Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T19:15:37.408Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Physiological Impact of Wool-Harvesting Procedures in Vicunas (Vicugna Vicugna)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 January 2023

C Bonacic  and
D W Macdonald
C Bonacic*
Affiliation:
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK Departamento de Ciencias Animales, Facultad de Agronomia e Ingenieria Forestal, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Casilla 306, Correo 22, Santiago, Chile
D W Macdonald
Affiliation:
Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, Department of Zoology, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PS, UK
*
† Contact for correspondence and requests for reprints: [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A current programme of wildlife utilisation in the Andean region involves the capture of wild vicunas, their shearing, transport and, in some cases, captive farming. The effects of these interventions on the physiology, and thus welfare, of wild vicunas are unknown. As a first step to quantifying and thus mitigating any adverse welfare consequences of this harvest, we measured the immediate and longer-term physical and physiological effects of capture, shearing and transport. A sample of juvenile male vicunas was captured. Six were shorn at the capture site, six after two weeks in captivity, and the remaining seven animals were kept as controls for 39 days. In general, vicunas showed changes in blood glucose, packed cell volume, cortisol, and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratios within 4-6 h following capture. Creatine kinase was also affected by capture and transport, showing a peak plasma level 24 h after capture, which was followed by a peak plasma level of aspartate aminotransferase four days after capture and transport. After 12 days in captivity, all of the vicunas showed physiological parameters close to expected baseline values for the species. We could detect no differences in physiological parameters between animals that were captured, sheared and transported and those that were only captured and transported. Similarly, we could detect no differences in most responses of vicunas between those sheared after 12 days in captivity and a control group held under similar conditions but from which blood was sampled without shearing. A further comparison between animals sheared immediately after capture and animals sheared after 12 days in captivity revealed that creatine kinase levels were higher in the former group. During transport prior to release back into the wild, only minor injuries (lip bleeding and limb contusions) and a significant increase in rectal temperature were observed. Our results provide a basis for recommendations to improve the welfare of vicunas during the wool harvest, and provide baseline and stress-response data to serve as reference points for further studies of vicuna welfare.

Keywords

animal welfarecapture effectsecophysiologyshearing effectsstress responsesustainable use
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Welfare , Volume 12 , Issue 3 , August 2003 , pp. 387 - 402
Copyright
© 2003 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

References

Antognini, J F, Eisele, P H and Gronert, G A 1996 Evaluation for malignant hyperthermia susceptibility in black-tailed deer. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 32(4): 678–681CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bailey, T A, Samour, J H, Naldo, J, Howlett, J C and Tarik, M 1996 Causes of morbidity in bustards in the United Arab Emirates. Avian Diseases 40(1): 121–129CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bateson, P and Bradshaw, E L 1997 Physiological effects of hunting red deer (Cervus elaphus). Proceedings of the Royal Society of London (Series B — Biological Sciences) 264: 1707–1714CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bateson, P and Wise, D 1998 Welfare of hunted red deer. Veterinary Record 142(4): 95Google ScholarPubMed
