COMPARISON OF CIRCULATING IRON, TOTAL IRON BINDING CAPACITY, AND PERCENT TRANSFERRIN SATURATION IN WILD AND CAPTIVE KORI BUSTARDS (ARDEOTIS KORI)

Abstract

The kori bustard ( Ardeotis kori) is one of the largest extant flighted birds and is displayed in zoos primarily in North America and Europe. In captivity, kori bustard diets are primarily based on animal proteins, whereas in the wild these birds eat a wide variety of plants, insects, and small vertebrate prey. The purpose of this study was to compare circulating iron, total iron binding capacity, and percent transferrin saturation levels in apparently healthy wild and captive kori bustards. Adult captive kori bustards had slightly higher percent transferrin saturation levels than juvenile captive birds, although this finding was not statistically significant. This information can be referenced as a guide for the assessment of nutrition and health in captive birds.

Hepatic lesions associated with iron accumulation in captive kori bustards (Ardeotis kori)

“…Little is known about hepatic iron (trace element) levels in kori bustards. The only literature regarding iron processing in this species is a comparison of circulating iron, total iron binding capacity, and percent transferrin saturation by Marrow et al, 9 who suggested that kori bustards in human care may have a slightly higher saturation of transferrin than their wild counterparts. However, these findings were not statistically significant.…”

“…5 Kori bustards in human care are speculated to be at risk for developing hemosiderosis because they may lack nutritional components present in their natural diets. 9 For instance, wild bustards may ingest low levels of iron or there may be compounds which chelate iron in their natural diets, like tannins or phytates. Bustards inherently may have an increased ability to absorb available dietary iron, and are thus susceptible to iron overload from diets prepared in human care.…”

“…They are omnivorous birds, but consume more animal items than other bustards. 5,9 In the wild, their diet includes small mammals, lizards, snakes, seeds, and berries. In a retrospective study of captive kori bustards, lameness, gastrointestinal parasitism, and wing trauma were the most common clinical conditions, and general trauma was the most common cause of mortality.…”