Wild Bactrian Camels Research Articles

Interspecies embryo transfer in camelids: the birth of the first Bactrian camel calves (Camelus bactrianus) from dromedary camels (Camelus dromedarius)

Interspecies embryo transfer is a possible approach that can be used to conserve endangered species. It could provide a useful technique to preserve the Iranian and wild Bactrian camels, both of which are threatened with extinction. In the present study, one Bactrian camel was superovulated using decreasing doses of FSH (60, 40, 30, 30, 20, 20 mg, b.i.d.; Folltropin-V; Bioniche, London, ON, Canada) for 6 days, followed by a single injection of FSH (20 mg, i.m.) on Day 7. Daily ovarian ultrasonography was performed until most of the growing follicles had reached a mature size of 13-17 mm, at which time the camel was mated twice, 24 h apart, with a fertile male Bactrian camel. At the time of first mating, female camels were given 20 microg, i.v., buserelin (Receptal; Intervet, Boxmeer, The Netherlands). One day after the donor camel had been mated, the dromedary recipients (n = 8) were injected with 25 mg, i.v., porcine LH (Lutropin-V; Bioniche) to induce ovulation. Embryos were recovered on Day 8.5 after the first mating and transferred non-surgically into recipients on Day 7.5 after LH injection. Pregnancy was diagnosed 25 days after embryo transfer. Healthy Bactrian camel calves (n = 4) were born without any particular complications at the time of parturition (e.g. dystocia and neonatal diseases). The present study is the first report of the birth of Bactrian camel calves from dromedary camels, as well as the first report of interspecies embryo transfer in old world camelids.

Bactrian camel foraging behaviour in a Haloxylon ammodendron (C.A. Mey) desert of Inner Mongolia

The Bactrian camel ( Camelus bactrianus ferus) is uniquely adapted to the deserts of China and Mongolia. It was domesticated about 3000 years ago but the wild Bactrian camel is endangered with less than 1000 remaining in China. We observed the foraging behaviour of 10 domestic Bactrian camels (Alashan) in a Haloxylon ammodendron C.A. Mey desert of Inner Mongolia. The Alashan Bactrian camel is one of about four breeds of the species found in the western part of Inner Mongolia. In each season, plant species selection was observed for each camel over three, 10-min periods at morning, noon and night and their primary activities were recorded over a period of 17.6, 19.2, 18.5, and 17.2 h in winter, spring, summer and autumn, respectively. Forage intake was estimated by mimicking bite size for each species and extrapolating to the total time spent grazing. Plant species preferences were calculated from estimates of their relative utilization and availability. The number of species contributing to the camels’ diet in winter, spring, summer, and autumn were 5, 6, 7, and 8, respectively. No seasonal differences ( P < 0.05) were detected in forage intake, faecal output, or apparent digestibility. The Bactrian camels switched their diet from a senesced forb, Agriophyllum squarrosum (L.) Moq., in winter to the shrub H. ammodendron in spring, and to an increasing dependence on perennial and annual herbaceous species in autumn. H. ammodendron was the dominant species in this desert community and was utilized in each season. Camels are dependent on a yearlong forage supply from a fragile environment, which can readily be damaged without careful management.

Detection of bovine and human tuberculosis in cattle and other animals in six Central European countries during the years 2000-2004

