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Minimally Invasive Health Monitoring of Wildlife

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

J E Cooper
J E Cooper*
Affiliation:
Centre Vétérinaire des Volcans, BP 105, Ruhengeri, Rwanda, Central Africa
*
*Present address: Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), Department of Biosciences, The University, Canterbury, Kent CT2 7NJ, UK
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Abstract

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Investigations of free-living wild animals often involve capture, restraint or other forms of manipulation. There is a need, on both scientific and welfare grounds, to develop and to use less invasive techniques, especially for the assessment of health. Already some such procedures exist, ranging from observation of clinical signs to the laboratory examination and analysis of faeces and other naturally voided samples.

Minimally invasive and non-invasive health monitoring of vertebrate animals is outlined and examples are given of samples from mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish that can provide useful information.

Keywords

animal welfarewildlifehealth monitoringvertebrates
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 7 , Issue 1 , February 1998 , pp. 35 - 44
Copyright
© 1998 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

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