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Domestic cats are the natural reservoir of Bartonella henselae, B. clarridgeiae and B. koehlerae. To determine the role of wild felids in the epidemiology of Bartonella infections, blood was collected from 14 free-ranging California mountain lions (Puma concolor) and 19 bobcats (Lynx rufus). Bartonella spp. were isolated from four (29%) mountain lions and seven (37%) bobcats. These isolates were characterized using growth characteristics, biochemical reactions, molecular techniques, including PCR-RFLP of selected genes or interspacer region, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), partial sequencing of several genes, and DNA-DNA hybridization. Two isolates were identical to B. henselae genotype II. All other isolates were distinguished from B. henselae and B. koehlerae by PCR-RFLP of the gltA gene using endonucleases HhaI, TaqI and AciI, with the latter two discriminating between the mountain lion and the bobcat isolates. These two novel isolates displayed specific PFGE profiles distinct from B. henselae, B. koehlerae and B. clarridgeiae. Sequences of amplified gene fragments from the three mountain lion and six bobcat isolates were closely related to, but distinct from, B. henselae and B. koehlerae. Finally, DNA-DNA hybridization studies demonstrated that the mountain lion and bobcat strains are most closely related to B. koehlerae. We propose naming the mountain lion isolates B. koehlerae subsp. boulouisii subsp. nov. (type strain: L-42-94), and the bobcat isolates B. koehlerae subsp. bothieri subsp. nov. (type strain: L-17-96), and to emend B. koehlerae as B. koehlerae subsp. koehlerae. The mode of transmission and the zoonotic potential of these new Bartonella subspecies remain to be determined.

A unique, non-invasive mountain lion study uses a giant network of trail cameras scattered throughout the mountains over a decade. Coupled with interviews with MPG Ranch staff and volunteers in Montana, the filmmakers pieced together the life story of the area's mountain lions. Genetic data gleaned from hair and other samples, in combination with the video footage, has allowed the researchers to trace the life histories of individual mountain lions and their complex interactions with one another, other wildlife, and the rest of the surrounding forest world into a story that contains never-before-captured events and behaviors at every turn.

The diet of free-ranging carnivores is an important part of their ecology. It is often determined from prey remains in scats. In many cases, scat analyses are the most efficient method but they require correction for potential biases. When the diet is expressed as proportions of consumed mass of each prey species, the consumed prey mass to excrete one scat needs to be determined and corrected for prey body mass because the proportion of digestible to indigestible matter increases with prey body mass. Prey body mass can be corrected for by conducting feeding experiments using prey of various body masses and fitting a regression between consumed prey mass to excrete one scat and prey body mass (correction factor 1). When the diet is expressed as proportions of consumed individuals of each prey species and includes prey animals not completely consumed, the actual mass of each prey consumed by the carnivore needs to be controlled for (correction factor 2). No previous study controlled for this second bias. Here we use an extended series of feeding experiments on a large carnivore, the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), to establish both correction factors. In contrast to previous studies which fitted a linear regression for correction factor 1, we fitted a biologically more meaningful exponential regression model where the consumed prey mass to excrete one scat reaches an asymptote at large prey sizes. Using our protocol, we also derive correction factor 1 and 2 for other carnivore species and apply them to published studies. We show that the new method increases the number and proportion of consumed individuals in the diet for large prey animals compared to the conventional method. Our results have important implications for the interpretation of scat-based studies in feeding ecology and the resolution of human-wildlife conflicts for the conservation of large carnivores.

