Resumo Parâmetros abióticos, como precipitação, temperatura e fotoperíodo, podem afetar a disponibilidade de frutos e flores para os animais, o que consequentemente afeta o estado nutricional e a saúde dos animais. Neste estudo, investigamos se fatores abióticos estão relacionados com alterações na disponibilidade de frutos, o que pode levar a mudanças no comportamento alimentar e, consequentemente, na carga de endoparasitas e estado de saúde geral em dois grupos de mico-leão-de-cara-dourada (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) que vivem em fragmentos degradados de Floresta Atlântica no sul da Bahia, Brasil. Detectamos que houve grande variação na disponibilidade de frutos maduros ao longo do ano, com menor disponibilidade no final da primavera e início do verão. Apesar disto, não houve diferenças no estado geral de saúde, na massa corporal ou nas contagens de células sanguíneas dos animais entre as estações do ano. Isto provavelmente ocorreu porque durante a escassez de frutos nativos, os micos comem espécies cultivadas, tais como a banana (Musa spp.) e jaca (Artocarpus heterophyllus). A temperatura e a duração do dia foram negativamente correlacionadas com a carga de endoparasitas de mico-leão-de-cara-dourada. Contrário ao previsto, a carga de endoparasitas não está ligada à escassez sazonal de frutos e consequentes mudanças no comportamento alimentar. Entretanto, encontramos maior diversidade de endoparasitas no grupo de mico-leão-de-cara-dourada que usou uma área de vida menor. Quanto menor a área disponível, maior o contato com parasitas, porque os micos são forçados a se deslocar constantemente pelas mesmas rotas na floresta, aumentando o risco de infecção e as taxas de reinfecção. Nossos resultados destacam como a saúde dos animais está associada à saúde ambiental, bem como a necessidade de monitoramento constante para a conservação eficaz das espécies ameaçadas de extinção, como o mico-leão-de-cara-dourada.

Abstract Both anthropogenic actions and abiotic parameters, such as rainfall, temperature and photoperiod, can affect fruit and flower availability for animals, which consequently affects nutritional status and thus animals’ health. Herein, we investigated whether abiotic factors are related to changes in fruit availability that can lead to changes in feeding behavior and, consequently, in endoparasite load and general health status in two groups of golden-headed lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysomelas) living in degraded fragments of Atlantic forest in Southern Bahia, Brazil. We detected that there was a high variation in availability of ripe fruits throughout the year, with lower availability occurring at the end of spring and beginning of summer. Despite this, there was no difference in tamarins’ general health status, body mass and blood counts between seasons. This is probably because during native fruit scarcity, the tamarins eat cultivated species, such as banana (Musa spp.) and jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus). Temperature and daylength were negatively correlated with golden-headed lion tamarin endoparasite loads. Contrary to our expectations, endoparasite loads are not linked to fruit scarcity and consequent changes in feeding behavior. Nevertheless, we found higher parasite diversity in the group of golden-headed lion tamarins that occupied the smallest home range. The smaller the area available, the greater the contact with parasites the animal will have, as they are forced to travel constantly along the same routes in the forest, increasing infection risk and re-infection rates. Our results highlight how animals’ health is associated with environmental health as well as the need for constant monitoring to ensure the effective conservation of endangered species, such as the golden-headed lion tamarin.

ABSTRACT To assess the ability of the collared peccary ( Pecari tajacu ) to digest dietary fiber, four adult male collared peccaries were randomly assigned to a 4 × 4 Latin square design to determine the effects of feeding non-traditional feed ingredients, taken from palm trees with different levels of dietary fiber, on intake and coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) and mean retention time. Four experimental diets were provided ad libitum: corn and soybean meal-based control diet; corn and palm kernel cake-based diet; corn and peach palm byproduct-based diet; and hay, palm kernel cake, and peach palm byproduct-based diet. The CTTAD of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were 0.80±0.09 and 0.61±0.21, respectively. Increasing levels of ADF in diets also linearly decreased the CTTAD of crude protein and gross energy, while increasing non-fiber carbohydrate linearly decreased the CTTAD of ADF. These results confirm the ability of peccaries to digest fiber. However, the intake of a high-moisture and lignified ingredient, as the peach palm byproduct, decreased feed intake of peccaries due to their relatively small forestomach volume, which in turn may decrease their performance when used for prolonged periods. Despite of that, collared peccary gain a significant benefit in digestibility of dietary fiber due to its complex stomach in which fermentation occurs.

The objective was to determine the nitrogen-protein, calcium and phosphorus requirements of adult capybaras (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) bred in captivity through a nutritional balance study under conditions that favored the occurrence of cecotrophy. In a completely randomized design with four replicates per treatment, 16 adult female capybaras were fed isocaloric diets containing four levels of nitrogen (11.4, 12.3, 15.4 and 18.4 g N/kg dry matter-DM); calcium (3.0, 3.5, 4.0 and 4.5 g Ca/kg-DM); and phosphorus (2.0, 2.3, 2.7 and 3.0 g P/kg-DM). After 10 days of adaptation, the collection of feces was carried out for five consecutive days. Immediately following fecal collection, the animals were housed in metabolic cages for two days for urine collection. During the fecal collection, capybaras were observed to perform on average 0.32±0.27 cecotrophy acts per hour. Regression analyses allowed for estimating daily requirements of 0.25 g digestible nitrogen/kg LW0.75, which equals 1.56 g of digestible protein/kg LW0.75. Likewise, the available calcium and phosphorus requirements in 0.30 g Ca/kg LW0.75 and 0.15 g P/kg LW0.75 were estimated. The requirements of digestible nitrogen, as well as those of available calcium and phosphorus for the maintenance of capybaras are lower than those of domestic and other wild animal species with zootechnical potential.

