Fungal Pathogens Prevalence in Avian Species: Regional and Species-specific Variations

2024-10-11T11:18:13+00:00

Fungal pathogens are opportunistic, causing infections in caged and free-living birds with hypo-immunity. Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of fungal infections in avian species living in free and caged environments. Methods: The samples (n=600) were obtained using the simple random sampling technique (to ensure unbiased selection) from free-living and cage birds of Sindh Province and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. The samples were cultured on Sabouraud dextrose agar, Czapek dox agar and Potato dextrose agar and biochemical profiles. The cultures were subjected to biochemical profiles including cyclo-hexamine resistance, casein hydrolysis, fatty acid esterase activity and cellulose hydrolase activity. Results: Results showed that 4.16% of the samples were positive for the fungal species. Four fungal species including Aspergillus fumigatus (40.00%), Candida albicans (28.00%) Cryptococcus neoformans (24.00%) and Macrorhabdus ornithogaster (8.00%) were detected in the avian species. Significant (p<0.05) difference in fungal infection observed in free-living and cage birds. Conclusions: It was concluded that the fungal pathogens were detected in free-living and caged bird samples obtained from Sindh and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan. The variation in infection rates among bird types and locations impacts living and environmental conditions on fungal susceptibility. It offers significant insights into fungal infections in birds and contributes to developing infection management and environmental well-being strategies.

The Role of Zoos in Biodiversity Conservation

2025-01-13T11:52:37+00:00

The term zoo refers to a variety of institutions that house wild or exotic animals. Zoos can develop effective conservation strategies for endangered species, conduct scientific study to improve animal husbandry, impacts of the living collection, and employ educational initiatives to promote human interaction, development, and behavioral change due to their wide global reach. The commitment to biodiversity conservation guides day-to-day operations at zoos globally

Zoos, as organizations mostly deal with different aspects of conservation like practice, research and advocacy. Conservation practices include species reintroduction initiatives, captive breeding, species survival strategies, and the utilization of zoo revenue for conservation programs in the wild. Zoos offer captive breeding programs for endangered species to regulate genetic diversity and maintain their population. The key aspect in conservation is advocacy which contributes to public engagement, supports stewardship, raises awareness and initiates fundraising programs, ultimately leading to protective environment for all kinds of species.

Zoos provide knowledge on animal conservation, care, and confinement by conducting research and developing methodologies in wildlife biology, animal behavior, health, and welfare.They also promote educational and research initiatives in collaboration with scientists interested in animal conservation and preservation and ecological diversity. They inspire visitors to develop a relationship with wildlife by allowing them to observe live animals. Public engagement can ensure public awareness by communicating importance of biodiversity and advocates wildlife conservation

Zoos serve an important role in restoring population of threatened and endangered species, protecting their habitats, maintaining genetic diversity, and developing new strategies for species conservation. Animal breeding programs and reintroduction to the wild or natural habitat help preserving rare and endangered species. Every zoo accredited by AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums), partners with conservation organizations for collaborative research efforts towards species extinction.

Biodiversity conservation is a complex target that involves the participation of various stakeholders. Herein, zoos collaborate with government and non- government institutes and other researchers in various projects. The future of modern zoos will be determined by their ability to meet sustainable societal and environmental standards. Their goals should emphasize conservation by focusing on scientific research. However, some zoos have been criticized for prioritizing entertainment over animal welfare, while others argue that keeping animals captive is unethical. Despite these challenges, zoos continue to play an important role in the management, health, welfare and conservation of biodiversity.

MARKHOR (The Journal of Zoology)

Fungal Pathogens Prevalence in Avian Species: Regional and Species-specific Variations

The Role of Zoos in Biodiversity Conservation