Beerda, B, Schilder, M B H, vanHooff, J A R A M, deVries, H W and Mol, J A 1998 Behavioural, saliva cortisol and heart rate responses to different types of stimuli in dogs. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 58(3-4): 365–381CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beringer, J, Hansen, L P, Wilding, W, Fischer, J and Sheriff, S L 1996 Factors affecting capture myopathy in white-tailed deer. Journal of Wildlife Management 60(2): 373–380CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonacic, C 2000 Manejo sostenible de la vicuña: ¿es posible conciliar la explotación de la especie y el bienestar animal? In: González B, Bas F and Iriarte A (eds) Manejo Sustentable de la Vicuña y el Guanaco pp 193–205. Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Fundación para la Innovación Agraria: Santiago, Chile [Title translation: Sustainable use of the vicuna: are animal welfare and wildlife exploitation compatible?]: are animal welfare and wildlife exploitation compatible?]Google Scholar
Bonacic, C, Macdonald, D W, Sibly, R M and Galaz, J L 2002 Density dependence in the Camelid Vicugna vicugna: the recovery of a protected population in Chile. Oryx 36: 118–125CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonacic, C, Macdonald, D W and Villouta, G 2003 Adrenocorticotrophin-induced stress response in captive vicunas (Vicugna vicugna) in the Andes of Chile. Animal Welfare 12: 369–385Google Scholar
Broom, D M and Johnson, K G 1993 Stress and Animal Welfare. Chapman & Hall: London, UKCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bustos, P 1998 Estudio de algunas variables fisiológicas del guanaco (Lama guanicoe guanicoe) durante la lactancia artificial en cautiverio. Veterinary Medical Thesis, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, USA [Title translation: The study of some physiological parameters of the guanaco (Lama guanicoe guanicoe) during artificial lactation during captivity]: The study of some physiological parameters of the guanaco (Lama guanicoe guanicoe) during artificial lactation during captivity]Google Scholar
CITES 1997 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora: Appendices I and II and Interpretation Fauna and Flora. http://www.cites.org/eng/disc/text.shtmlGoogle Scholar
Clemmons, J R and Buchholz, R 1997 Behavioural Approaches to Conservation in the Wild. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UKGoogle Scholar
Coles, E H 1980 Veterinary Clinical Pathology. Saunders: Philadelphia, USAGoogle Scholar
CONAF 1991 Estudio de factibilidad Técnico-Económica para el Manejo y Aprovechamiento de la Vicuña en Chile. Corporacion Nacional Forestal, Ministerio de Agricultura: Santiago, Chile [Title translation: Technical, economical and feasibility study for the vicuna: sustainable management in Chile]Google Scholar
Conner, M C, Soutiere, E C and Lancia, R A 1987 Drop-netting deer: costs and incidence of capture myopathy. Wildlife Society Bulletin 15(3): 434–438Google Scholar
Coulson, G 1996 A safe and selective draw-string trap to capture kangaroos moving under fences. Wildlife Research 235: 621–627CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cueto, L C, Ponce, C, Cardich, E and Rios, M A 1985 Management of vicuna: its contribution to rural development in the High Andes of Peru. Report 11. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations: Rome, ItalyGoogle Scholar
DeNicola, A and Swihart, R 1997 Capture-induced stress in white-tailed deer. Wildlife Society Bulletin 252: 500–503Google Scholar
Eckert, R and Randall, D J 1983 Animal Physiology: Mechanisms and Adaptations. W H Freeman: San Francisco, USAGoogle Scholar
Eltringham, S K 1988 Wildlife Resources and Economic Development. International Book Distributors: Dehra Dun, IndiaGoogle Scholar
Fowler, M 1998 Medicine and Surgery of South American Came lids, Edn 2. Iowa State University Press: Ames, Iowa, USAGoogle Scholar
Fowler, M E 1986 Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine. Saunders: Philadelphia, USAGoogle Scholar
Fowler, M E 1994 Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals. Iowa State University Press: Ames, Iowa, USAGoogle Scholar
Galaz, J 1998 El manejo de la vicuna en Chile. In: Valverde, V (ed) La Conservacion de la Fauna Nativa Chilena: Logros y perspectivas pp 7–16. Corporacion Nacional Forestal: Santiago, Chile [Title translation: Management of the vicuna in Chile]Google Scholar
Goddard, P J 1998 The welfare of deer. Acta Veterinaria Hungarica 46(3): 395–404Google ScholarPubMed
