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16 pages, 3280 KiB  
Article
Influence of Migratory Strategy, Group Size, and Environmental Conditions on the Movements of Caribou in Eastern Alaska
by Kyle Joly
Animals 2025, 15(10), 1453; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15101453 - 17 May 2025
Viewed by 423
Abstract
Migration is a diverse behavior exhibited by a wide array of organisms. Variability in the type of movements is rooted in their purpose, environmental factors, demographics, and individual physiological condition. The ability of caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) to efficiently move long [...] Read more.
Migration is a diverse behavior exhibited by a wide array of organisms. Variability in the type of movements is rooted in their purpose, environmental factors, demographics, and individual physiological condition. The ability of caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) to efficiently move long distances and have a high degree of plasticity in their movements allows them to respond and be resilient to dynamic and dramatic differences in environmental conditions. I used 88 collared, sympatric, adult, female, barren-ground Nelchina Caribou Herd caribou in east-central Alaska to assess their migratory strategy (as indexed by the distance between winter and summer ranges) and how this might affect their movements. Employing 41,682 movement vectors from 39 of these individuals equipped with GPS collars, I compared the annual and monthly movements of caribou that were found on different winter ranges. Distances between winter and summer ranges for individual caribou were correlated with their annual movement, but not for caribou that wintered within the same area. As expected, caribou with the greatest distance between their winter and summer ranges (300 km) traveled the most annually (2132 km/year), whereas caribou with the shortest distance between ranges (71 km) traveled the least annually (1368 km/year). However, caribou that migrated the furthest exhibited greater movement rates in all non-migratory summer months and most non-migratory winter months, as well as during migration. Movement rates were the greatest in summer, peaking in July, regardless of where caribou wintered. During the winter months, movement rates were similar among caribou found on different winter ranges and decreased over the winter, reaching minimums in January-March. Caribou that migrated the shortest distance and had lower movement rates tended to be found in smaller groups in summer. The connection between group size and movement rates may be a function of competition or a small-scale example of the larger-scale phenomenon of range expansion of large herds. Environmental factors, such as snow depth and temperature, were also correlated (negatively and positively, respectively) with caribou movement rates. Survival was not significantly different for caribou utilizing different winter ranges, which implies that the benefits of this long-distance migration can be offset by its costs. A more detailed understanding of the drivers and variability of caribou movement should help improve the management of this declining species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Ecology and Conservation)
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14 pages, 4107 KiB  
Article
Polymorphism of Genes Potentially Affecting Growth and Body Size Suggests Genetic Divergence in Wild and Domestic Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) Populations
by Anna A. Krutikova, Natalia V. Dementieva, Yuri S. Shcherbakov, Vasiliy V. Goncharov, Darren K. Griffin and Michael N. Romanov
Genes 2024, 15(12), 1629; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15121629 - 20 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1479
Abstract
Background/Objectives: A combination of increased human presence in the Arctic zone alongside climate change has led to a decrease in the number of wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). Studying the genetic potential of this species will aid in conservation efforts, while [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: A combination of increased human presence in the Arctic zone alongside climate change has led to a decrease in the number of wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). Studying the genetic potential of this species will aid in conservation efforts, while simultaneously promoting improved meat productivity in domestic reindeer. Alongside reducing feed costs, increasing disease resistance, etc., acquiring genetic variation information is a crucial task for domestic reindeer husbandry. This study thus identified highly informative molecular genetic markers usable for assessing genetic diversity and breeding purposes in reindeer. Methods: We analyzed gene polymorphism that may potentially affect animal growth and development in populations of wild (Taimyr Peninsula) and domestic reindeer, including Nenets and Evenk breeds. We screened these populations for polymorphisms by sequencing the GH, GHR, LCORL and BMP2 genes. Results: Following generation of gene sequences, we compared the alleles frequency in the surveyed populations and their genetic divergence. Some loci lacked polymorphism in wild reindeer, unlike domestic breeds. This could suggest a selection-driven microevolutionary divergence in domestic reindeer populations. An isolated domestic population from Kolguyev Island appeared to be genetically remote from continental reindeer. Conclusions: Molecular genetic markers associated with economically important traits in reindeer can be further developed using the data obtained. Monitoring wild reindeer populations and better utilizing the genetic potential of domestic animals will depend on a panel of these marker genes. By using this marker panel, the amount of time spent on selection efforts will be greatly reduced to enhance meat performance during reindeer breeding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wildlife Genetic Diversity and Genomics)
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14 pages, 6506 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Fecal Microbiota and Metabolites Between Captive and Grazing Male Reindeer
by Fei Zhao, Quanmin Zhao, Songze Li, Yuhang Zhu, Huazhe Si, Jiang Feng and Zhipeng Li
Animals 2024, 14(24), 3606; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14243606 - 14 Dec 2024
Viewed by 1000
Abstract
The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) is a circumpolar member of the Cervidae family, and has adapted to a harsh environment. Summer is a critical period for reindeer, with peak digestibility facilitating body fat accumulation. The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in [...] Read more.
The reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) is a circumpolar member of the Cervidae family, and has adapted to a harsh environment. Summer is a critical period for reindeer, with peak digestibility facilitating body fat accumulation. The gut microbiota plays a pivotal role in nutrient metabolism, and is affected by captivity. However, differences in the composition of the gut microbiota and metabolites between captive and grazing reindeer during summer remain poorly understood. Here, we conducted a comparative study of the fecal microbiota and metabolites between captive (n = 6) and grazing (n = 6) male reindeer, using full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing and gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry, respectively. Our results indicated that Prevotella, Phocaeicola, Papillibacter, Muribaculum, and Bacteroides were the predominant genera in the feces of reindeer. However, microbial diversity was significantly higher in captive reindeer compared to their grazing counterparts. Principal coordinate analysis revealed significant differences in the fecal microbiota between captive and grazing reindeer. In captive reindeer, the relative abundances of the genera Clostridium, Paraprevotella, Alistipes, Paludibacter, Lentimicrobium, Paraclostridium, and Anaerovibrio were significantly higher, while those of the genera Prevotella, Phocaeicola, Pseudoflavonifractor, and Lactonifactor were significantly lower. A comparison of predicted functions indicated that pathways involved in fat digestion and absorption, histidine metabolism, lysine biosynthesis, and secondary bile acid biosynthesis were more abundant in captive reindeer, whereas the pathways of fructose and mannose metabolism and propanoate metabolism were less abundant. An untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed that 624 metabolites (e.g., amino acids, lipids, fatty acids, and bile acids) and 645 metabolites (e.g., carbohydrates and purines) were significantly increased in the feces of captive and grazing reindeer, respectively. In conclusion, we unveiled significant differences in fecal microbiota and metabolites between captive and grazing male reindeer, with the results suggesting a potentially enhanced ability to utilize plant fibers in grazing reindeer. Full article
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15 pages, 3796 KiB  
Article
Coprological Survey of Helminths in Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in 50 Selected Zoos and Menageries in Russia
by Olga A. Loginova, Svetlana V. Akulova, Dmitry N. Egorov, Natalia S. Egorova, Sergei E. Spiridonov, Iuliia K. Plotnikova, Larisa M. Belova, Yuriy E. Kuznetsov, Daria I. Chuprak, Anna A. Krutikova, Iuliia V. Vasilkova, Diana A. Gelashvili, Yuri A. Shchepanovsky, Ivan A. Mizin, Danila V. Panchenko, Mikhail G. Bondar and Taras P. Sipko
J. Zool. Bot. Gard. 2024, 5(3), 492-506; https://doi.org/10.3390/jzbg5030033 - 12 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1731
Abstract
Zoo conditions are unique for reindeer, since domestic reindeer are not kept in captive facilities like cattle. In the zoo, reindeer are usually surrounded by many different animals that they would never encounter naturally. Thus, they might be infected with new helminths. Numerous [...] Read more.