Understanding the effectiveness of harvest regulations to manipulate population abundances is a priority for wildlife managers, and reliable methods are needed to monitor populations. This is particularly true in controversial situations such as integrated carnivore-ungulate management. We used an observational before-after-control-treatment approach to evaluate a case study in west-central Montana, USA, that applied conservative ungulate harvest together with liberalized carnivore harvest to achieve short-term decreases in carnivore abundance and increases in ungulate recruitment. Our study areas included the Bitterroot treatment area and the Clark Fork control area, where mountain lion populations (Felis concolor) were managed for a 30% reduction and for stability, respectively. The goals of the mountain lion harvest were to provide a short-term reduction of mountain lion predation on elk (Cervus canadensis) calves and an increase in elk recruitment, elk population growth rate, and ultimately elk abundance. We estimated mountain lion population abundance in the Bitterroot treatment and Clark Fork control areas before and 4 years after implementation of the 2012 harvest treatment. We developed a multi-strata spatial capture-recapture model that integrated recapture and telemetry data to evaluate mountain lion population responses to harvest changes. Mountain lion abundance declined with increasing harvest in the Bitterroot treatment area from 161 (90% credible interval [CrI] = 104, 233) to 115 (CrI = 69, 173). The proportion of males changed from 0.50 (CrI = 0.33, 0.67) to 0.28 (CrI = 0.17, 0.40), which translated into a decline in the abundance of males, and similar abundances of females (before: males = 80 [CrI = 52, 116], females = 81 [CrI = 52, 117]; after: males = 33 [CrI = 20, 49], females = 82 [CrI = 49, 124]). In the Clark Fork control area, an area twice as large as the Bitterroot treatment area, we found no evidence of changes in overall abundance or proportion of males in the population. The proportion of males changed from 0.42 (CrI = 0.26, 0.58) to 0.39 (CrI = 0.25, 0.54), which translated into similar abundances of males and females (before: males = 24 [CrI = 16, 36], females = 33 [CrI = 21, 39]; after: males = 28 [CrI = 18, 41], females = 44 [CrI = 29, 64]). To evaluate if elk recruitment and population growth rate increased following treatment, we developed an integrated elk population model. We compared recruitment and population growth rate during the 5 years prior to and 5 years following implementation of the mountain lion harvest treatment for 2 elk populations within the Bitterroot treatment area and 2 elk populations within the Clark Fork control area. We found strong evidence that temporal trends differed between the 2 areas. In the Bitterroot treatment area, per capita elk recruitment was stable around an estimated median value of 0.23 (CrI = 0.17, 0.36) in the pre-treatment period (2007–2011), increased immediately after treatment (2013) to 0.42 (CrI = 0.29, 0.56), and then declined to 0.21 (CrI = 0.11, 0.32) in 2017. In contrast, per capita elk recruitment estimates in the Clark Fork control area had similar median values during the pre- (2007–2011: 0.30, CrI = 0.2, 0.35) and post-treatment periods (2013–2017: 0.31, CrI = 0.26, 0.36). These changes in recruitment corresponded to similar changes in elk population growth rate, although population growth rates were also subject to variation due to changing elk harvest. In the Bitterroot treatment area, population growth rates in the pre-treatment period were stable to slightly declining, with an estimated median value of 0.92 (CrI = 0.88, 1.07) in the pre-treatment period (2007–2011). Population growth rate during the post-treatment period increased immediately after treatment (2012: 1.17, CrI = 1.14, 1.20) prior to declining to 1.06 (CrI = 1.04, 1.09) in 2016. In contrast, the median population growth rates were roughly equal in the Clark Fork control area during the pre-treatment period (1.01, CrI = 0.86, 1.09) from 2007 to 2011 and post-treatment period (1.00, CrI = 0.83, 1.15) from 2013 to 2017. Together, these results indicate that the harvest treatment achieved a moderate (i.e., 29%) reduction in mountain lion population abundance within the treatment area that corresponded with short-term increases in elk recruitment and population growth. Elk population demographic responses suggest that the harvest treatment effect was strongest immediately after the mountain lion harvest treatment was implemented and lessened over time as the harvest treatment was reduced. This suggests that the short-term harvest treatment resulted in short-term demographic responses in elk populations, and more sustained harvest treatments would be necessary to achieve longer-term elk population demographic responses. We recommend that wildlife managers seeking to balance carnivore and ungulate population objectives design rigorous carnivore and ungulate