During a five year period (2000&amp;ndash;2004), the incidence of bovine and human tuberculosis in cattle and other animals from six Central European countries was evaluated: Croatia (HRV), the Czech Republic (CZE), Hungary (HUN), Poland (POL), Slovakia (SVK), and Slovenia (SVN). These countries, lying between the Baltic and the Adriatic seas, cover an area of 610&amp;nbsp;402&amp;nbsp;km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; and had more than 68&amp;nbsp;million inhabitants and 9 330&amp;nbsp;264 cattle in 2003. Successful national control programmes against bovine tuberculosis in cattle were carried out up until 1980: HRV (1953&amp;ndash;1966), CZE (1959&amp;ndash;1968), HUN (1962&amp;ndash;1980), POL (1959&amp;ndash;1975) SVK (1959&amp;ndash;1968), and SVN (1962&amp;ndash;1973). During the entire monitored period skin testing with bovine tuberculin in all cattle older than two years was carried out regularly either once a year or every second year. Five of these countries (CZE, HUN, POL, SVK, and SVN) joined the EC on May 1&lt;sup&gt;st&lt;/sup&gt;, 2004. CZE and SVK were officially declared free of bovine tuberculosis in cattle on March 31&lt;sup&gt;st&lt;/sup&gt;, 2004 (Commission Decision No. 2004/320/EC) and March 4&lt;sup&gt;th&lt;/sup&gt;, 2005 (Commission Decision No. 2005/179/EC), respectively. Bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in a total of 188 cattle herds in the study area: 145 (77.1%) outbreaks in small herds (&amp;lt; 10 cows) and 43 (22.9%) outbreaks in large herds (&amp;ge; 10 cows). The last cases of bovine tuberculosis in cattle in SVK and in the CZE were diagnosed in 1993 and 1995, respectively. During the monitored period, bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in animal species other than cattle found in zoological gardens: in two Bactrian camels (Camelus ferus) in the CZK, in one Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris f. altaica) in HUN, in one bison (Bison bison) and one eland (Taurotragus oryx) in POL, and in one dromedary camel (Camelus dromedarius) and two bison in SVN. In wild animals, bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in wild boar (Sus scrofa) in HUN (n&amp;nbsp;=&amp;nbsp;14) and HRV (n&amp;nbsp;=&amp;nbsp;1), in six red deer (Cervus elaphus) in HUN, in 14 European bison (Bison bonasus f. bonasus) and two roe deer (Capreolus capreolus f. capreolus) in POL. Infections caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis were also diagnosed in four cattle and two pigs in POL, in one cattle in SVN, in one dog (Canis lupus f. familiaris) in the CZE and in one dog in HUN. M.&amp;nbsp;africanum was diagnosed in one hyrax (Procaria habessinica) in a zoological garden in HRV.

With brush and camera: Libya today and one hundred years ago

AbstractIn 1906 Hanns Vischer travelled by camel from Tripoli, Libya to Kukawa, Nigeria. His journey was followed almost 100 years later by John Hare, as part of a campaign to raise awareness for the plight of the critically endangered wild Bactrian camel in China and Mongolia. A gifted amateur artist, Vischer illustrated a number of the localities visited during his journey. By coincidence, during his re-creation of the return journey, John Hare produced a comparable photographic record. This short note introduces Vischer's watercolours as a source for the comparative assessment of the landscape today and 100 years ago, and provides a supplement to ‘The Vischer family archives’, published in Libyan Studies 34: 175–182.

Metastatic Gastric Adenocarcinoma and Diffuse Hyperplastic Gastritis Resembling Human Menétrier's Disease in a Camel (Camelus ferus bactrianus)

A captive 16-year-old male camel (Camelus ferus bactrianus) was euthanized after a prolonged period of inappetence leading to cachexia. At necropsy, there was a 7 cm large, tan, firm, well-demarcated nodule in the tunica muscularis and serosa of the distal region of C3. Histologically, a gastric adenocarcinoma was diagnosed. Numerous metastases were found in the liver and the hepatic lymph nodes, in the wall of the portal vein and the aorta, in the lung, heart, and pleura parietalis. Osseous metaplasia was found within the pleural and aortic metastases. In the mucosa of the glandular region of the C3 compartment a diffuse marked hypertrophy of rugae resembling cerebral convolutions was observed. The lesion was characterized by glandular hyperplasia and stromal inflammation and oedema. These changes closely resembled Menétrier's disease described in humans. To our knowledge, this is the first report of concomitant metastatic gastric adenocarcinoma and gastric hyperplasia in a camel.

Incidence of bovine tuberculosis in wild and domestic animals other than cattle in six Central European countries during 1990-1999