Goddard, P J, Gordon, I J and Hamilton, W J 1996 The effect of post-capture management strategy on the welfare and productivity of wild red deer (Cervus elaphus) hinds introduced to farming systems. Animal Science 63(2): 315–327CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigor, P N, Goddard, P J, Cockram, M S, Rennie, S C and Macdonald, A J 1997a The effects of some factors associated with transportation on the behavioural and physiological reactions of farmed red deer. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 52(1-2): 179–189CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigor, P N, Goddard, P J and Littlewood, C A 1997b The movement of farmed red deer through raceways. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 52(1-2): 171–178CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grigor, P N, Goddard, P J and Littlewood, C A 1998 The behavioural and physiological reactions of farmed red deer to transport: effects of sex, group size, space allowance and vehicular motion. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 56(2-4): 281–295CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gurevitch, J and Scheiner, S M 1993 Design and Analysis of Ecological Experiments. Chapman & Hall: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Gustafson, L L, Franklin, W L, Sarno, R J, Hunter, R L, Young, K M, Johnson, W E and Behl, M J 1998 Predicting early mortality of newborn guanacos by birth mass and hematological parameters: a provisional model. Journal of Wildlife Management 62(1): 24–34CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hall, P 1978 The World Health Organisation's Programme for the standardization and quality control of radioimmunoassay of hormones in reproductive physiology. Hormone Research 9: 440–449CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harris, R T, Halliwell, T R, Shingleton, W, Stickland, N and Naylor, J R J 1999 The physiological response of red deer (Cervus elaphus) to prolonged exercise undertaken during hunting p 187. Royal Veterinary College: Newmarket, UKGoogle Scholar
Hoffmann, R K, Otte, K C, Prado, C F and Ponce del Rios, M A 1983 El manejo de la vicuña silvestre. GTZ: Eschborn, Germany [Title translation: Management of wild vicunas]Google Scholar
Hurtado, L 1987 Notas Arqueologicas y Etnohistoricas acerca de la vicuna en el antiguo Peru. In: Torres, H (ed) Tecnicas Para el Manejo de la Vicuna pp 13–27. Santiago, IUCN-PNUMA [Title translation: Archaeological and ethical notes about the vicuna in ancient Peru]Google Scholar
INIA (Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias) 1989 Mapa Agroclimatico de Chile. Ministerio de Agricultura: Santiago, ChileGoogle Scholar
Kaneko J J, Harvey J W and M Bruss 1997 Clinical Biochemistry of Domestic Animals, Edn 5. Academic Press: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Koford, C 1957 The vicuna and the puna. Ecological Monographs 272: 152–219Google Scholar
LeRoy, A 1999 Nivel de cortisol maximo en guanacos (Lama guanicoe) para su utilizacion como indicador de estres. Undergraduate Thesis, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, Chile [Title translation: Maximum cortisol levels in guanacos (Lama guanicoe) as stress indicators]: Maximum cortisol levels in guanacos (Lama guanicoe) as stress indicators]Google Scholar
Little, S E, Davidson, W R, Howerth, E W, Rakich, P M and Nettles, V F 1998 Diseases diagnosed in red foxes from the southeastern United States. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 34(3): 620–624CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lobel, M 1992 Efecto de la esquila sobre algunas variables fisiologicas de la alpaca (Lama pacos). Doctor of Veterinary Medicine dissertation, Ciencias Biologicas Animales, Universidad de Chile: Santiago, Chile [Title translation: Shearing effects on some physiological parameters of the alpaca (Lama pacos)]Google Scholar