Zoo conditions are unique for reindeer, since domestic reindeer are not kept in captive facilities like cattle. In the zoo, reindeer are usually surrounded by many different animals that they would never encounter naturally. Thus, they might be infected with new helminths. Numerous petting zoos raise concerns about the safety of tactile interactions for human visitors. Our study is the first large-scale one. Qualitative and quantitative fecal analyses were carried out for 233 reindeer distributed over 50 Russian zoos according to the National Standard of the Russian Federation (GOST R 54627-2011) Ruminant animals—Methods of Laboratory Helminthological Diagnostics. Where possible, DNA analyses of helminths were performed targeting internal transcribed spacer region. As a result, F. hepatica, Paramphistomum sp., Moniezia sp. (including M. expansa), gastrointestinal strongylids (including Nematodirus spp.), Dictyocaulus sp., E. rangiferi, Trichuris sp., and Capillaria sp. were found in 106 (45%) zoo reindeer. All these helminths were previously reported in reindeer and pose no direct danger for humans. The intensity of invasions was mostly low. Fecal examination might be considered as an indirect method for mange diagnostics, as Chorioptes and Demodex mites were found in reindeer fecal samples. The latter may represent a novel species of mite specific for reindeer. Full article
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24 pages, 20759 KiB  
Article
Snowmelt Onset and Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) Spring Migration
by Mariah T. Matias, Joan M. Ramage, Eliezer Gurarie and Mary J. Brodzik
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(13), 2391; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16132391 - 29 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2433
Abstract
Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) undergo exceptionally large, annual synchronized migrations of thousands of kilometers, triggered by their shared environmental stimuli. The proximate triggers of those migrations remain mysterious, though snow characteristics play an important role due to their influence on the mechanics [...] Read more.
Caribou (Rangifer tarandus) undergo exceptionally large, annual synchronized migrations of thousands of kilometers, triggered by their shared environmental stimuli. The proximate triggers of those migrations remain mysterious, though snow characteristics play an important role due to their influence on the mechanics of locomotion. We investigate whether the snow melt–refreeze status relates to caribou movement, using previously collected Global Positioning System (GPS) caribou collar data. We analyzed 117 individual female caribou with >30,000 observations between 2007 and 2016 from the Bathurst herd in Northern Canada. We used a hierarchical model to estimate the beginning, duration, and end of spring migration and compared these statistics against snow pack melt characteristics derived from 37 GHz vertically polarized (37V GHz) Calibrated Enhanced-Resolution Brightness Temperatures (CETB) at 3.125 km resolution. The timing of migration for Bathurst caribou generally tracked the snowmelt onset. The start of migration was closely linked to the main melt onset in the wintering areas, occurring on average 2.6 days later (range −1.9 to 8.4, se 0.28, n = 10). The weighted linear regression was also highly significant (p-value = 0.002, R2=0.717). The relationship between migration arrival times and the main melt onset on the calving grounds (R2 = 0.688, p-value = 0.003), however, had a considerably more variable lag (mean 13.3 d, se 0.67, range 3.1–20.4). No migrations ended before the main melt onset at the calving grounds. Thawing conditions may provide a trigger for migration or favorable conditions that increase animal mobility, and suggest that the snow properties are more important than snow presence. Further work is needed to understand how widespread this is and why there is such a relationship. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Understanding the Movement Ecology of Wildlife on the Changing Planet)
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11 pages, 1175 KiB  
Article
Comparative Prevalence and Intensity of Endoparasites in a Dynamic Boreal Ungulate Community
by Cassandra L. Andrew, Brent Wagner, N. Jane Harms, Emily J. Jenkins and Thomas S. Jung
Diversity 2024, 16(4), 230; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16040230 - 12 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1991
Abstract
Surveillance of endoparasites at the host community level is rarely reported for ungulates. Yet, changes in the composition and abundance of species in ungulate assemblages, coupled with environmental and climate change, bring into focus the need for baseline data on endoparasite occurrence in [...] Read more.
