• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.129-138
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• 2022

Reintroduction programs have been promoted across the world to recover and rehabilitate endangered birds through ex situ captive breeding and releasing to the nature. The ultimate aims of these reintroduction programs are recovery of sustainable populations in natural habitats. To ensure the success of the reintroduction programs, it is necessary to examine the followings in order to increase the success rate of releasing along with the development of captive breeding techniques: 1) Adequate habitat provision, 2) adaptability of captive-bred individuals, 3) survivability of released individuals, and 4) social interest and will. Before releasing captive-bred individuals, it should be reviewed whether there are habitats in which the limiting factor is removed, and assessed their long-term safety. The quantity and quality of the released individuals must be considered to increase the chances for mate selection, maintain genetic diversity, and acquire the ability to adapt to the wild. The release method must be decided in consideration of characteristics of the target habitats and individuals, and rational means such as careful observation, evaluation, and feedback must be provided throughout the release process. For the long-term success of recovery projects, social awareness, sustainable support, and related experts are needed. Satisfying these criteria can help to increase the success rates of reintroduction programs. For the bird reintroduction program in the future, the feasibility of the methods and procedures must be closely reviewed before starting.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.213-217
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• 2010

Sarcocystis sp. infection was investigated in 20 necropsied captive wild mammals and 20 birds in 2 petting zoos in Malaysia. The gross post-mortem lesions in mammals showed marbling of the liver with uniform congestion of the intestine, and for birds, there was atrophy of the sternal muscles with hemorrhage and edema of the lungs in 2 birds. Naked eye examination was used for detection of macroscopic sarcocysts, and muscle squash for microscopic type. Only microscopically visible cysts were detected in 8 animals and species identification was not possible. Histological examination of the sections of infected skeletal muscles showed more than 5 sarcocysts in each specimen. No leukocytic infiltration was seen in affected organs. The shape of the cysts was elongated or Circular, and the mean size reached $254{\times}24.5{\mu}m$ and the thickness of the wall up to $2.5{\mu}m$. Two stages were recognized in the cysts, the peripheral metrocytes and large numbers of crescent shaped merozoites. Out of 40 animals examined, 3 mammals and 5 birds were positive (20%). The infection rate was 15% and 25% in mammals and birds, respectively. Regarding the organs, the infection rate was 50% in the skeletal muscles followed by tongue and heart (37.5%), diaphragm (25%), and esophagus (12.5%). Further ultrastructural studies are required to identify the species of Sarcocystis that infect captive wild animals and their possible role in zoonosis.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.71-74
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• 2013

Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) is one of the most important mycotic infection in wild animals stressed by captivity and concurrent disease. A 14-year-old Carribean flamingo controlled bumble foot with antibiotics died after having dyspnea, depression, and anorexia. Necropsy findings revealed pyogranulomatous inflammations of lung and greenish gray-colored mold on air sacs. A carribean flamingo was diagnosed as pyogranulomatous pneumoniae due to A.fumigatus infection by results of lung tissue culture and microscopic examination.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.261-265
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• 2016

The purpose of this study was to perform retrospective data collection of the sites and types of fracture in raptors in order to enable wildlife veterinarians to manage cases of fracture more effectively. This study included raptors with fracture, rescued between January 2013 and August 2015 in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region in Republic of Korea. The data were collected from the medical reports and radiographic findings acquired from designated animal hospitals for wild animals, the Dongin Animal Hospital and the Kyungpook wildlife rescue center. The distribution, sites, and types of fracture, and outcomes of rescue and fracture management of the raptors included in this study were analyzed. Among the 31 birds included in this study, Falco tinnunculus was the most common species. Of the 42 sites of fracture, the diaphysis of the humerus was the most common site of fracture, and comminuted fracture was the most common type. Of the 31 birds, 13 were treated surgically. Intramedullary pinning with bandaging was the most common method of surgical treatment. While 7 of the 13 birds died, 2 were reintroduced into the wild, and 4 were kept captive. This study presents the evaluation of the data on the species, sites, and types of fracture, and treatment procedures and outcomes in raptors with fractures, rescued in the Daegu-Gyeongbuk region. The findings of this study could serve as a basic database for the treatment of fracture in raptors.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.19.1-19.10
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• 2020

Given that the current Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection in wild birds poses the threat to poultry, surveillance of Newcastle disease in captive wild birds was carried out in Jilin, China in 2018. Here, an NDV strain obtained from toco toucan was firstly characterized. The results showed that the F gene of the NDV isolate Toucan/China/3/2018 is classified as genotype II in class II. Sequence analysis of the F0 cleavage site was ¹¹³RQGR/L¹¹⁷, which supports the result of the intracerebral pathogenicity index assay indicating classification of the isolate as low-pathogenicity. Experimental infection demonstrated that Toucan/China/3/2018 can effectively replicate and transmit among chickens. To our knowledge, this is the first report on genetically and pathogenically characterizing NDV strain isolated from toucan, which enriches the epidemiological information of NDV in wild birds.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.472-475
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• 2006

