Michael Sarah, Gartrell Brett, Hunter Stuart
Wildbase Hospital, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
J Wildl Dis. 2013 Jul;49(3):552-9. doi: 10.7589/2013-1-006.
Backpack harnesses are commonly used to attach radio and satellite transmitters to a wide range of bird species for research and conservation management. They are an integral part of the conservation management of the New Zealand Takahē (Porphyrio hochstetteri), an endangered flightless rail. Radio transmitters mounted on backpack harnesses enable the birds to be tracked in their remaining native range of remote, mountainous Fiordland, New Zealand. We evaluated 26 Takahē retrospectively at necropsy by gross examination, radiography, and computed tomography to assess damage from the backpack harness. Ten birds that had never worn a harness had no evidence of wing injury. Of the 16 birds that had worn a harness, 10 (63%) had superficial soft tissue injury to skin or patagium or more severe injury, such as remodeling of the distal humerus at the harness cord-wing interface, or pathologic fractures. Such injuries are hypothesized to be associated with discomfort, increased risk of infection or fracture, and therefore reduced fitness. These findings have implications for all avian species deployed with backpack harnesses.
背包式背带通常用于将无线电和卫星发射器连接到多种鸟类身上，以进行研究和保护管理。它们是新西兰南秧鸡（Porphyrio hochstetteri）保护管理的一个组成部分，南秧鸡是一种濒危的不会飞的秧鸡。安装在背包式背带上的无线电发射器能够追踪这些鸟类在新西兰偏远山区峡湾地区仅存的原生栖息地中的活动。我们通过大体检查、X光摄影和计算机断层扫描对26只南秧鸡进行了尸检回顾性评估，以评估背包式背带造成的损伤。10只从未佩戴过背带的鸟类没有翅膀受伤的迹象。在16只佩戴过背带的鸟类中，10只（63%）有皮肤或翼膜的浅表软组织损伤，或更严重的损伤，如在背带绳索与翅膀的连接处肱骨远端重塑，或病理性骨折。据推测，此类损伤与不适、感染或骨折风险增加有关，进而导致健康状况下降。这些发现对所有佩戴背包式背带的鸟类都有启示意义。