Surveillance of endoparasites at the host community level is rarely reported for ungulates. Yet, changes in the composition and abundance of species in ungulate assemblages, coupled with environmental and climate change, bring into focus the need for baseline data on endoparasite occurrence in host species at the community level. We investigated the prevalence and intensity of eggs of endoparasites in feces of a dynamic boreal ungulate community in Yukon, Canada, that included reintroduced bison (Bison bison), as well as introduced elk (Cervus canadensis), naturally colonizing mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and resident populations of caribou (Rangifer tarandus), moose (Alces americanus), and thinhorn sheep (Ovis dalli). We also examined the change in endoparasite prevalence and intensity in bison fecal samples collected eight years apart. The prevalence of eggs detected in feces differed across species for most endoparasite groups. We also provide new records of several endoparasites in novel hosts or new geographic records. We detected a substantially greater prevalence and intensity of trichostrongyle-type eggs in bison feces between samples collected eight years apart. Our data emphasize the need for targeted pathogen surveillance programs to monitor the movement of various ungulate and associated endoparasites. This is particularly pertinent since our data potentially supports evidence for the continued northward expansion and host switching of protostrongylid species, which may have health implications for animals at a new interface. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Animal Diversity)
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21 pages, 8802 KiB  
Article
Extraction of Forest Road Information from CubeSat Imagery Using Convolutional Neural Networks
by Lukas Winiwarter, Nicholas C. Coops, Alex Bastyr, Jean-Romain Roussel, Daisy Q. R. Zhao, Clayton T. Lamb and Adam T. Ford
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(6), 1083; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16061083 - 20 Mar 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2600
Abstract
Forest roads provide access to remote wooded areas, serving as key transportation routes and contributing to human impact on the local environment. However, large animals, such as bears (Ursus sp.), moose (Alces alces), and caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), [...] Read more.
Forest roads provide access to remote wooded areas, serving as key transportation routes and contributing to human impact on the local environment. However, large animals, such as bears (Ursus sp.), moose (Alces alces), and caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), are affected by their presence. Many publicly available road layers are outdated or inaccurate, making the assessment of landscape objectives difficult. To address these gaps in road location data, we employ CubeSat Imagery from the Planet constellation to predict the occurrence of road probabilities using a SegNet Convolutional Neural Network. Our research examines the potential of a pre-trained neural network (VGG-16 trained on ImageNet) transferred to the remote sensing domain. The classification is refined through post-processing, which considers spatial misalignment and road width variability. On a withheld test subset, we achieve an overall accuracy of 99.1%, a precision of 76.1%, and a recall of 91.2% (F1-Score: 83.0%) after considering these effects. We investigate the performance with respect to canopy coverage using a spectral greenness index, topography (slope and aspect), and land cover metrics. Results found that predictions are best in flat areas, with low to medium canopy coverage, and in the forest (coniferous and deciduous) land cover classes. The results are vectorized into a drivable road network, allowing for vector-based routing and coverage analyses. Our approach digitized 14,359 km of roads in a 23,500 km2 area in British Columbia, Canada. Compared to a governmental dataset, our method missed 10,869 km but detected an additional 5774 km of roads connected to the network. Finally, we use the detected road locations to investigate road age by accessing an archive of Landsat data, allowing spatiotemporal modelling of road access to remote areas. This provides important information on the development of the road network over time and the calculation of impacts, such as cumulative effects on wildlife. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Deep Learning Approaches in Remote Sensing)
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14 pages, 1891 KiB  
Article
Estimating Mineral Requirements of Wild Herbivores: Modelling Arctic Caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) in Summer
by Keith W. Oster, David D. Gustine, Fred E. Smeins and Perry S. Barboza
Animals 2024, 14(6), 868; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14060868 - 12 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1484
Abstract
Mineral requirements are poorly described for most wildlife. Consequently, the role of forage minerals in movement and productivity are poorly understood for sedentary and migratory ungulates, such as reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus). We applied estimates of maintenance, lactation, body mass [...] Read more.
