A comparison of reproductive parameters of female Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) in the wild and captivity

A healthy population of captive Amur tigers might assist recovery of the wild population in Northeast China if individuals were properly prepared and considered suitable for release in the wild. We analyzed the breeding records of 68 female Amur tigers from 1995 to 2010 in the Hengdaohezi Felid Breeding Center of China and compared the reproductive parameters of this population to wild female Amur tigers. We found that the reproductive parameters of the captive population (the age of first parturition, length of gestation and litter survival rate) were not significantly different from those of wild Amur tigers. Differences in birth date and litter size between wild and captive populations may be caused by management protocols for the captive population or insufficient field data from the wild population. Reproductive parameters of females giving birth after losing a litter were similar to parameters of females that did not lose a litter, except for birth date. These results provide no indication of major problems in using captive females for a breeding program for release of cubs into the wild, but additional information is still needed to assess their suitability.     

半散养东北虎非繁殖期与发情交配期的行为时间分配

[目的]研究东北虎在非繁殖期和发情交配期活动节律的差异,以及其活动节律之间是否存在性别差异。[方法]采用行为取样法对7只(3雌4雄)东北虎的发情交配期和非繁殖期进行了观察。[结果]东北虎发情交配期的主要行为包括休息、运动和发情交配,其中雌虎在发情交配期和非繁殖期休息和运动时间差别不大,而雄虎发情交配期的休息时间较非繁殖期明显下降,运动差异不明显;雌雄虎在非繁殖期和发情交配期的休息、运动和发情交配时间没有明显的性别差异。[结论]结果为优化东北虎的管理及提高其繁殖成功率提供了参考。     

浙江省豹资源的分布调查

豹曾广泛分布于浙江省各地,但历史上大部分有豹分布地区的生境现已不再适宜豹的生存。依据访问调查得到的信息并结合实地考察生境进行综合判断,目前豹存在可能性最大的地区是位于泰顺县境内的乌岩岭国家级自然保护区、庆元县境内的百山祖国家级自然保护区和遂昌县境内的九龙山国家级自然保护区及其周边地区。浙江省豹濒危的主要原因是栖息地面积的退缩、栖息地环境质量恶化、生境的破碎化、食物缺乏和偷猎。鉴于现阶段尚未查清豹的野生种群数量,应对豹及其猎物资源进行野外监测,采取积极有效的措施加强豹栖息地的保护与恢复。     

华南虎绦虫ITS及5.8S rDNA序列扩增与序列分析

以从广州动物园华南虎体内采集的2条绦虫作为研究对象,利用核糖体DNA(rDNA)内转录间隔区序列(ITS)的遗传标记特点,用保守引物BD1和BD2对提取的DNA进行PCR扩增,经胶回收纯化后,连接到pGEM-T Easy载体上,然后转化并鉴定出阳性菌落,对菌落进行PCR扩增并测序,将测序结果与GenBank公布的相关绦虫ITS序列进行对比分析,结果显示,采自广州动物园华南虎的2条绦虫ITS及5.8S rDNA序列总长均为1387bp,序列相似性为100%,与猬迭宫绦虫(Spirometra erinaceieuropaei)、舌形属绦虫(Diphyllobothrium ligula)、宽节双叶槽绦虫(Diphyllobothriumlatum)的ITS及5.8S rDNA序列相似性分别为96.7%、66.5%、71.5%,结果显示,此次分离的绦虫属于迭宫属的猬迭宫绦虫,所测得的华南虎猬迭宫绦虫的ITS序列为首次报道。     

Daily Occurrence of African Game Animals at Water Water Holes During Dry Weather

In West Africa, the lion is currently characterised by small populations that are fragmented and often isolated from one another, with virtually no ecological connection. In addition, lion populations are generally declining. In recent reports, in Ghana the lion has been declared functionally extinct, if not completely eradicated, and recent surveys have made conclusions as to the probable extinction of lions in Mole National Park (MNP) in Ghana’s Northern Territory. The aim of this report is to highlight the lion’s continued presence in MNP, an area that must continue to be considered for species conservation, and therefore studied carefully. In April 2011, a young male lion was filmed using camera traps, and a roar was clearly audible. The choice of where to place the camera traps (n = 20) was based on a habitat suitability model developed using lion records collected over 41 years. Additional records support our data, which demonstrate that MNP could possibly still be considered as an area designated for lion conservation in West Africa, even considering the significant findings based on molecular biology that prove that lions in West and Central Africa are clearly differentiated from other African lions.     

