flower in the rubble,” and “a miracle pine tree that survived the tsunami”—images that were easy to verbalize and used to illustrate predetermined narratives. This “populism of images” provided viewers with temporary excitement—consuming them and bringing their thoughts to a standstill—yet were eventually forgotten. Watanabe Toshiya (1966-) has been photographing his hometown of Namie in Fukushima prefecture since the disaster. Jun. 12. 2011 “Seven-Eleven” Minamisoma, Fukushima is one of the pictures Watanabe took during the eighteen months following the disaster, when the whole of Namie was still designated as an off-limits area, except for certain residents, due to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. This photograph of “a person in a white protective suit with his or her upper body in a black car parked in a parking lot” is difficult to understand, to say the least. It conveys, in a slow manner, a sense of the unusual, or more precisely, the fact that the ordinary has been lost. Instead of providing the viewer with a visual, easy-to-understand shock, the photograph encourages us to keep looking at it and thinking about it. The convenience store in the background is apparently not open. A closed convenience store would have been a rare sight. The white curtains and newspaper that cover the windows of the closed convenience store, together with the white protective suit, may be the reason for the unusual feelings that this quiet photograph elicits. Operating 24 hours a day with dazzling in-store lighting, convenience stores are [End Page 96] Click for larger view View full resolution Watanabe Toshiya, Jun. 12. 2011 “Seven-Eleven” Minamisoma, Fukushima, 2011. From the series 18 months. © Watanabe Toshiya. Courtesy of POETIC SCAPE. [End Page 97] a true symbol of Japan’s convenient society. In recent years however, convenience stores have oversaturated society, and in 2019, for the first time ever, the number of stores will fall below the previous year’s level. The profits of individual stores are declining and as the work environment for workers worsens, the iconic 24-hour service of convenience is finally beginning to be reconsidered. Meanwhile, the electricity that the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant produced mainly supplied the metropolitan area of Tokyo. I am ashamed to admit that I was not aware of this fact until after the earthquake. The convenience that I took for granted was premised on someone else’s sacrifice. Various social problems that had accumulated over the course of the Shōwa era did not suddenly disappear like the bubble economy, but rather came to the fore during the Heisei era. One of the problems, I believe, is a distortion of society that is the result of the relentless pursuit of affluence and convenience. The problems that were finally revealed in the Heisei era will hopefully be addressed in the Reiwa era (2019-), and we must continue our efforts to correct them. Even after compiling 18 months, Watanabe has continued to photograph his hometown of Fukushima. [End Page 98] Kakishima Takashi (Founder/Director of POETIC SCAPE) Kakishima Takashi Kakishima Takashi is the Founder and Director of the gallery POETIC SCAPE. Since its opening in 2011, he has curated a number of exhibitions of both established and emerging artists, including Moriyama Daidō, Nomura Hiroshi, and Watanabe Toshiya. He has also been a part-time lecturer at Kyoto University of Art since 2017. In 2019, he was invited as a guest curator to the Belfast Photo Festival in Northern Ireland to give a lecture on “truth in Japanese photography.” (Gallery website: www.poetic-scape.com/) Copyright © 2019 Josai University Educational Corporation...

Treatment of livestock carcasses in soil using Corynebacterium glutamicum and lysosomal application to livestock burial.

A method of rapidly decaying livestock carcasses is sought through Corine glutamicum, and furthermore, lysosomes are used to remove toxic microorganisms from livestock carcasses. The landfill was constructed on a laboratory scale. Optimized growth conditions of C. glutamicum that could quickly decay livestock carcasses were determined. Lysosomes were extracted from egg whites and used to treat contaminated soil to confirm their antimicrobial activities. Condition of C. glutamicum was activated, regardless both anaerobic and aerobic conditions, soil exists and, to be close to the optimum conditions as possible temperatures, moisture content was about 1/10 of the culture. Lysosomes were found to be effective in clearing soil contamination. C. glutamicum can accelerate the decay of livestock carcasses. A combination of C. glutamicum and lysomes could be used to treat soil contamination caused by decomposition of livestock.

Shepherds' local knowledge and scientific data on the scavenging ecosystem service: Insights for conservation.

