A role for molecular genetic approaches in conservation of endangered taxa is now commonly recognized. Because conservation genetic analyses provide essential insights on taxonomic status, recent evolutionary history and current health of endangered taxa, they are considered in nearly all conservation programs. Genetic analyses of the critically endangered Far Eastern, or Amur leopard, Panthera...

Shp2 is a cytoplasmic protein-tyrosine phosphatase that is essential for normal development. Activating and inactivating mutations have been identified in humans to cause the related Noonan and LEOPARD syndromes, respectively. The cell biological cause of these syndromes remains to be determined. We have used the zebrafish to assess the role of Shp2 in early development. Here, we report that mo...

LEOPARD syndrome is an autosomal dominant disease caused by germline mutations in the RAS-MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathway. LEOPARD is an acronym for the main manifestations of the syndrome, namely, multiple Lentigines, Electrocardiographic conduction abnormalities, Ocular hypertelorism, Pulmonary stenosis, Abnormalities of genitalia, Retardation of growth, and sensorineural Deaf...

It is important to predict how many individuals of a predator species can survive in a given area on the basis of prey sufficiency and to compare predictive estimates with actual numbers to understand whether or not key threats are related to prey availability. Rugged terrain and low detection probabilities do not allow for the use of traditional prey count techniques in mountain areas. We used...

A carcass of a Persian leopard (Panthera pardus saxicolor) that was inadvertently killed in a car accident in Golestan National Park, North-Iran, was referred to the laboratory of the Department of Environment in Golestan Province. The carcass was infested with hard ticks. Five ticks were collected and identified as Ixodes ricinus (one female) and Rhipicephalus turanicus (four males).  These ha...

A 1-yr-old male leopard (Panthera pardus) presented for intermittent anorexia, emaciation, and generalized muscle wasting. Plain radiographs, ultrasonography, and esophageal endoscopy led to a diagnosis of diaphragmatic eventration with probable concurrent hiatal hernia. An exploratory laparotomy confirmed both diagnoses, and surgical repair and stabilization were performed. After surgery, the ...

An increasing proportion of the world's poor is rearing livestock today, and the global livestock population is growing. Livestock predation by large carnivores and their retaliatory killing is becoming an economic and conservation concern. A common recommendation for carnivore conservation and for reducing predation on livestock is to increase wild prey populations based on the assumption that...

Changes in gastric pH of leopard sharks Triakis semifasciata were quantified as an indicator of feeding frequency and ration size. Continuous in situ measurements of gastric pH were made in captive adult leopard sharks using an autonomous pH/temperature probe for periods ranging from 5-16 days. Instrumented sharks were fed meals of squid at different ration sizes. Gastric fluid samples were als...