Abstract

Objective: To investigate wildlife diseases in Nigeria spanning across 20 years, highlighting various conditions diagnosed in zoo/wild animals using conventional and ancillary pathological techniques. Methods: The animals were closely examined for signs of illness by the attending veterinarian and clinical samples were taken as appropriate. Carcasses were submitted for detailed necropsy by the experienced pathologists and diagnostic samples were taken for cytological, microbial isolation, parasitic identification and histopathology. Results: Between 1991 and 2014 about 262 carcasses of zoo animals were presented for postmortem comprising ruminants (12.2%), primates (16.8%), carnivores (11.5%), reptiles (20.6%), Equidae (4.2%), rodents (5%) and aviary (29.7%). Pasteurellosis and other forms of respiratory diseases were common in ruminants; pneumonia, trichuriasis and dndocarditis were common in primates; tuberculosis and helminthiasis (ancylostomiasis) were common in carnivores; enteritis and impaction were common in reptiles; cholera, salmonellosis and Newcastle diseases were common in aviary. Conclusions: It is important to know the causes of death in zoo animals and wildlife for purposes of preservation and conservation.

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