EVALUATION OF PARENTERAL ADMINISTRATION OF VITAMIN E AND SELENIUM ON POSTCAPTURE MORTALITY AND ACTIVITIES IN GREATER SANDHILL CRANES (ANTIGONE CANADENSIS TABIDA).

Abstract

Cases of exertional myopathy (EM) have been reported following the capture of greater sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis tabida) for research and management purposes. Antioxidants, such as vitamin E and selenium, have been suggested to reduce the risk of capture myopathy in Galliformes, but their prophylactic use against EM development in cranes has not been reported. The objective of this study was to determine if an IM injection of vitamin E and selenium during handling would influence postcapture activity and movement of cannon net-captured greater sandhill cranes. The hypothesis was that antioxidant-injected cranes would show higher postcapture movement, activity levels, and survival rate compared with the control group, indicating a protective effect on muscular integrity. It was also hypothesized that increasing capture time's adverse effects on postcapture movement would be alleviated by antioxidant treatment. Twenty wild adult greater sandhill cranes captured for the deployment of Global Positioning System-Global System for Mobile Communications transmitters were included. Ten cranes received 3.27 ± 0.14 IU/kg vitamin E and 0.072 ± 0.025 mg/kg of selenium IM, and the control group (n = 10) received 0.10 ml saline IM. Specific intervals related to capture time (time to injection and total handling duration), as well as morphological measurements, were recorded. Activity, speed, altitude, and displacement were recorded at 24 h, 48 h, 72 h, 7 d, and 14 d postcapture for all individuals. There was no mortality in sandhill cranes from either group in the 4 mon postrelease and no difference in postcapture activity indicators between the groups. A significant negative correlation between the 24 h displacement and the time from net capture to injection was detected when both groups were combined and in the treatment group alone. This study does not support the hypothesis that injections of vitamin E and selenium could reduce the risk of EM in cranes handled under these conditions.