Integrating indigenous and local knowledge (ILK) and scientific knowledge (SK) in the evaluation of ecosystem services has been recommended by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. We examined the similarities and contradictions between shepherds' ILK and SK on the scavenging service provided by vertebrates in Spain. We conducted 73 face-to-face surveys with shepherds to evaluate their ILK. We collected scientific information on 20 scavenger species by monitoring the consumption of 45 livestock carcasses with camera traps. We found a high consistency between ILK and SK regarding the provision of the scavenging service by vertebrates, which was also consistent over the range of shepherd ages and experience. Our findings support the importance of ILK held by shepherds to better understand and to collect information on the scavenging service, particularly at the species level. The integration of ILK and SK into the management strategies of scavengers can benefit the conservation of globally endangered scavengers and the ecosystem services they provide.

Supplementary feeding stations for conservation of vultures could be an important source of monophasic Salmonella typhimurium 1,4,[5],12:i:-

Vultures are nature's most successful scavengers, feeding on the carcasses of dead animals present in the field. Availability of domestic carrion has been unstable due to rapidly changing agro-grazing economies and increasing sanitary regulations that may require burial or burning of livestock carcasses. Thus, several griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus) recoveries are based on European legislation that guarantees the animals' welfare, avoids intense persecution of the vultures and allows the feeding of threatened wildlife in supplementary feeding stations (SFS). However, in recent years, many studies have speculated on the likelihood that avian scavengers may be infected by feeding on pig carcasses at SFS from intensive livestock. In this context, the present study evaluated whether free-living griffon vultures and pig farms share zoonotic Salmonella strains to test the hypothesis that vulture are infected during consumption of carcasses provided at SFS. Here, the occurrence, serotypes and genomic DNA fingerprinting (phage typing and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis) of isolated strains were carried out in griffon vultures and pig farms authorised to provided carcasses at SFS in Castellón province (eastern Spain). The bacteriological analyses revealed that 21.1% of vultures and 14.5% for pig farms samples tested were Salmonella-positive. Monophasic S. typhimurium 1,4,[5],12:i:- was the most frequently isolated serovar. Comparison of Salmonella strains isolated from vultures and pig farms revealed that monophasic S. typhimurium 1,4,[5],12:i:-, S. Derby and S. Rissen strains were highly genetically homogeneous (similar DNA fingerprint). In conclusion, the current study indicates that free-living griffon vultures and pig farms that provide the carcasses at SFS share several zoonotic Salmonella strains. On this basis, and although transmission could be bidirectional, our result seems to corroborate the pig carcasses-to-vulture transmission and cross-infection at SFS. As an immediate Salmonella control strategy in wild avian scavengers, we suggest the implementation of a programme to guarantee that solely pig carcasses from Salmonella-free farms arrive at SFS.

Effect of water, fat, and protein in raw pork from swine carcasses on the pyrolytic gaseous and liquid product distribution

Pyrolysis is an effective way to dispose livestock carcasses. Pork is selected as meat from a representative carcass and the effect of its components (water, fat and protein) on the gaseous and liquid pyrolytic product distribution is investigated. Water has a significant influence on the amount of gaseous products formed, and its presence in raw pork (RP) leads to greater CO, H2, and CH4 yields through the steam gasification and steam reforming reactions. In addition, the presence of water results in higher conversion of N containing compounds into NH3, rather than HCN. Tar yields were mostly determined by the products obtained from the pyrolysis of fat, which include compounds derived from the cracking, decarboxylation, and decarbonylation of long chain fatty acids. The decomposition of protein led to the formation of small molecules like NH3, HCN, and phenols. In addition, protein and fat pyrolysis products react to form long chain amides and nitriles, increasing the tar yield. More toxic heterocyclic compounds are obtained in pyrolytic tar through the cyclisation of long chain hydrocarbons and nitriles under higher temperatures.