Winter habitat use of snow leopards in Tomur National Nature Reserve of Xinjiang,Northwest China

Snow leopards are one of the least known large cats,the population of which has dramatically decreased.Their habitat loss was considered the main reason for the decline during the last decade,but their habitat preferences are still not well known.In this paper,we studied the winter habitat preferences of snow leopards in the Tomur National Nature Reserve(TNNR)in Northwest China during 2004–2005.We used sign surveys and transects to study the winter habitat selection of snow leopards.The results indicated that snow leopards showed a preference for habitat variabilities in slope aspect,vegetation cover,dominant topographical features,landform ruggedness and grazing status.We found that prey availability and dominant topographical features were the most important factors that determined the winter habitat selection of snow leopards.Our results supported the idea that the habitat preferences of snow leopards are a tradeoff between suitable habitat features and avoidance of potential human interactions.     

基于TaqMan探针的虎制品实时荧光定量PCR的特异性鉴定

根据虎线粒体细胞色素b核苷酸保守序列设计引物和探针,建立了一种快速鉴定虎制品的TaqMan实时荧光定量PCR方法。以梯度稀释的含有目的扩增片段的重组质粒作为标准品,进行定量PCR反应。结果显示,5.0×10⁵~ 5.0×10¹拷贝/μL范围内定量PCR均有"S"型扩增曲线,检测灵敏度为50拷贝/μL。对豹、狮子、猫等7种非虎哺乳动物DNA样本的检测结果均为阴性。本研究建立的实时荧光定量PCR方法具有灵敏度高、特异性和重复性好、方便经济的特性,在虎制品的检测与鉴定中具有良好的应用前景。     

黑龙江穆棱东北红豆杉自然保护区兽类多样性及东北虎猎物资源

为了深入了解黑龙江穆棱东北红豆杉国家级自然保护区兽类组成及东北虎(Panthera tigris altaica)猎物资源现状,于2016—2018年在保护区内布设40个红外相机监测点和7个大样方调查兽类多样性和分析东北虎主要猎物资源。相机监测累计照相日12250个,共获得有效独立照片1139张,从中鉴定出野生兽类4目8科17种,其中国家一级重点保护动物有东北虎和东北豹(Panthera pardus orientalis)。样方调查记录到兽类足迹261条,足迹识别出兽类4目7科10种,其中包括国家一级重点保护动物东北豹1种,东北虎主要猎物野猪(Sus scrofa)、马鹿(Cervus elaphus)、西伯利亚狍(Capreolus pygargus)和梅花鹿(Cervus nippon)4种。兽类物种相对丰富度分析表明,相对丰富度最高的是西伯利亚狍和狗獾(Meles leucurus),赤狐(Vulpes vulpes)和东北豹最低。猎物资源分析表明,保护区内分布有西伯利亚狍681只,野猪510只,马鹿35只,梅花鹿27只,4种动物的生物量分别为西伯利亚狍生物量为20210.94 kg,野猪生物量为64735.00 kg,马鹿生物量为6023.25 kg,梅花鹿生物量为1635.00 kg,保护区东北虎可捕食的主要猎物生物量为92604.19 kg。研究表明,保护区内兽类种类虽然较多,但东北虎、东北豹、梅花鹿和马鹿数据仍然较少,需要重点加强保护。     

笼养东北虎的繁殖研究

对济南动物园笼养的1雄2雌东北虎2006和2007年的繁殖情况进行了研究。从笼养东北虎的饲养环境、发情交配、妊娠分娩、自然育幼、人工育幼及各阶段存在的问题,对笼养东北虎的繁殖进行了详细分析,同时提出了应采取的相应手段和措施,对笼养的繁殖和育幼提供参考和借鉴。