Mineral requirements are poorly described for most wildlife. Consequently, the role of forage minerals in movement and productivity are poorly understood for sedentary and migratory ungulates, such as reindeer and caribou (Rangifer tarandus). We applied estimates of maintenance, lactation, body mass change, and antler growth to production curves (body mass, daily intake, and milk yield) for female caribou to calculate their mineral requirements over summer. The total requirements (mg or g·d−1) were divided by the daily intake (kg·d−1) to estimate the minimum concentration of minerals required in the diet (mg or g·kg−1) to balance demand. The daily requirements (mg·d−1) of all minerals increased from parturition to the end of summer. The minimum dietary concentrations (mg·kg−1) of macro-minerals (Ca, P, Mg, Na, K) declined as food intake (kg·d−1) increased over summer. The minimum dietary concentrations (Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn) were heavily influenced by body mass gain, which increased through late lactation even though food intakes rose. Our modeling framework can be applied to other wild ungulates to assess the impacts of changing forage phenology, plant community compositions, or environmental disturbances on movement and productivity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Wildlife)
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17 pages, 12303 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Cumulative Impacts of Forest Management on Forest Age Structure Development and Woodland Caribou Habitat in Boreal Landscapes: A Case Study from Two Canadian Provinces
by Brendan Mackey, Carly Campbell, Patrick Norman, Sonia Hugh, Dominick A. DellaSala, Jay R. Malcolm, Mélanie Desrochers and Pierre Drapeau
Land 2024, 13(1), 6; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13010006 - 19 Dec 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 20466
Abstract
The Canadian boreal forest biome has been subjected to a long history of management for wood production. Here, we examined the cumulative impacts of logging on older forests in terms of area, distribution and patch configuration in the managed forest zones of the [...] Read more.
The Canadian boreal forest biome has been subjected to a long history of management for wood production. Here, we examined the cumulative impacts of logging on older forests in terms of area, distribution and patch configuration in the managed forest zones of the Eastern Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. We also examined the consequences of these cumulative impacts on a once widely distributed and now threatened species, the woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). The cumulative area of recently logged forest (since ~1976) was 14,024,619 ha, with 8,210,617 ha in Quebec and 5,814,002 ha in Ontario. The total area of older forests was 21,249,341 ha, with 11,840,474 ha in Quebec and 9,408,867 ha in Ontario. Patch statistics revealed that there were 1,085,822 older forests with core patches < 0.25 ha and an additional 603,052 < 1.0 ha. There were 52 > 10,00–50,000 ha and 8 < 50,000 ha. Older forest patches (critical caribou habitat) in the 21 local population ranges totalled 6,103,534 ha, distributed among ~387,102 patches with 362,933 < 10 ha and 14 > 50,000 ha. The median percentage of local population ranges that was disturbed was 53.5%, with Charlevoix having the maximum (90.3%) and Basse Côte-Nord the least (34.9%). Woodland caribou local population ranges with disturbed suitable habitats >35% are considered unable to support self-sustaining populations. We found that for the 21 caribou local population ranges examined, 3 were at very high risk (>75% area disturbed), 16 at high risk (>45 ≤ 75% area disturbed), and 2 at low risk (≤35% area disturbed). Major changes are needed in boreal forest management in Ontario and Quebec for it to be ecologically sustainable, including a greater emphasis on protection and restoration for older forests, and to lower the risks for caribou populations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Landscape Ecology)
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15 pages, 54254 KiB  
Article
Diversity and Distribution of Helminths in Wild Ruminants of the Russian Arctic: Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), Muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), and Snow Sheep (Ovis nivicola)
by Olga A. Loginova, Sofya B. Rozenfeld, Taras P. Sipko, Ivan A. Mizin, Danila V. Panchenko, Kasim A. Laishev, Mikhail G. Bondar, Leonid A. Kolpashchikov, Aleksandr R. Gruzdev, Pavel S. Kulemeev, Dennis I. Litovka, Mariia N. Semerikova, Viktor N. Mamontov, Evgeniy G. Mamaev and Sergei E. Spiridonov
Diversity 2023, 15(5), 672; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15050672 - 16 May 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3453
Abstract
The Russian Arctic supports wild sympatric ruminants and their data-deficient helminths. In this study, we: (1) collected fecal samples of wild and semiwild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), and snow sheep (Ovis nivicola) across Palearctic North [...] Read more.