Diet composition of a Newly Recognized Canid Species, the African Golden Wolf (Canis anthus), in Northern Algeria

We analysed the diet composition of a recently recognized species, the African golden wolf (Canis anthus), in the Tlemcen Hunting Reserve in Algeria by means of scat analysis. A total of 246 scat samples were collected from the study area. Prey items found in the faeces were assigned to species or higher-ranked taxa using identification guides and our collection of hair samples from the reserve. We were able to identify 34 food items including wild and domestic animals, fruits, leaves, soil and organic waste. Animal remains represented 84.8% of the biomass consumed by the African golden wolf, while plant remains constituted 15.2%. Prey species richness was the highest in summer with 23 different food items and the lowest in autumn with 17 items. Wild boar was the most important prey in the species' food spectrum within the reserve. Our results show the opportunistic resource use by the African golden wolf, with seasonal variation and a propensity for large-sized prey, including considerable amounts of livestock carcasses (24% of the total biomass), which underlines the importance of an effective wildlife management.

Oral mycoses in avian scavengers exposed to antibiotics from livestock farming

The exposure to antimicrobial pharmaceuticals as environmental contaminants can exert direct and indirect detrimental effects on health of wildlife. Fungal infections pose a major threat to domestic, captive-housed wild and free-ranging wild animals worldwide. However, little is known about their role in disease in birds in the wild. Here, we evaluated the incidence of thrush-like lesions in the oral cavity of wild nestling cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus), griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus), Egyptian vultures (Neophron percnopterus) and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos) exposed to veterinary antibiotics via the consumption of medicated livestock carcasses. Lesions, which varied in number, size and location, were more frequent in the cinereous (77.8%, n=9) and griffon vultures (66.7%, n=48) than in the Egyptian vultures (28.6%, n=21) and golden eagles (28.6%, n=7). In all individuals (100%, n=24) of a subsample of the affected nestlings, yeast species were isolated from thrush-like oral lesions and identified using a well-established system based on their carbohydrate assimilation profiles and other complementary tests. Fourteen yeast species from seven genera (Candida, Meyerozyma, Pichia, Yarrowia, Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula and Trichosporon) were isolated from the lesions of the four host species. We found differential infections and effects depending on host age-related exposure or susceptibility to different yeast species across the development of nestling griffon vultures. This unprecedented outbreak of oral mycoses is alarming because of the delicate conservation status of several of the affected species. The role of livestock antibiotics in the transition of yeast species from commensal to opportunistic pathogens should be evaluated in an attempt to avoid the detrimental effects of contamination and disease on host health, as well as on the transmission of fungal emerging pathogens among wildlife populations and species, and their dissemination across livestock and human populations.

Interspecific killing between wolves and golden jackals in Iran

Interspecific killing is a widespread phenomenon among mammalian carnivores; being common, for instance, within the canid guild. The canid guild in Hamadan province, west of Iran, comprises three species: the gray wolf Canis lupus pallipes, the golden jackal Canis aureus, and the red fox Vulpes vulpes. In this area, habitat transformation and agricultural land uses have significantly reduced wild prey populations. In search of food, members of the canid guild are often driven to human settlements. Due to inefficient waste management, the major source of food for canids here is anthropogenic food resources, such as livestock and pet carcasses, and domestic waste illegally dumped near poultry farms and rural areas. Here, we described one of the first reports in the literature of a case of interspecific killing between a wolf and a golden jackal. On June 13, 2016, a collared wolf (adult male) killed an adult jackal (adult male). Further studies are required to understand intraguild competition among red fox, golden jackals, and wolves in this area.

European policies on livestock carcasses management did not modify the foraging behavior of a threatened vulture

Policy decisions have the potential to affect biodiversity conservation and modify, among other factors, animal demography, behavior and ecological processes. This became manifest in Europe in the past decade in light of the appearance of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). However, the obvious effects of policy decisions on foraging behavior are lacking. Here, we use data from a long-term study (1992–2015) of the ecology of the bearded vulture Gypaetus barbatus in the Pyrenees to assess whether or not the implementation of health policies in the period 2006–2011 really did affect this vulture's foraging behavior and breeding success. To test this, we used the frequency of nest changeovers (between 1992 and 2015) as a surrogate for the time invested in searching for and obtaining food. Additionally, between 2006 and 2015 we monitored the movements of 20 bearded vultures with GPS satellite transmitters. Our findings show no differences between annual home range sizes and/or the time used to search for food either before, during or after the imposition of health regulations. No differences between periods (during or after health regulations) were found in the use of supplementary feeding sites (SFS). An analysis of food available indicates that this similarity of use in different periods could be explained by the high habitat quality in the Pyrenees and the good availability of trophic resources. Our results suggest that diet plasticity and habitat quality compensate for the sudden effects of food shortages and so question the true usefulness of SFS in buffering a quantitative food deficit. We discuss the implications of these results from both ecological and conservation perspectives.

