Title
Chapter Title: Wildlife necropsy primer
Book Title: Fowler's Zoo and Wild Animal Medicine Current Therapy, Volume 9
Author(s)
McAloose, Denise
Published
2019
Abstract
Thorough postmortem or necropsy examinations capture all of the information that is relevant to the death of an animal or group of animals. When considered narrowly, the results provide information about an individual. More broadly and depending on the context, the compilation of these data forms the basis of understanding disease and the impacts of pathogens at the individual and species, population, and ecosystem levels. These data may be locally, regionally, or internationally relevant for wildlife, zoo, agriculture, and companion animals and for human public health. A necropsy may be performed for many reasons, including (not limited to) characterization of normal and abnormal gross and morphologic anatomic features; establishing baseline health parameters and normal reference ranges; identification of the cause(s) of morbidity and mortality in individual animals, groups, or populations; contribution of data to short- and long-term health and disease surveillance and monitoring programs; establishment of the presence and significance of pathogens and disease in individuals, groups/populations, and ecosystems; determination of the effectiveness of medical or husbandry interventions or mitigation activities; collection of forensic information necessary in legal proceedings and prosecution; and teaching and training. In conservation efforts, necropsy data may be important in recovery, reintroduction, and translocation programs (e.g., to understand disease presence/absence in assurance colonies or relocation animals and endemic populations to prevent unintended disease transmission). Results may also be used in establishment of protected areas or to influence policy decisions (e.g., habitat use, resource extraction)
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PUB24341