Title
Effect of handling time on blood parameters in the Grand Cayman blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi)
Author(s)
Dvornicky-Raymond, Zachary T.; Shields, Samantha; Calle, Paul P.; McClave, Catherine; Burton, Frederic J.; Rao, Sangeeta; Johnston, Matthew
Published
2021
Abstract
The Grand Cayman blue iguana (Cyclura lewisi) has been successfully restored from a wild population of less than 20 individuals in 2002 to over 1,000 today. Intensive captive breeding, head starting, reintroduction, and population health monitoring for the past 20 years are credited for this endangered species' recovery. Comprehensive health examinations ensure the health of animals in the program, prevent inadvertent introduction of pathogens into wild populations, and establish baseline health parameters for future disease surveillance. These examinations require capture and manual restraint, which may result in stress. Glucocorticoid responses to restraint are well-documented in many species, including iguanids. The results may lead to significant alterations in plasma biochemistry and hematology values that positively correlate with duration of restraint, and vary according to sex and free-ranging versus human-managed status. This study retrospectively analyzed plasma biochemistry and complete blood count data from 1,315 individual blue iguana, sampled over 14 years (2004-2017), and the relationship of these values to handling time. Significant correlation (P < 0.05) of handling time with changes in blood parameters were detected for eight of the parameters assessed so far, including total solids, globulins, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, blood urea nitrate, phosphorus, creatine kinase, and bile acids; some parameters were significant when stratified by sex and by captivity. Clinical significance of these changes appears to be minimal compared to species reference ranges. Further prospective evaluations of specific biomarkers for stress such as plasma corticosterone should be evaluated to further examine the effect of handling time on blue iguanas.
Keywords
blood parameters; blue iguana; Cayman island; Cyclura lewisi; handling; population health
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PUB26689