The Russian Arctic supports wild sympatric ruminants and their data-deficient helminths. In this study, we: (1) collected fecal samples of wild and semiwild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus), muskoxen (Ovibos moschatus), and snow sheep (Ovis nivicola) across Palearctic North territories: Arkhangelsk Oblast (including Novaya Zemlya archipelago), Karelia and Sakha Republics, Kola, Yamal, Taimyr, and Chukotka Peninsulas, Bering, Svalbard, and Wrangel Islands; (2) conducted a coprological survey (noninvasive life-time method preferable for protected animals) to obtain eggs and larvae of helminths inhabiting digestive, respiratory, nervous, and muscular systems; (3) identified helminths according to their morphology and DNA sequences; (4) estimated parasite load per host; (5) analyzed our findings. Varestrongylus eleguneniensis (in reindeer) was reported for the Palearctic for the first time, while Orthostrongylus sp. was reported both for R. tarandus and for the Palearctic for the first time. Capillarid-type eggs were reported for snow sheep for the first time. The question of the role of wild Arctic ruminants as vectors for rotifers was raised. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biodiversity of Parasites in Vertebrates in the Wildlife)
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15 pages, 565 KiB  
Article
Reindeer Husbandry in Switzerland—Management, Feeding, and Endoparasite Infections
by Carmen Luginbühl, Josef Gross, Christian Wenker, Stefan Hoby, Walter Basso and Patrik Zanolari
Animals 2023, 13(9), 1444; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13091444 - 23 Apr 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3583
Abstract
The aim of the present work was to provide an overview of management and feeding practices, and the prevalence of endoparasite infections in captive Swiss reindeer. On two visits to eight farms or zoos, a standardized questionnaire was completed. A total of 67 [...] Read more.
The aim of the present work was to provide an overview of management and feeding practices, and the prevalence of endoparasite infections in captive Swiss reindeer. On two visits to eight farms or zoos, a standardized questionnaire was completed. A total of 67 reindeer were weighed, and fecal samples were collected. The primary management concerns voiced by owners/managers were feeding and successful breeding. All reindeer were fed roughage ad libitum and supplementary feed for reindeer or other browsers, with different compositions in each herd. Males over two years of age weighed from 60 kg up to 127.5 kg, whereas females had a body weight from 53.5 kg to 86.5 kg. The prevalence of gastrointestinal strongyles was 68.6% (46/67), with reindeer in zoos having a lower prevalence (36%; 9/25) than reindeer from private farms (88%; 37/42). Capillaria sp., Strongyloides sp., and Trichuris sp. were detected in lower prevalences (<24%) and were also more frequent in private farms. Intestinal protozoa, as well as fluke and tapeworms, were not detected in any herd. This study provides an overview on husbandry, feeding, and endoparasite prevalence in reindeer in Switzerland and should be of help for breeders and veterinarians dealing with this animal species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Small Ruminants)
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26 pages, 2412 KiB  
Article
Parasite Spillover from Domestic Sheep to Wild Reindeer—The Role of Salt Licks
by Kjersti Selstad Utaaker, Bjørnar Ytrehus, Marie L. Davey, Frode Fossøy, Rebecca K. Davidson, Andrea L. Miller, Per-Anders Robertsen, Olav Strand and Geir Rune Rauset
Pathogens 2023, 12(2), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens12020186 - 25 Jan 2023
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3807
Abstract
Attraction sites are important for environmental pathogen transmission and spillover. Yet, their role in wildlife disease dynamics is often poorly substantiated. Herein, we study the role of salt licks as potential attraction sites for the spillover of gastrointestinal parasites from domestic sheep to [...] Read more.
