Naslov
Biology and health of Croatian large carnivore populations

Autori
Huber, Đuro ; Kusak, Josip ; Gomerčić, Tomislav

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
Proceedings of the International Scientific Meeting of Anatomy and Physiology Fundamentals of Medcine / Mihelić, Damir ; Šimpraga, Miljenko ; Tkalcic, Suzana - Zagreb : Veterinarski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, 2009, 181-182

ISBN
978-953-6062-72-0

Skup
International Scientific Meeting of Anatomy and Physiology Fundamentals of Medcine

Mjesto i datum
Zagreb, Hrvatska, 12.06.2009. - 13.06.2009

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Domaća recenzija

Ključne riječi
large carnivore

Sažetak
Croatia holds a population of about 1000 brown bears (Ursus arctos), 200 gray wolves (Canis lupus) and 50 Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx). Bears are game animals, while wolves and lynx are strictly protected. All populations belong to the Diñ ara mountain range and are shared with neighboring Slovenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Careful management based on detailed management plans is keeping the bear population increasing, wolf population stable, while lynx is still slightly decreasing and requires most attention. The Large Carnivore Study Team of the Zagreb Faculty of Veterinary Medicine has been studding the biology and health status of brown bears, gray wolves and Eurasian lynx in Croatia since 1981. The approach included life capturing of wild animals and collection of dead specimens. So far we have captured and handled 58 wild brown bears (37 radio-tracked), 19 wolves and 7 lynx (all radio-tracked). In addition we performed 112 handlings of captive bears. Bodies of retrieved dead large carnivores included 111 bears, 119 wolves and 7 lynx, and have undergone various degrees of investigation depending on the state and completeness of remains. Human caused mortality dominated among all three investigated species. That included legal and illegal shooting and traffic kills. The other pathology determined at post mortems was rarely the cause of death. The health status has been additionally monitored through serum antibodies and biochemistry of living animals. In more recent years the genetic diagnostic approach has been used for parasitological investigations. Genetic studies of large carnivores themselves are used for insight into genetic diversity and population sizes. The results yielded in over 120 publications which can be roughly grouped like following: health status and pathology (including parasitology, genetics and immobilization) 43, biology and ecology 21, status, management and human attitudes 57 papers. Most of results were applied in conservation and management. As usual, the more data collected, the more new questions open and ask for more research. We are aware of data gaps and are seeking the ways to fill them. The fully international approach in research and management is the way to secure the future of large carnivores in the whole Europe.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Biologija, Veterinarska medicina

POVEZANOST RADA