Dog overpopulation on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos 2018

Hernández, Jorge A.; Yoak, Andrew J.; Walden, Heather Stockdale; Thompson, N. P.; Zúñiga, Daniela Gutiérrez; Criollo, Rita; Duque, Viviana; Cruz, Marilyn

doi:10.1111/csp2.201

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…The last survey of the domestic canine population in Santa Cruz Island was conducted in 2018, showing a dog population increase of 55% in comparison to a previous census in 2014. There was also an additional increase in households owning a dog from 40% in 2014 to 58% ( 2 ). A greater dog population density would facilitate CDV outbreaks and spread, with a higher number of interactions between hosts and other canines facilitating its exchange and dispersion within the population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Invasive species such as domestic canines and felines are still a threat to the biodiversity of the archipelago. In the most populated island of Santa Cruz alone, the population of domestic canines was estimated at 3,886 in 2018, representing a 55% increase from a previous census in 2014 (2). With domestic canine overpopulation, and the risk of its continued growth, comes the potential for habitat encroachment, predation of endemic wildlife, and interspecies transmission or spill over of infectious diseases, such as Canine Distemper Virus (CDV), into wildlife populations (3).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A recent distemper virus outbreak in the growing canine populations of Galapagos Islands: a persistent threat for the endangered Galapagos Sea Lion

Vega-Mariño

Howitt

et al. 2023

Front. Vet. Sci.

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Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) is a highly contagious virus that can cross mammalian species barriers and has widespread impacts on both domestic animals and wildlife populations. This study describes a recent outbreak of CDV in the Galapagos Islands in 2019. A total number of 125 dogs with clinical signs compatible with CDV were included in this study. Nasal swabs were taken and analyzed by RT-qPCR for the detection of CDV, resulting in a positivity rate of 74.4% (IC95%, 66–81%). Among the CDV positive dogs, 82.2% presented with respiratory signs, 48.8% neurological signs, and 28.9% gastrointestinal signs. CDV has been previously reported in the domestic canine population of the Galapagos Islands in 2001 and 2004. The current study shows how CDV is still a threat for the endemic and endangered Galapagos sea lion, despite recent policies for dog population control and CDV vaccination.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A recent distemper virus outbreak in the growing canine populations of Galapagos Islands: a persistent threat for the endangered Galapagos Sea Lion

Vega-Mariño

Howitt

et al. 2023

Front. Vet. Sci.

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“…Our work confirmed the ongoing circulation of CDV in Galapagos wildlife. This, combined with the increasing population of domestic dogs on the islands [8,10], represents an increased risk of infection for GSLs. We recognize that one of the limitations of…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The permanent human population of the Galapagos archipelago has increased exponentially from 5000 people in 1974 to over 25,000 people in 2015 [6,7]. This has generated a domestic canine overpopulation on several populated islands of the archipelago [8,9]. The last assessment reported that the human/dog ratio was 4.04:1, representing an increase of 55% in the dog population on Santa Cruz Island from 2014 to 2018 [8,10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This has generated a domestic canine overpopulation on several populated islands of the archipelago [8,9]. The last assessment reported that the human/dog ratio was 4.04:1, representing an increase of 55% in the dog population on Santa Cruz Island from 2014 to 2018 [8,10]. This growing canine population can increase the risk of transmission of infectious diseases, such as that caused by the canine distemper virus (CDV), which could severely affect endangered species such as the GSL [11,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seroconversion in Galapagos Sea Lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) Confirms the Presence of Canine Distemper Virus in Rookeries of San Cristóbal Island

Ruiz-Saenz,

Barragan,

Grijalva-Rosero

et al. 2023

Animals

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Background: The emblematic Galapagos sea lion (GSL—Zalophus wollebaeki) has faced an important population decline over the last four decades. There are multiple environmental and biological factors that might be implied in this decrease. Recently, evidence of various zoonotic infectious diseases that can be potential threats has been reported. Considering that in some islands of the archipelago the risk of transmission of infectious diseases may be promoted by the increasing population of domestic dogs, epidemiological vigilance and search of new pathogens are essential. The canine distemper virus (CDV), one of the viral pathogens that generate the most concern for the agencies responsible for the management and conservation of the Galapagos pinnipeds, was detected in the GSL in 2010. However, there is scarce information about its impact on GSL health and about its epidemiology. Methods: In this study, 110 GSL serum samples were collected during the summer of 2016 and 2017. All samples were exposed to VERO dog SLAM cells expressing the canine SLAM receptor. Results: Our results showed a significative increase (p = 0.04) in the frequency of neutralizing antibodies to CDV in the 2017 (53.1%) samples compared to the 2016 samples (19.6%). Conclusions: Our work confirmed the continuous and increasing circulation of the CDV in the GSL and highlights the importance of monitoring emerging diseases that can be transmitted from domestic to wildlife species. Vigilance of CDV is essential to understand the role of this virus in GSL mortality and to take informed decisions for wildlife conservation.

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Molecular Discovery of Filarial Nematode DNA in an Endangered Wild Pinniped (Galapagos Sea Lion, Zalophus wollebaeki)

Livingston,

Gregory,

Hawkins

et al. 2024

Ecology and Evolution

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Rapidly changing environments are contributing to the spread of non‐native species and their associated pathogens into new and vulnerable ecosystems, such as the Galapagos archipelago. These pathogens represent a significant threat to emblematic species. The Galapagos sea lion (Zalophus wollebaeki) (GSL) is an endangered and endemic pinniped that is increasingly at risk of acquiring infectious diseases due to interactions with introduced companion animals. Previously, we reported the first detection of antigens from Dirofilaria immitis, the parasite that causes canine heartworm disease, in the GSL. To investigate further, we developed a multifilarial PCR assay and successfully detected DNA from D. immitis and the closely related Dirofilaria repens in 10.7% of our sample cohort of juvenile GSLs. This assay, based on a conserved region in the filarial 28S gene, can be used in conjunction with restriction endonuclease digestion or Sanger sequencing to identify the species of the causative nematode. Our method proved effective without nonspecific amplification in a wide host range, and highly sensitive, detecting as little as one parasite. Further, this assay can be used in cases of immature, low‐worm burden, or all‐male infections. Our molecular approach offers a sensitive and specific method for detecting filarial parasites in wild animals. Further investigations are necessary to confirm the pathology of filarial nematodes in the GSL and their prevalence in the general population. Our identification of Dirofilarial species in the GSL underscores the urgent need for measures to manage the risk of pathogen transmission from introduced species to native wildlife.

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Dog overpopulation on Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos 2018

Cited by 5 publications

References 9 publications

A recent distemper virus outbreak in the growing canine populations of Galapagos Islands: a persistent threat for the endangered Galapagos Sea Lion

A recent distemper virus outbreak in the growing canine populations of Galapagos Islands: a persistent threat for the endangered Galapagos Sea Lion

Seroconversion in Galapagos Sea Lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) Confirms the Presence of Canine Distemper Virus in Rookeries of San Cristóbal Island

Molecular Discovery of Filarial Nematode DNA in an Endangered Wild Pinniped (Galapagos Sea Lion, Zalophus wollebaeki)

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