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Preliminary biomedical evaluation of wild ruffed lemurs ( Varecia variegata and V. rubra )
Author(s) -
Junge Randall E.,
Louis Edward E.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
american journal of primatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.988
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1098-2345
pISSN - 0275-2565
DOI - 10.1002/ajp.20129
Subject(s) - lemur , biology , blood urea nitrogen , lemur catta , captivity , zoology , albumin , serology , veterinary medicine , physiology , medicine , primate , immunology , endocrinology , creatinine , ecology , antibody
Complete medical examinations were performed on 11 wild ruffed lemurs ( Varecia variegata and V. rubra ) from three sites in Madagascar. Each animal received a complete physical examination, several physiological parameters were analyzed (complete blood count, serum biochemical profile, and fecal bacterial culture), and the animals were examined for endo‐, ecto‐, and hemoparasites. Additional tests were performed as samples were available, including fat‐soluble vitamin analysis, trace mineral analysis, toxoplasmosis serology, and viral serology. We found that the ruffed lemurs were in good health, harbored a low endoparasite load, and frequently had external parasites (e.g., ticks ( Haemophysalis lemuris )). Statistically significant differences between captive and wild lemurs were found for the following serum biochemical and blood count parameters: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total protein (TP), albumin, blood urea nitrogen, cholesterol, glucose, amylase, band neutrophil count, and eosinophil count. Low blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum cholesterol values in wild lemurs (compared to those of North American captive zoo ruffed lemurs) may suggest differences between diets in the wild and captivity. Am. J. Primatol. 66:85–94, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.