Attraction sites are important for environmental pathogen transmission and spillover. Yet, their role in wildlife disease dynamics is often poorly substantiated. Herein, we study the role of salt licks as potential attraction sites for the spillover of gastrointestinal parasites from domestic sheep to wild reindeer. Eggs from the introduced sheep nematode Nematodirus battus were found in faecal samples of both species, suggestive of spillover. DNA metabarcoding of soil, collected at salt licks, revealed that N. battus, in addition to Teladorsagia circumcincta, were the most frequently occurring parasitic nematodes, with a significantly higher prevalence of nematodal DNA in salt lick soil compared to soil from control sites nearby. The finding of similar DNA haplotypes of N. battus in sheep, reindeer, and salt lick soil supports the hypothesis of spillover to reindeer via salt licks. More detailed investigation of the genetic diversity of N. battus across these hosts is needed to draw firm conclusions. Infection with these sheep nematodes could potentially explain a recently observed decline in the calf recruitment rate of the Knutshø reindeer herd. This study also supports the hypothesized role of artificial salt licks as hot spots for the transmission of environmentally persistent pathogens and illustrates the importance of knowledge about such attraction points in the study of disease in free-roaming animals. Full article
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15 pages, 1434 KiB  
Article
A Screening for Virus Infections among Wild Eurasian Tundra Reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) in Iceland, 2017–2019
by Morten Tryland, Javier Sánchez Romano, Ingebjørg Helena Nymo, Torill Mørk, Rán Þórarinsdóttir, Eva Marie Breines, Hong Li, Cristina Wetzel Cunha and Skarphéðinn G. Thórisson
Viruses 2023, 15(2), 317; https://doi.org/10.3390/v15020317 - 23 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2918
Abstract
A winter population of around 4000–5000 wild Eurasian tundra reindeer (Rangifer t. tarandus) in the eastern part of Iceland represents descendants from 35 semi-domesticated reindeer imported to Iceland from Finnmark county, Norway, in 1787. While previous studies have indicated that they [...] Read more.
A winter population of around 4000–5000 wild Eurasian tundra reindeer (Rangifer t. tarandus) in the eastern part of Iceland represents descendants from 35 semi-domesticated reindeer imported to Iceland from Finnmark county, Norway, in 1787. While previous studies have indicated that they host fewer parasite species as compared to reindeer in Fennoscandia, little information exists on their exposure to reindeer viral pathogens. The aim of this study was to investigate blood from hunted reindeer for antibodies against alphaherpesvirus and gammaherpesviruses (malignant catarrhal fever viruses, MCFV), pestivirus, bluetongue virus, and Schmallenberg virus, and to investigate nasal and oral mucosal membrane swab samples for the presence of parapoxvirus-specific DNA. Blood samples collected during the hunting seasons in 2017 (n = 40), 2018 (n = 103), and 2019 (n = 138) were tested for viral antibodies using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Screening for parapoxvirus DNA was conducted on swab samples from 181 reindeer by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), targeting the B2L and GIF genes. Antibodies against pestivirus were detected in two animals from 2017, and antibodies against MCFV were detected in two reindeer from 2018. No antibodies were detected against the other viruses tested. Parapoxvirus-specific DNA was detected in nasal swab samples from two animals sampled in 2019. This study suggests that the investigated viral infections are either not present or present at a low prevalence only, probably not representing a major health threat to this reindeer population. The lack of exposure to alphaherpesvirus, an enzootic pathogen in most investigated Rangifer populations, was unexpected. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Virology in Norway)
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21 pages, 4796 KiB  
Article
Paleogeography of Human Settlement at Iqaluktuuq, Victoria Island, Nunavut
by Julie M. Ross and T. Max Friesen
Geosciences 2022, 12(12), 440; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences12120440 - 29 Nov 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2388
Abstract
Change in sea levels, be they isostatic or eustatic, impact humans and the paleogeography they inhabit. In this paper we examine paleogeography at Iqaluktuuq, a section of the Ekalluk River, Victoria Island, Nunavut, between Tahiryuaq (Ferguson Lake) and Wellington Bay. The area’s isostatic [...] Read more.