Prevalence and Fertility Survey of Hydatid Cyst in Slaughtered Livestock in Hamadan Abattoir, Western Iran, 2015 - 2016

Background: Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a cosmopolitan zoonotic infection which is considered as a significant public health and economic concern. Livestock is the main intermediate host for Echinococcus granulosus. Objectives: This study was conducted to evaluate the prevalence and fertility rate of hydatid cyst among livestock in Hamadan area, western Iran. Methods: A total of 10626 livestock carcasses were examined through visual inspection in order to detect hydatid cyst in Hamadan industrial slaughterhouse, during 2015 - 2016. The viability and fertility of hydatid cyst were determined microscopically by flame cell activity and eosin dye uptake. Results: The carcasses, including 8684 sheep, 1110 goats and 832 cattle were inspected in order to detect hydatid cyst. An overall CE was detected in 3% of the inspected carcasses with a prevalence rate of 5.3% in cattle, 3% in sheep and 1% in goats (P < 0.001). The prevalence rate of infection in the females (2.7%) was more than males (0.3%) (P < 0.001). All of the infected animals were aged one year or more. The highest rate of infection in internal organs was found in the lungs (47.2%). The highest and the lowest fertility rate of hydatid cyst were observed in sheep (69.3%) and cattle (6.8%), respectively. The most of hydatid cysts which obtained from cattle (79.6%) were suppurative or calcified. Conclusions: This study shows that the prevalence rate of CE is considerable in the area and sheep appear to be the most important intermediate hosts for E. granulosus tapeworm.

Occurrence of veterinary pharmaceuticals in golden eagle nestlings: Unnoticed scavenging on livestock carcasses and other potential exposure routes

Wildlife exposure to pharmaceuticals can occur through contaminated water, and through the excreta and carcasses of medicated livestock, with potential for bioaccumulation and transfer through food webs. We evaluated whether nestling exposure to pharmaceuticals can occur from food delivered to nests in the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos), a top predator and facultative scavenger. Despite the fact that diet analysis suggests an apparently low dependence on livestock carcasses reduced to two piglets remains (1.5% of food remains, n=134), a high proportion of nestlings (71%, n=7) showed fluoroquinolone residues in plasma, mostly enrofloxacin, which is exclusively used in veterinary treatments. The occurrence and concentration (54.5±6.6μg·L−1) of fluoroquinolones in plasma was similar to those found in the nestlings of three vulture species largely dependent on livestock carcasses obtained at supplementary feeding stations, which are managed for the conservation of their populations. Although the number of analysed eaglets is comparatively small, the fact that enrofloxacin was found in all nests sampled in three breeding seasons suggest an exposure to the drugs similar to that of vultures. An underestimation of the role of carrion, especially from small piglets whose consumption may have gone unnoticed, and the predation of semi-domestic prey and generalist prey exploiting carcasses of medicated livestock, can contribute to explaining the unexpectedly high occurrence of these drugs in eaglets.

Supplementary feeding and endoparasites in threatened avian scavengers: Coprologic evidence from red kites in their wintering stronghold