Five pen-raised adult female capybaras were used in five digestibility trials in a Latin square design, to determine, for capybaras, the nutritional values of Cameroon grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Cameroon); Napier grass (P. purpureum cv. Napier); corn grain; cassava hay, comprising leaves and stems; and palm kernel (Elaeis guineensis) cake. These feedstuffs were provided separately or mixed, in a completely randomized manner, in different experimental periods. The digestibility of each feedstuff not supplied alone was estimated by difference. The animals were individually introduced in metabolism pens. Following a 10-day period of adaptation to each diet, feed intake was recorded and total fecal output was collected over five consecutive days. Energy, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber digestibilities of Cameroon grass were, respectively, 0.88 (±0.07, standard deviation), 0.63 (±0.39) and 0.82 (±0.15). For Napier grass they were 0.84 (±0.05), 0.63 (±0.12) and 0.72 (±0.10); for corn grain, 0.92 (±0.05), 0.97 (±0.20) and 0.83 (±0.14); for cassava hay, 0.86 (±0.12), 0.84 (±0.14) and 0.43 (±0.16); and for palm kernel cake 0.94 (±0.05), 0.85 (±0.14), and 0.97 (±0.05). These digestibilities in capybaras were higher than the digestibilities of the same feedstuffs in other livestock. These results can be explained by the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the capybara, which lead to a high rate of nutrient digestion and absorption.

Poucos estudos foram realizados sobre a nidificação de tartarugas marinhas no litoral sul da Bahia, região que está passando por um processo rápido de ocupação turística que pode ameaçar ainda mais estas espécies. Por estes motivos, este estudo teve como objetivos identificar as espécies de tartarugas marinhas que desovam no local e descrever as principais características de suas ninhadas. Durante quatro temporadas reprodutivas, de 2004 a 2008, foram identificados e monitorados os ninhos encontrados nas praias localizadas entre Uruçuca e Itacaré no litoral sul da Bahia. As variáveis coletadas foram: tamanho de ninhada, duração da incubação, sucesso de eclosão e fases de mortalidade embrionária. Foi registrada uma média de 37 ± 6,2 ninhos por temporada, com maior freqüência de ninhos das espécies Caretta caretta e Eretmochelys imbricata, tendo sido registradas também desovas esporádicas de Chelonia mydas. A temporada de desova de C. caretta ocorre de outubro a janeiro e de E. imbricata de dezembro a março. Este deslocamento temporal das temporadas reprodutivas pode estar relacionado a uma adaptação para minimizar a competição interespecífica. Além da época de nidificação, as duas espécies diferiram no tamanho de suas ninhadas, mas não diferiram na duração da incubação e no sucesso de eclosão. Diante dos resultados, acredita-se que áreas com baixa concentração de ninhos também devem ser alvo de programas de conservação, devido à sua relevância para a ampliação da variação genotípica e, sobretudo, fenotípica, das espécies de tartarugas marinhas, de forma que as mesmas possam se adaptar e sobreviver às constantes ameaças às quais estão submetidas. Tais programas de conservação podem ser estabelecidos por meio de parcerias entre organizações não governamentais e instituições privadas e a instituição governamental responsável pela conservação das tartarugas marinhas (Centro TAMAR/ICMBio).

Few studies have been carried out on nesting of sea turtles in the southern coast of Bahia, an area that is experiencing a fast process of tourist occupation what can increase levels of threat to these species. Thus, this study aimed to identify sea turtle species that nest in the area and to describe the main characteristics of their clutches. During four reproductive seasons, from 2004 to 2008, we identified and monitored nests found at beaches located between the municipalities of Uruçuca and Itacaré, in the southern coast of Bahia. The collected variables were: clutch size, incubation duration, hatching success and stages of embryonic mortality. We registered an average of 37 ± 6.2 nests per season, with nests of Caretta caretta and Eretmochelys imbricata being more frequent, along with sporadic nests of Chelonia mydas. Nesting season of C. caretta extends from October to January and that of E. imbricata from December to March. This temporary displacement of reproductive seasons might be related to a selective adjustment to minimize competition among species. Besides the time of nesting, the two species differed also in clutch size, but they did not differ in incubation duration and in hatching success. According to our results, we believe that areas with low concentration of nests should also be a target of conservation programs, due to their relevance to the increase of genotypic, and specially fenotypic, variation of sea turtle species, so that Brazilian populations can adapt and survive to the constant threats. Those conservation programs can be established by partnerships between non-governmental organizations and private institutions and the Brazilian government institution for the conservation of sea turtles (Centro TAMAR/ICMBio).