The study was undertaken in Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia laying between Baltic and Adriatic seas on 610 402 km&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt;. Mycobacterium bovis infection was diagnosed in 70 animals belonging to 17 species other than cattle. The set of wild animals comprised 12 European bison (Bison bonasus), one red deer (Cervus elaphus), five wild boars (Sus scrofa), and one European wild goat (Capra aegagrus) bred in a game park. Further positive animals included two farmed red deer (Cervus elaphus) and one bactrian camel (Camelus ferus) owned by a circus. The infection was also demonstrated in 18 domestic animals belonging to 3 species living on farms where bovine tuberculosis was diagnosed in cattle. This set included 12 domestic pigs (Sus scrofa f. domestica), two domestic sheep (Ovis ammon f. aries), and four dogs (Canis lupus f. familiaris). The set of animals bred in zoological gardens consisted of 30 animals belonging to 9 species as follows: three bison (Bison bison), four tapirs (Tapirus terrestris), one cassowary (Casuarius casuarius &amp;ndash; isolate identified by the biological assay in guinea pigs only), eight sitatungas (Tragelaphus spekei), three elands (Taurotragus oryx), one gnu (Connochaetes taurinus), eight reticulated giraffes (Giraffa cameloparadlis reticulata), one puma (Puma concolor), and one Vietnamese pot-bellied pig (Sus bucculentus). Although, considering the population sizes, absolute numbers of the infected individuals are rather low, wild animals or such animals bred in captivity should be regarded as possible reservoirs of the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis. Tests for bovine tuberculosis are therefore necessary before transportation of all wild animals. Any lesion arousing suspicion of tuberculosis found on necropsy of wild animals must be laboratory examined for the presence of mycobacteria.

Status of wild Bactrian camels and other large ungulates in south-western Mongolia

AbstractWild Bactrian camels Camelus bactrianus ferus are endangered. Surveys over the past several decades suggest a marked decline in camel numbers and reproductive success. However, most surveys were made using methods that precluded rigorous population estimation. The need for more accurate surveys resulted in an aerial survey of known and suspected camel habitat in Mongolia during March 1997. We estimated density, group density and population size of large mammals in south-western Mongolia using the interactive computer program DISTANCE. We recorded sufficient data for population modelling of wild Bactrian camels, goitred gazelles Gazella subgutturosa, Asian wild asses Equus hemionus and argali sheep Ovis ammon. We observed 277 camels in 27 groups (mean group size = 10.26 ± 2.38 SE camels/group). Modelling yielded a population estimate of 1985 ± 802 SE camels in the survey area. Population modelling for other ungulates yielded estimates of 6046 ± 1398 SE goitred gazelles, 1674 ± 506 SE Asian wild asses and 909 ± 303 SE argalis. Discrepancies between population estimates of ungulates in our survey and previous surveys are discussed with regard to methods used and robustness of results obtained. We also discuss conservation implications for wild Bactrian camels and other Mongolian ungulates.

Status of wild Bactrian camels and other large ungulates in south-western Mongolia

Status of wild Bactrian camels and other large ungulates in south-western Mongolia

Difference of habitat environment and assessment in wild Bactrian camel distribution areas

Difference of habitat environment and assessment in wild Bactrian camel distribution areas

The wild Bactrian camel Camelus bactrianus ferus in China: the need for urgent action

Between 31 March and 28 May 1995 and 5 April and 2 May 1996 two expeditions carried out surveys of the status and distribution of the wild Bactrian camel Camelus bactrianus ferus in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province in the People's Republic of China, the last known habitat of the subspecies in the country. The surveys revealed that the wild camel is highly endangered in China, due to illegal mining and hunting. An estimated total of 380–500 individuals remain and immediate action is needed to ensure their survival.

The wild Bactrian camel Camelus bactrianus ferus in China: the need for urgent action

Between 31 March and 28 May 1995 and 5 April and 2 May 1996 two expeditions carried out surveys of the status and distribution of the wild Bactrian camel Camelus bactrianus ferus in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Gansu Province in the People's Republic of China, the last known habitat of the subspecies in the country. The surveys revealed that the wild camel is highly endangered in China, due to illegal mining and hunting. An estimated total of 380–500 individuals remain and immediate action is needed to ensure their survival.

Status and distribution of wild Bactrian camels Camelus bactrianus ferus

Wild Bactrian camels Camelus bactrianus ferus survive now only in and around the Great Gobi National Park in Mongolia and in western China, principally in the eastern part of the Taklimakan Desert in the vicinity of Lop Nur. Although the animal's range has shrunk since the species was discovered in 1877, it still encompasses about 155 000 km 2. Research on camels in the Gobi Park during the 1980s revealed a population of 500–600 camels that probably is in slow decline. Young comprised an average of only 4·6 (2·5–9·3)% of the total population between 1982 and 1989, suggesting poor survival. Wolves are the principal predators on camels. A prolonged drought which has concentrated camels around a few water sources may facilitate predation. The status and distribution of camels in China is still imperfectly known. Around 500 animals may persist in the country, but their future is threatened by hunting, settling of oases by pastoralists, and by hybridization with domestic camels.