Many obligate and facultative avian scavengers are increasingly dependent on food provided in supplementary feeding stations (SFS), which are managed for the conservation of these species. Deliberate feeding can influence disease-related host demography and population dynamics through physiological changes and density-dependent parasite acquisition and transmission, but information on this threat to avian scavengers is scarce. Due to their effects on host aggregation and density, we hypothesised that the predictability and concentration of food in SFS can exacerbate parasite infection. This hypothesis was tested by comparing the prevalence, richness, abundance and mixed infection of endoparasites (coccidia and helminths) in red kites Milvus milvus foraging on livestock carcasses (mostly of pigs and poultry) in overcrowded and confined conditions at SFS, relative to those foraging alone or in small groups on wild prey unevenly randomly distributed within large areas during winter, mostly wild rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). No clear differences were found between areas with and without SFS in the prevalence and abundance of oocyst of Eimeria. This coccidian genus appears to include parasites of the prey rather than the raptors, thus representing parasite transport or pseudo-parasitism rather than actual parasitism in the kites. A higher prevalence and richness of helminths, as well as mixed infections with several phyla, was found in kites exploiting SFS than in those feeding on wild prey in the area without SFS. The unsanitary conditions derived from the stack of livestock carcasses and the contamination of carrion with the faeces of multiple scavenger hosts can increase the accumulation and persistence of helminths eggs and intermediate hosts. The regular use and frequent confinement of large numbers of red kites at SFS can promote the spread of parasites to a large proportion of the European breeding population distributed across Spain during the winter. We encourage that carcasses of free roaming livestock can be left in the countryside, as well as the conservation management of wildlife exploited as food by red kites (especially wild rabbits), to attempt avoiding overcrowded and confined conditions at SFS. Further research is required to assess the impact of deliberate feeding on the spread of parasites and other disease agents in the threatened species SFS are intended to favour.

Antibiotic Resistance of Campylobacter Recovered from Faeces and Carcasses of Healthy Livestock.

Campylobacter is of major significance in food safety and human and veterinary medicine. This study highlighted resistance situation in the area of veterinary public health in Ghana. Using selective mCCDA agar, isolates were confirmed phenotypically on API CAMPY and genotypically by multiplex PCR of IpxA gene. The susceptibility profile of species to common and relevant antibiotics was determined by the Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion method. Cattle, sheep, goat, and pig faecal samples analysed, respectively, yielded 13.2% (16/121), 18.6% (22/102), 18.5% (25/135), and 28.7% (29/101) Campylobacter species while 34.5% (38/110), 35.9% (42/117), 23.9% (32/134), and 36.3% (37/102) were, respectively, recovered from the carcasses. Species identified in faeces were C. jejuni 35.8% (33/92), C. jejuni subsp. doylei 4.3% (4/92), C. coli 47.8% (44/92), and C. lari 12.0% (11/92). Species discovered in carcasses were C. jejuni 83.9% (125/149), C. jejuni subsp. doylei 2.0% (3/149), C. coli 6.0% (9/149), and C. lari 8.1% (12/149). Resistance ranged from 92 to 97% to the β-lactams, 7 to 69% to the quinolones, 0 to 44% to the aminoglycosides, 97 to 100% to erythromycin, 48 to 94% to tetracycline, 45 to 88% to chloramphenicol, and 42 to 86% to trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole as 0% resistance was observed against imipenem.

Evaluation of the network of protection areas for the feeding of scavengers in Spain: from biodiversity conservation to greenhouse gas emission savings

Summary Protected areas are one of the most common strategies for wildlife conservation world‐wide. However, their effectiveness is rarely evaluated. In Europe, after the outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a restrictive sanitary regulation (EC 1774/2002) prohibited the abandonment of dead livestock in extensive farming (extensive livestock) in the field, which led to negative consequences for scavengers. As an attempt to mitigate this negative impact, a new regulation was approved (EC 142/2011) to allow farmers to leave extensive livestock carcasses in the so‐called ‘Protection areas for the feeding of necrophagous species of European interest’ (PAFs). Our general aims were to quantify (i) the proportion of breeding distribution of targeted scavenger species overlapping PAFs; (ii) the extensive livestock carrion biomass available inside PAFs; (iii) the proportion of breeding distribution of non‐targeted scavenger species falling within PAFs; (iv) the overlap between the home range of vultures and PAFs, as well as the extent to which vultures move through different administrative units; and (v) the savings in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in relation to the pre‐PAF scenario. After assessing the status of PAF implementation in every region of peninsular Spain, we analysed the large‐scale spatial information of extensive livestock carrion availability and scavenger breeding distribution, movement data of GPS‐tracked vultures, and the annual GHG emissions associated with the transport of livestock carcasses. Most regions established PAFs in their territories, although design criteria were variable. The breeding distribution of targeted species was better represented within PAFs than that of non‐targeted species. The extensive livestock carrion biomass potentially available for scavengers within PAFs represented 34·9% of the annual extensive livestock biomass generated in peninsular Spain. The overlap between the home range of GPS‐marked vulture populations and PAFs ranged between 63·4% and 100%. The minimum convex polygon of these and other GPS‐tracked vulture populations in peninsular Spain encompassed 3–14 Spanish regions and 1–4 countries. Post‐PAF there was a potential reduction of c. 55·7% of GHG emissions compared to pre‐PAF. Synthesis and applications. The implementation of the new sanitary regulation by means of areas for the feeding of scavengers could mean an important improvement in scavenger conservation and a noteworthy reduction in greenhouse gas emissions: in Spain, extensive livestock carrion availability might increase to 33 474 t yr−1, and 43 344 t of CO2 eq. might be saved annually. However, we identified some gaps related to the distribution of endangered facultative scavengers. Moreover, given that vultures are highly mobile organisms, the design and management of these feeding areas should be coordinated at both the supra‐regional and supra‐national scales.