population monitoring programs to assess the effects of harvest management programs. Assessing and understanding effects of carnivore harvest management programs will help to set realistic expectations regarding the effects of management programs on carnivore and ungulate populations and allow managers to better design programs to meet desired carnivore and ungulate population objectives. Comprendre l’efficacité des règlements de récolte à contrôler l’abondance des populations est une priorité pour les gestionnaires de la faune, et des méthodes fiables sont nécessaires pour suivre l’état des populations. Cela est particulièrement vrai face à des situations controversées telles que la gestion intégrée des carnivores et des cervidés. Nous avons utilisé une approche observationnelle avant-après-témoin-traitement dans le cadre d’une étude de cas prenant place dans le centre-ouest du Montana, aux États-Unis. L’étude impliquait une récolte de cervidés conservatrice et une récolte de carnivores plus permissive afin de réduire l’abondance des carnivores à court terme et d’augmenter le recrutement de cervidés. Nos aires d’étude comprenaient la zone expérimentale de la Bitterroot où la gestion visait à réduire les populations de couguars (Felis concolor) de 30%, ainsi que la zone témoin de Clark Fork où l’objectif était de maintenir des populations stables. La récolte de couguars visait la réduction à court terme de la prédation sur les faons de wapitis (Cervus canadensis), tout en augmentant le recrutement de wapitis, de même que le taux de croissance et l’abondance de leur population. Nous avons estimé l’abondance des couguars dans la zone de traitement de la Bitterroot et dans la zone témoin de Clark Fork avant la mise en oeuvre du traitement de récolte en 2012, puis 4 ans après. Nous avons développé un modèle spatial de capture-marquage-recapture pour population stratifée qui intégrait des données de recapture et de télémétrie afin d’évaluer comment la population de couguars réagit aux variations du taux de récolte. L’abondance de couguars a diminué avec l’augmentation de la récolte dans la zone de traitement de la Bitterroot, passant de 161 (intervalle de crédibilité à 90% [ICr] = 104, 233) à 115 (ICr = 69, 173). La proportion de mâles est alors passée de 0,50 (ICr = 0,33, 0,67) à 0,28 (ICr = 0,17, 0,40), ce qui reflète la diminution de l’abondance des mâles et le maintien de l’abondance des femelles (avant: mâles = 80 [ICr = 52, 116], femelles = 81 [ICr = 52, 117]; après: mâles = 33 [ICr = 20, 49], femelles = 82 [ICr = 49, 124]). Dans la zone témoin de Clark Fork, une zone deux fois plus grande que la zone de traitement de la Bitterroot, nous n’avons détecté aucun changement dans l’abondance des mâles ou dans leur proportion au sein de la population. La proportion de mâles est passée de 0,42 (ICr = 0,26, 0,58) à 0,39 (ICr = 0,25, 0,54), se traduisant par une abondance similaire entre les mâles et les femelles (avant: mâles = 24 [ICr = 16, 36], femelles = 33 [ICr = 21, 39]; après: mâles = 28 [ICr = 18, 41], femelles = 44 [ICr = 29, 64]). Pour évaluer si le recrutement de wapitis et le taux de croissance de leur population ont augmenté suite au traitement, nous avons développé un modèle intégré des populations de wapitis. Nous avons comparé le taux de recrutement et de croissance de 4 populations de wapitis au cours des 5 années qui ont précédé et des 5 qui ont suivi le début de la récolte de couguars. Deux populations de wapitis se situaient dans la zone de traitement de la Bitterroot et 2 dans la zone témoin de Clark Fork. Nos résultats suggèrent fortement que les variations temporelles des populations différaient entre les 2 aires d’étude. Dans la zone de traitement de la Bitterroot, le recrutement des wapitis par individu était stable autour d’une valeur médiane de 0,23 (ICr = 0,17, 0,36) durant la période de prétraitement (2007–2011), il a augmenté suite au traitement pour atteindre un niveau intermédiaire de 0,42 (ICr = 0,29, 0,56) en 2013, puis il a diminué à 0,21 (ICr = 0,11, 0,32) en 2017. En revanche, le recrutement des wapitis par individu avait des valeurs médianes similaires durant les périodes pré- (2007–2011: 0,30, ICr = 0,2, 0,35) et de post-traitement (2013–2017: 0,31, ICr = 0,26, 0,36) dans la zone témoin de Clark Fork. Les variations du recrutement étaient liées à des changements similaires dans le taux de croissance des populations de wapitis, bien que le taux de croissance des populations ait également varié suite aux variations de récolte de wapitis. Dans la zone de traitement de la Bitterroot, les taux de croissance des populations étaient stables ou légèrement en baisse durant la période de prétraitement (2007–2011), avec une valeur médiane de 0,92 (ICr = 0,88, 1,07). Le taux de croissance de la population a augmenté immédiatement après le traitement (2012: 1,17, ICr = 1,14, 1,20), avant de diminuer à 1,06 (ICr = 1,04, 1,09) en 2016. En revanche, le taux de croissance médian des populatio

