Veterinary support for in situ avian conservation programmes

Circadian and circannual programmes in avian migration

In migratory birds, endogenous daily (circadian) and annual (circannual) rhythms serve as biological clocks that provide the major basis for their temporal orientation. Circannual rhythms are responsible for the initiation of migration both in autumn and spring. This function of timing migrations is particularly important for birds that spend the winter close to the equator where the environmen...

Implementing artificial insemination as an effective tool for ex situ conservation of endangered avian species.

Approximately 503 of the known species of birds are classified as 'endangered' or 'critical'. Captive propagation programs have proven useful in maintaining genetic diversity and restoring wild populations of certain species, including the Peregrine falcon, California condor and Whooping crane. Artificial insemination (AI) has the potential of solving problems inherent to reproductive managemen...

Veterinary diagnostic laboratories and their support role for Veterinary Services.

National Veterinary Services administer a number of regulatory programmes, such as foreign animal disease (FAD) surveillance and exclusion of FADs, and certification of regions as free from disease. Laboratory testing is an important part of any surveillance or control programme. Most countries have a national laboratory which performs testing for FADs and provides support for national disease ...

Sampling for Effective Ex Situ Plant Conservation

Integrating Ex situ and In situ Conservation of Lemurs

Site-based and cross-regional habitat and species conservation e!orts in Madagascar, such as proposed in the previous chapters of this Lemur Conservation Strategy, should always be the main focus of lemur conservation. However, with many wild lemur populations rapidly declining and their habitat being lost at constantly high rates, captive assurance colonies are becoming increasingly important,...