Food safety in scavenger conservation: Diet-associated exposure to livestock pharmaceuticals and opportunist mycoses in threatened Cinereous and Egyptian vultures

Pharmaceuticals from veterinary treatments may enter terrestrial food webs when medicated livestock are available to wildlife in supplementary feeding stations aimed at the conservation of endangered scavengers. Here, we hypothesized that the exposure risk to livestock fluoroquinolones, as indicators of pharmaceutical burden in food, is related to the variable reliance of scavengers on domestic versus wild animal carcasses. Since the misuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics is a major predisposing factor for opportunistic mycoses, we evaluated disease signs potentially associated with diet-dependent drug exposure in nestlings of two threatened vultures. A greater occurrence (100%, n=14) and concentration of fluoroquinolones (mean±SD=73.0±27.5µgL−1, range=33.2–132.7), mostly enrofloxacin, were found in Cinereous vultures, Aegypius monachus, due to their greater dependence on livestock carcasses than Egyptian vultures, Neophron percnopterus (fluoroquinolones occurrence: 44%, n=16, concentration: 37.9±16.6µgL−1, range=11.5–55.9), which rely much more on carcasses of wild animals (42% of remains vs. 23% in the cinereous vulture). The chaotic, chronic and pulsed ingestion of these drugs throughout nestling development is proposed as one of the most plausible explanations for the high occurrence and intensity of oral Candida-like lesions in nestling vultures. The high occurrence of fluoroquinolone residues and disease hindered the probing of a cause-effect relationship between both factors in individual vultures. This relationship could be evaluated through a population-based approach by sampling vultures not exposed to these drugs. The high dependence of vultures on domestic animals today compared to past decades and the growing intensification of livestock farming, imply an expected increase in the impact of pharmaceuticals on scavenger populations. This requires further evaluation due to potential consequences in biodiversity conservation and environmental health. We encourage the prioritization of efforts to promote the use of less medicated free-ranging livestock carcasses left in the countryside, rather than stabled stocks made available in vulture restaurants. Additionally, attention should be paid to the population recovery of wild species that dominated scavenger diets in the past.

Infanticide in a jaguar (Panthera onca) population—does the provision of livestock carcasses increase the risk?

Infanticide is an antagonistic behavior that may provide an evolutionary benefit for the perpetrator. Cases of infanticide have rarely been reported in Neotropical carnivores. The objective of this study was to provide empirical evidence of infanticide in a local jaguar (Panthera onca) population in the Brazilian Pantanal. We present infanticide data from opportunistic sampling. Each month, from 2013 to 2015, we monitored pastures for evidence of livestock carcasses. A remotely triggered camera trap was placed at encountered fresh cattle carcasses. Through this monitoring, two cases of infanticide were recorded. Both cases occurred in close proximity to a cattle carcass, a large prey item that may attract multiple jaguars—including females with cubs around age of weaning—and increase the risk of infanticide. Our observations provide new empirical evidence of jaguar social behavior and intraspecific competitive interactions, potentially driven by locally high population density and resource provision.