Aspegillosis in free-living birds can be occurred mostly under poor weather and climate. But, captive birds tend to be more susceptible to infection and diagnosis was made usually at post mortem. A two months old Whooper swan(Cygnus c. cygmus) dying suddenly was found in a zoo without prior clinical signs. At necropsy, numerous well- demarcated yellow to white firm nodules were scattered throughout the air sacs and the lungs. Microscopically, granuloma formations were observed in the lung and air sacs. The margin of granuloma was surrounded by connective tissue barrier and was infiltrated with lymphocytes, and also observed giant cell near the granuloma. By Periodic acid Schiff reaction, hyphae were detected in granuloma of lung and air sacs. This case was diagnosed as an invasive pulmonary aspergillosis caused by Aspergillus fumigatus infection in a Whooper swan at a zoo.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.685-691
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• 2016

Chewing lice (Phthiraptera) that parasitize the globally threatened swan goose Anser cygnoides have been long recognized since the early 19th century, but those records were probably biased towards sampling of captive or domestic geese due to the small population size and limited distribution of its wild hosts. To better understand the lice species parasitizing swan geese that are endemic to East Asia, we collected chewing lice from 14 wild geese caught at 3 lakes in northeastern Mongolia. The lice were morphologically identified as 16 Trinoton anserinum (Fabricius, 1805), 11 Ornithobius domesticus Arnold, 2005, and 1 Anaticola anseris (Linnaeus, 1758). These species are known from other geese and swans, but all of them were new to the swan goose. This result also indicates no overlap in lice species between older records and our findings from wild birds. Thus, ectoparasites collected from domestic or captive animals may provide biased information on the occurrence, prevalence, host selection, and host-ectoparasite interactions from those on wild hosts.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2021

Reproduction and molt are costly processes in avian life histories. These two fitness-related traits are expected to be under one of physiological trade-offs. Age-related molt is known to be higher in young birds than that in adults presumably due to the cost of reproduction in adults. The present study partially replicated a previous study using a non-invasive method of seasonal wing feather loss instead of capture-inspection for molting progress in oriental storks (Ciconia boyciana). We first examined characteristics of the known six wing feather types (i.e., primaries [P], primary coverts [PC], secondaries [S], secondary coverts [SC], and tertials [T]) from two specimens with four wings. Results were utilized as references for further investigation. We then collected a total of 3,807 wing feathers shedded by 61 captive storks for one year and classified them into six wing feather types based on the reference with structures of vane (i.e., how asymmetrical) and calamus (i.e., how rigidly attached to skin) of wing feathers. Our results indicated that annual losses of all six-type wing feathers decreased with increasing ages, ranging from 29% to 58% for PC, alula, SC, P, S, and T in order. Our results were also comparable to those of a former study, suggesting that the pattern of age-specific molt might be associated with the cost of reproduction in adults. However, juveniles might shed more wing feathers with low quality formed during the previous development stage than older birds.

• Korean Journal of Ornithology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.112-116
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• 2018

Electrocution is one of the key components affecting the mortality of birds. Various electrocution-decreasing methods refer to two directions: safe perching with insulation versus perching restriction. In Yesan County, we have reintroduced 30 oriental storks (Ciconia boyciana) since 2015. Two female storks died due to electrocution while perching in a utility pole in 2016. To reduce such electrocution mortality in storks, a branch of Korea Electric Power Corporation partly installed insulators in 630 utility poles located in the major habitats of Yesan in 2016-2017. Simultaneously, we conducted an experiment to reduce the perching events using 8 captive storks and the two types of common utility poles along with/without the installation of bird-spikes and/or wires in Mar-Jun of 2017. Our results indicated the installation of additional wires alone exhibited a lack of reduction in perching, while those of bird-spikes or both significantly decreased their perching frequencies. Therefore, the present study highlights the installation of bird spikes on top of utility poles may elicit a better effect so that storks avoid perching in utility poles, presumably resulting in lowering potential electrocution in the wild.

• Korean Journal of Ornithology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2018

Sexual dimorphism in birds refers to male-female differences in body size, plumage, color and/or behavior. In general, many seabirds, including the family of Laridae, are monomorphic in plumage-color, which makes the determination of sex difficult in the field because both parents also tend to share a great portion of parental care. The development of an inexpensive sexing tool facilitates understanding the degree of sex-specific parental care in the evolution of the life history. Here, we developed a non-invasive method for the determination of sex using the bill-head morphometric of known captive pairs and applied this tool to wild pairs to document factors underlying male-female parental care during the incubation period of Saunders's gulls (Saundersilarus saundersi). Males exhibited relatively larger bill-head ratios than their mates within naturally formed pairs in captivity, resulting in the determination of sex in12 wild pairs at the nest during the incubation period. Males and females equally shared the incubation role during the daytime, attending the nest at a high rate of 95%. However, the male's proportion of nest attentiveness greatly increased with time towards sunset, presumably reflecting the male duty for nighttime incubation. The present study provides a non-invasive method for the determination of sex in a monomorphic seagull species and highlights how male-female incubation behavior is associated with time of the day, rather than other ecological conditions.