Bartonellae are blood- and vector-borne Gram-negative bacteria, recognized as emerging pathogens. Whole-blood samples were collected from 58 free-ranging lions (Panthera leo) in South Africa and 17 cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) from Namibia. Blood samples were also collected from 11 cheetahs (more than once for some of them) at the San Diego Wildlife Safari Park. Bacteria were isolated from the blood of three (5%) lions, one (6%) Namibian cheetah and eight (73%) cheetahs from California. The lion Bartonella isolates were identified as B. henselae (two isolates) and B. koehlerae subsp. koehlerae. The Namibian cheetah strain was close but distinct from isolates from North American wild felids and clustered between B. henselae and B. koehlerae. It should be considered as a new subspecies of B. koehlerae. All the Californian semi-captive cheetah isolates were different from B. henselae or B. koehlerae subsp. koehlerae and from the Namibian cheetah isolate. They were also distinct from the strains isolated from Californian mountain lions (Felis concolor) and clustered with strains of B. koehlerae subsp. bothieri isolated from free-ranging bobcats (Lynx rufus) in California. Therefore, it is likely that these captive cheetahs became infected by an indigenous strain for which bobcats are the natural reservoir.

Directly transmitted parasites often provide substantial information about the temporal and spatial characteristics of host-to-host contact. Here, we demonstrate that a fast-evolving virus (feline immunodeficiency virus, FIV) can reveal details of the contemporary population structure and recent demographic history of its natural wildlife host (Puma concolor) that were not apparent from host genetic data and would be impossible to obtain by other means. We suggest that rapidly evolving pathogens may provide a complementary tool for studying population dynamics of their hosts in \"shallow\" time.

We compared selection of northern Yellowstone elk (Cervus elaphus) by hunters in the Gardiner Late Hunt and northern Yellowstone wolves (Canis lupus) with regard to sex, age, and impacts to recruitment. We compared harvest data from 1996–2001 with wolf-killed elk data from 1995–2001. We assessed the effects of hunting and wolf predation on reproductive female elk by constructing a life table and calculating reproductive values for females in the northern Yellowstone herd. We devised an index of total reproductive impact to measure impacts to calf production due to hunting and wolf predation. The age classes of female elk selected by wolves and hunters were significantly different. Hunters selected a large proportion of female elk with the greatest reproductive values, whereas wolves selected a large proportion of elk calves and older females with low reproductive values. The mean age of adult females killed by hunters throughout the study period was 6.5 years, whereas the mean age of adult females killed by wolves was 13.9 years. Hunting exerted a greater total reproductive impact on the herd than wolf predation. The combined effects of hunters killing prime-aged females (2–9 yr old), wolves killing calves, and predation by other predators has the potential to limit the elk population in the future. Yellowstone is unique in this regard because multiple predators that occur sympatrically, including hunters, wolves, grizzly bears (Ursus arctos), black bears (Ursus americanus), cougars (Felis concolor), and coyotes (Canis latrans), all prey on elk. Using an Adaptive Harvest Management process the known female elk harvest during the Gardiner Late Hunt has been reduced by 72% from 2,221 elk in 1997 to 620 elk in 2004. In the future, hunting harvest levels may be reduced further to partially offset elk losses to wolves, other predators, and environmental factors.

