Northern Tamandua Tamandua mexicana is one of the most common roadkill species encountered on Costa Rican highways.  Ten roadkill Northern Tamanduas were collected along different roads in Costa Rica and moved to a veterinary facility where appendicular radiologic studies were undertaken.  The number of fractures present in each individual varied from zero to five (mean=2.6), with only one animal sustaining no fractures at all.  Most fractures were present in the humerus (31%), followed by the ulna and ilium (both 19%), whilst the cranial portion of the body represented the highest number of fractures (61%).  These data can contribute, not only to establishing causes of animal-road-mortalities, but also to the future understanding and decision-making of clinical actions for animals injured on the roads.

Studies evaluating the health status and characteristics of free-ranging wildlife populations are scarce or absent for most species. Saurian health assessments are usually performed in species that have conservation issues or that are kept in captivity. The Berthold’s bush anole (Polychrus guturossus) is one of eight species belonging to the genus Polychrus, the only representative of the family Polychrotidae. Only a handful of studies have been reported concerning these lizard’s morphological variation, ecology, and natural history, probably because P. gutturosus is a canopy dweller and it can be difficult to locate individuals. It is believed that deforestation and habitat modification could pose a threat for this species, although to date no health assessment has been done. The aim of this study was to generate health baseline data on P. gutturosus. Forty Berthold’s bush anoles (20 males and 20 females) were sampled at the Pacific versant in Costa Rica, where physical examination, skin and cloacal temperatures, and blood samples were obtained from individuals immediately after capture. Animals from the studied population were all healthy (body condition 2.5–3.0/5.0). No lesions or ectoparasites were detected, but hemoparasites were found in nine individuals. Hematological and biochemical values were obtained, and the morphology of leukocytes were found to be similar to other iguanians. A positive correlation was found between the tissue enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and creatinine kinase (CK) and a negative correlation was found between skin and cloacal temperatures and AST and CK. There were positive correlations between female weight and total protein, calcium, and the calcium and phosphorus ratio. No significant inter-sex differences were found in biochemical values, despite females being larger than males. This is the first health assessment performed on a free-ranging canopy dwelling lizard. These findings provide baseline data that may be useful for future monitoring if the species faces changes in health status due to anthropogenic causes or natural disturbances.

Las poblaciones de rapaces, en la que se incluye al orden Strigiformes, han disminuido en número y se encuentran amenazadas o en peligro de extinción, no solo por la destrucción del hábitat, sino también por las actividades humanas. Los objetivos del presente estudio fueron describir las causas principales de ingreso para las especies del Orden Strigiformes en el Parque Zoológico y Jardín Botánico Nacional Simón Bolívar, así como resumir los diagnósticos clínicos primarios, localidades de procedencia y especies ingresadas, empleando la información generada en las bitácoras de admisión, durante un período de 20 años (1995-2015). De las hojas de ingreso se utilizaron los siguientes datos: fecha de recepción, especie, localidad y motivo. Las causas de admisión se categorizaron en: (1) trauma, (2) huérfanos, (3) intoxicación, (4) electrocución, (5) causas desconocidas. Y la categoría de trauma se clasificó según el tipo de lesión: (1) fractura en extremidades (anteriores o posteriores), (2) trauma cráneo encefálico (TCE), (3) heridas en piel. Se encontró 352 individuos de nueve especies de Strigiformes, al ser la lechucita Neotropical (Megascops choliba) la especie más abundante con 141 individuos (40,05 %). El mayor porcentaje de estos provino de la provincia de San José (80,91 %, n= 285). La tendencia de las admisiones de individuos por año, en general se mostró relativamente homogénea en un rango de 10 a 20 individuos, excepto los años 1999 (n=35) y 2000 (n=48). El trauma fue la causa de admisión más frecuente, representando el 54 % (n=190), donde un 78 % (n=148) corresponde a fracturas. La información generada sobre las especies ingresadas a los sitios de manejo ex situ de fauna silvestre, resulta primordial, ya que existen considerables vacíos de información para muchas especies en particular para los Strigiformes de Costa Rica.