Health and Mortality Monitoring in Threatened Mammals: A First Post Mortem Study of Otters (<i>Lutra lutra</i> L.) in Italy
Dead specimens provide valuable data for the conservation of threatened species, allowing investigations of mortality, health conditions, and demographic parameters. The Eurasian otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) is a semiaquatic carnivore listed as endangered in Italy. In 2009, we started the...
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MDPI AG
2022-02-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/5/609 |
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| author | Romina Fusillo Mariarita Romanucci Manlio Marcelli Marcella Massimini Leonardo Della Salda |
| author_facet | Romina Fusillo Mariarita Romanucci Manlio Marcelli Marcella Massimini Leonardo Della Salda |
| author_sort | Romina Fusillo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Dead specimens provide valuable data for the conservation of threatened species, allowing investigations of mortality, health conditions, and demographic parameters. The Eurasian otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) is a semiaquatic carnivore listed as endangered in Italy. In 2009, we started the first post mortem (PM) study of otters in Italy, through collaborative research between mammal ecologists and veterinary pathologists, using standardized protocols. Twenty-eight otters, mostly collected between 2009 and 2017, were examined. Most otters were males (67%), between 1 and 3 years old (64%), and predominantly in good nutritional condition. Adult males were significantly larger than adult females (<i>p</i> < 0.02), as expected for the species, although both sexes appeared to be smaller than otters examined in Central–northern Europe. The youngest sexually mature female was 3 years old. Road traffic collisions were the major cause of death, especially in young individuals, and mainly occurred in autumn–winter, particularly for females. Investigations of the scene of death contributed to revealing factors forcing otters to travel out of the water and move over the road, suggesting appropriate measures to reduce vehicle collision risk. Other causes of death included blunt chest trauma of uncertain origin, dog and conspecific attacks, or diseases of infectious or non-infectious origin, such as ulcerative gastritis, pleuropneumonia and peritonitis. Other diagnosed diseases included lymphoma. Ecto- and endoparasites were rarely detected, although we report the first documentation of heartworm and <i>Ixodes hexagonus</i> infestation in Italian otters. It is important to continue comprehensive, standardized PM investigations of otters in Italy to define baseline health, biometric and demographic parameters, collect biological samples for comparative analyses, and to reduce road-kill mortality. The present study suggests that the timely collection of carcasses and collaborative and coordinated research efforts are essential for obtaining useful data for the conservation of otters. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:49:44Z |
| format | Article |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T20:49:44Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-94467bb32ca2408b894e83b4725b4dbf2023-11-23T22:37:10ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152022-02-0112560910.3390/ani12050609Health and Mortality Monitoring in Threatened Mammals: A First Post Mortem Study of Otters (<i>Lutra lutra</i> L.) in ItalyRomina Fusillo0Mariarita Romanucci1Manlio Marcelli2Marcella Massimini3Leonardo Della Salda4LUTRIA sas Wildlife Research and Consulting, 00173 Roma, ItalyFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, ItalyLUTRIA sas Wildlife Research and Consulting, 00173 Roma, ItalyFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, ItalyFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, 64100 Teramo, ItalyDead specimens provide valuable data for the conservation of threatened species, allowing investigations of mortality, health conditions, and demographic parameters. The Eurasian otter (<i>Lutra lutra</i>) is a semiaquatic carnivore listed as endangered in Italy. In 2009, we started the first post mortem (PM) study of otters in Italy, through collaborative research between mammal ecologists and veterinary pathologists, using standardized protocols. Twenty-eight otters, mostly collected between 2009 and 2017, were examined. Most otters were males (67%), between 1 and 3 years old (64%), and predominantly in good nutritional condition. Adult males were significantly larger than adult females (<i>p</i> < 0.02), as expected for the species, although both sexes appeared to be smaller than otters examined in Central–northern Europe. The youngest sexually mature female was 3 years old. Road traffic collisions were the major cause of death, especially in young individuals, and mainly occurred in autumn–winter, particularly for females. Investigations of the scene of death contributed to revealing factors forcing otters to travel out of the water and move over the road, suggesting appropriate measures to reduce vehicle collision risk. Other causes of death included blunt chest trauma of uncertain origin, dog and conspecific attacks, or diseases of infectious or non-infectious origin, such as ulcerative gastritis, pleuropneumonia and peritonitis. Other diagnosed diseases included lymphoma. Ecto- and endoparasites were rarely detected, although we report the first documentation of heartworm and <i>Ixodes hexagonus</i> infestation in Italian otters. It is important to continue comprehensive, standardized PM investigations of otters in Italy to define baseline health, biometric and demographic parameters, collect biological samples for comparative analyses, and to reduce road-kill mortality. The present study suggests that the timely collection of carcasses and collaborative and coordinated research efforts are essential for obtaining useful data for the conservation of otters.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/5/609Eurasian otter<i>Lutra lutra</i>post mortem investigationscauses of deathhealth parametersroad mortality |
| spellingShingle | Romina Fusillo Mariarita Romanucci Manlio Marcelli Marcella Massimini Leonardo Della Salda Health and Mortality Monitoring in Threatened Mammals: A First Post Mortem Study of Otters (<i>Lutra lutra</i> L.) in Italy Animals Eurasian otter <i>Lutra lutra</i> post mortem investigations causes of death health parameters road mortality |
| title | Health and Mortality Monitoring in Threatened Mammals: A First Post Mortem Study of Otters (<i>Lutra lutra</i> L.) in Italy |
| title_full | Health and Mortality Monitoring in Threatened Mammals: A First Post Mortem Study of Otters (<i>Lutra lutra</i> L.) in Italy |
| title_fullStr | Health and Mortality Monitoring in Threatened Mammals: A First Post Mortem Study of Otters (<i>Lutra lutra</i> L.) in Italy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health and Mortality Monitoring in Threatened Mammals: A First Post Mortem Study of Otters (<i>Lutra lutra</i> L.) in Italy |
| title_short | Health and Mortality Monitoring in Threatened Mammals: A First Post Mortem Study of Otters (<i>Lutra lutra</i> L.) in Italy |
| title_sort | health and mortality monitoring in threatened mammals a first post mortem study of otters i lutra lutra i l in italy |
| topic | Eurasian otter <i>Lutra lutra</i> post mortem investigations causes of death health parameters road mortality |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/5/609 |
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