When a previously common predator disappears owing to local extinction, the strong source of natural selection on prey to visually recognize that predator becomes relaxed. At present, we do not know the extent to which recognition of a specific predator is generalized to similar looking predators or how a specific predator-recognition cue, such as coat pattern, degrades under prolonged relaxed selection. Using predator models, we show that deer exhibit a more rapid and stronger antipredator response to their current predator, the puma, than to a leopard displaying primitive rosettes similar to a locally extinct predator, an early jaguar. Presentation of a novel tiger with a striped coat engendered an intermediate speed of predator recognition and strength of antipredator behaviour. Responses to the leopard model slightly exceeded responses to a non-threatening deer model, suggesting that thousands of years of relaxed selection have led to the loss of recognition of the spotted coat as a jaguar-recognition cue, and that the spotted coat has regained its ability to camouflage the felid form. Our results shed light on the evolutionary arms race between adoption of camouflage to facilitate hunting and the ability of prey to quickly recognize predators by their formerly camouflaging patterns.

The blood protozoan Trypanosoma evansi, which is transmitted by biting flies, is frequently neglected due to subclinical infections. This report describes a case of trypanosomiasis due to T. evansi in a 9-yr-old male puma (Felis concolor) housed at the Lahore Zoo in Pakistan. Early in January 2015, this male puma presented with chronic lethargy, weight loss, incoordination, hyperthermia, anorexia, sunken eyes, and unthriftiness. Microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood smears showed numerous Trypanosoma parasites. The puma was treated with diminazene aceturate subcutaneously twice. A few days later, a blood smear examination showed absence of trypanosomes. Five months later the cat presented with acute epistaxis and died. Postmortem examination showed emaciation, pale liver and kidneys, and hemorrhages on the spleen. Examination of a blood smear taken at the time of death showed numerous Trypanosoma parasites. PCR testing confirmed the presence of Trypanosoma DNA. DNA sequencing of two amplicons confirmed the presence of Trypanosoma in the blood smears with a 98–99% identity with the previously identified GenBank sequences. A phylogenetic tree was then constructed. Further studies are needed to improve our knowledge about the epidemiology and pathogenesis of T. evansi infection in wild animal species.

A review of medical records and necropsy reports from 1979–2003 found 40 neoplasms in 26 zoo felids, including five lions (Panthera leo, two males and three females), three leopards (Panthera pardus, two males and one female), one jaguar (Panthera onca, female), 11 tigers (Panthera tigris, three males and eight females), two snow leopards (Panthera uncia, one male and one female), two cougars (Felis concolor, one male and one female), one bobcat (Felis rufus, male), and one cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus, female). Animals that had not reached 3 yr of age or had been housed in the collection less than 3 yrs were not included in the study. Neoplasia rate at necropsy was 51% (24/47), and overall incidence of felid neoplasia during the study period was 25% (26/103). Neoplasia was identified as the cause of death or reason for euthanasia in 28% (13/47) of those necropsied. Neoplasms were observed in the integumentary-mammary (n = 11), endocrine (n = 10), reproductive (n = 8), hematopoietic-lymphoreticular (n = 5), digestive (n = 3), and hepatobiliary (n = 2) systems. One neoplasm was unclassified by system. Multiple neoplasms were observed in 11 animals. Both benign and malignant neoplasms were observed in all systems except for the hematopoietic-lymphoreticular systems where all processes were malignant. Of the endocrine neoplasms, those involving the thyroid and parathyroid glands predominated (n = 8) over other endocrine organs and included adenomas and carcinomas. In the integumentary system, 63% (7/11) of neoplasms involved the mammary gland, with mammary carcinoma representing 83% (6/7) of the neoplasms. The rates of neoplasia at this institution, during the given time period, appears to be greater than rates found in the one other published survey of captive felids.