Change in sea levels, be they isostatic or eustatic, impact humans and the paleogeography they inhabit. In this paper we examine paleogeography at Iqaluktuuq, a section of the Ekalluk River, Victoria Island, Nunavut, between Tahiryuaq (Ferguson Lake) and Wellington Bay. The area’s isostatic rebound impacted the Ekalluk River’s development and the use of the area by two essential subsistence resources, Arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus). This, in turn, impacted the choices of Pre-Dorset, Middle and Late Dorset, and Thule/Inuit people regarding site locations. A new relative sea-level curve developed using calibrated radiocarbon dates on marine shells and terrestrial material from archaeological sites is produced for Iqaluktuuq. Based on the data, large scale (1:50,000) paleogeography maps are presented for the period of human occupation of Iqaluktuuq, 3100 calibrated years Before Present (B.P. cal) to present, revealing how paleogeography impacts people’s settlement choices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arctic Geoarchaeology and Environmental Archaeology)
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Article
Genome-Wide SNP Analysis Reveals the Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of the Domestic Reindeer Population (Rangifer tarandus) Inhabiting the Indigenous Tofalar Lands of Southern Siberia
by Veronika Ruslanovna Kharzinova, Arsen Vladimirovich Dotsev, Anastasiya Dmitrievna Solovieva, Larisa Delger-Oolovna Shimit, Anton Pavlovich Kochkarev, Henry Reyer and Natalia Anatolievna Zinovieva
Diversity 2022, 14(11), 900; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14110900 - 25 Oct 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3541
Abstract
Operating under the assumption that decline in population size increases the threat of loss of genetic diversity, herein, our first aim was to monitor and document the genetic diversity and population structure of the endemic Tuva–Tofalar reindeer, the number of which has seen [...] Read more.
Operating under the assumption that decline in population size increases the threat of loss of genetic diversity, herein, our first aim was to monitor and document the genetic diversity and population structure of the endemic Tuva–Tofalar reindeer, the number of which has seen a dramatic decrease. Second, we were interested in understanding of Tuva reindeer genetic relationship with four officially recognized reindeer breeds, whose wild populations inhabit the Far North of Russia, as well as with the domestic reindeer making up the Mongolian population. Our results, based on the genome-wide SNP genotypes generated by the BovineHD BeadChip, revealed a low level of genetic variability of Tuva population in terms of the values of both allelic and genetic diversity. The ADMIXTURE analysis, the PCA plot, and the Neighbor Net network results, showed that Tuva population shared genetic background with reindeer inhabiting Mongolia, an implication of their common origin. Moreover, all statistic approaches used in our study showed a distinctive shared genetic structure revealed in independent clusters found in the composition of: an admixed cluster of Tuvan and Mongolian populations, a cluster of domestic reindeer breeds, and a cluster of the wild populations—all of which indirectly points to the possibility of the independent origins (with regard to the domestication) of the reindeer groups studied herein. We believe that our findings will contribute to the formation of a rational basis for solving problems related to the conservation of domestic Tuva-Tofalar reindeer in order to increase the number of this substantial reindeer population which will contribute to the sustainable functioning of ecosystems and the lives and culture of indigenous peoples inhabiting the southern sections of Eastern Siberia. Full article
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