Marco, I and Lavin, S 1999 Effect of the method of capture on the haematology and blood chemistry of red deer (Cervus elaphus). Research in Veterinary Science 66(2): 81–84CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marco, I, Vinas, L, Velarde, R, Pastor, J and Lavin, S 1998 The stress response to repeated capture in mouflon (Ovis ammon): physiological, haematological and biochemical parameters. Journal of Veterinary Medicine (Series A — Physiology, Pathology and Clinical Medicine) 45(4): 243–253CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morton, D J, Anderson, E, Foggin, C M, Kock, M D and Tiran, E P 1995 Plasma cortisol as an indicator of stress due to capture and translocation in wildlife species. Veterinary Record 136(3): 60–63CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parraguez, V H, Vergara, M, Riquelme, R, Raimann, R, Llanos, A J and Seronferre, M 1989 Ontogeny of the circadian-rhythm of cortisol in sheep. Biology of Reproduction 40(6): 1137–1143CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Radostits, O M, Blood, D C and Gay, C C 1994 Veterinary Medicine: A Textbook of the Diseases of Cattle, Sheep, Pigs, Goats and Horses, Edn 8. Baillière Tindall: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Rebuffi, G 1993 Captura de vicunas en semicautiverio. In: The Biodiversity Conservation Office, La Paz (eds) Simposio Internacional Camelidos Sudamericanos pp 7–11. American States Organization Press, Ministry of Agriculture of Bolivia. [Title translation: Capture of vicunas in semicaptivity]Google Scholar
Rhiney, T 1982 Study and Management of Large Mammals. John Wiley & Sons: Chichester, UKGoogle Scholar
Robinson, J G and Redford, K H 1991 Neotropical Wildlife Use and Conservation. University of Chicago Press: Chicago, USAGoogle Scholar
Schalm, O W and Jain, N C 1986 Schalm's Veterinary Hematology, Edn 4. Lea & Febiger: Philadelphia, USAGoogle Scholar
Schmidt-Nielsen, K 1997 Animal Physiology: Adaptation and Environment. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UKCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Seal, U S, Ozoga, J J, Erickson, A W and Verme, L J 1972 Effects of immobilization on blood analysis of white-tailed deer. Journal of Wildlife Management 36(4): 1034–1040CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Torres, H 1987 Tecnicas para el manejo de la vicuna. In: Torres H (ed) Vicuna: Management Techniques p 112. Santiago, IUCN-PNUMA. [Title translation: Vicuna management techniques]Google Scholar
Torres, H 1992 South American Wild Camelids: An Action Plan for their Conservation. IUCN: Gland, SwitzerlandGoogle Scholar
Underwood, A J 1997 Experiments in Ecology: Their Logical Design and Interpretation Using Analysis of Variance. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UKGoogle Scholar
Urquieta, B, Cepeda, R, Caceres, J E, Raggi, L A and Rojas, J R 1994 Seasonal variation in some reproductive parameters of male vicuna in the High Andes of Northern Chile. Journal of Arid Environments 26(1): 79–87CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Urquieta, B and Rojas, R 1990 Studies on the reproductive physiology of the vicuna (Vicugna vicugna). In: Livestock Reproduction in Latin America pp 407–428. International Atomic Energy Agency: Vienna, AustriaGoogle Scholar
Vassart, M, Greth, A, Anagariyah, S and Mollet, F 1992 Biochemical parameters following capture myopathy in one Arabian oryx (Oryx leucoryx). Journal of Veterinary Medical Science 54(6): 1233–1235CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Webster, J 1995 Animal Welfare: A Cool Eye Towards Eden. Blackwell Science: Oxford, UKGoogle Scholar
Wesson, J A, Scanlon, P F, Kirkpatrick, R L and Mosby, H S 1979 Influence of chemical immobilization and physical restraint on packed cell volume, total protein, glucose, and blood urea nitrogen in blood of white-tailed deer. Canadian Journal of Zoology 57: 756–767CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wheeler, J and Hoces, D 1997 Community participation, sustainable use, and vicuna conservation in Peru. Mountain Research and Development 173: 283–287CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilson, R T 1989 Ecophysiology of the Camelidae and Desert Ruminants. Springer-Verlag: Berlin, GermanyCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, E and Thomas, E 1996 Exertional myopathy (capture myopathy). In: Fairbrother, A, Locke, L N, Hoff, G L (eds) Noninfectious Diseases of Wildlife, Edn 2 pp 181–193. Manson: London, UKGoogle Scholar
Wolfensohn, S and Lloyd, M 1994 Handbook of Laboratory Animal Management and Welfare. Oxford University Press: Oxford, UKGoogle Scholar
Zekan, S and Ezcurra, E 1998 Standardization and Quality Control of Laboratory Procedures. World Health Organization: London, UKGoogle Scholar