Haggblade Marlene K, Smith Woutrina A, Noheri Jean Bosco, Usanase Clementine, Mudakikwa Antoine, Cranfield Michael R, Gilardi Kirsten V K
1 Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, Davis, California 95616, USA.
2 Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, PO Box 356, Davis, California 95617, USA.
J Wildl Dis. 2019 Apr;55(2):298-303. doi: 10.7589/2018-01-008. Epub 2018 Oct 4.
Mountain gorillas ( Gorilla beringei beringei) are one of the most critically endangered great apes in the world. The most common cause of mountain gorilla morbidity and mortality is trauma (e.g., injury from conspecifics or snare entrapment). We conducted a retrospective case-control study of free-ranging, human-habituated mountain gorillas to evaluate factors associated with snare entrapment and the results of clinical intervention. Data were collected from clinical records on all clinical intervention cases ( n=132) in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, conducted between 1995-2015. Wildlife veterinarians treated 37 gorillas entrapped in snares and 95 gorillas for other clinical conditions (including trauma and respiratory illness). Multivariate statistical analyses revealed that young gorillas (<8 yr old) were more likely than older gorillas to become snared; that comorbidities delayed times to intervention (≥3 d); and that severity of wounds at the time of intervention were associated with increased risk of lasting impairment (including loss of limb or limb function, or death) within 1 mo after intervention. Our results may influence decisions for gorilla health monitoring and treatment to most effectively conserve this critically endangered species.
山地大猩猩（Gorilla beringei beringei）是世界上最濒危的大型猿类之一。山地大猩猩发病和死亡的最常见原因是外伤（例如，来自同种个体的伤害或陷入陷阱）。我们对自由放养、习惯与人类接触的山地大猩猩进行了一项回顾性病例对照研究，以评估与陷入陷阱相关的因素以及临床干预的结果。数据收集自1995年至2015年期间在卢旺达火山国家公园进行的所有临床干预病例（n = 132）的临床记录。野生动物兽医治疗了37只被陷阱困住的大猩猩和95只因其他临床病症（包括外伤和呼吸道疾病）的大猩猩。多变量统计分析显示，年轻大猩猩（<8岁）比年长大猩猩更容易被陷阱困住；合并症会延迟干预时间（≥3天）；并且干预时伤口的严重程度与干预后1个月内持续损伤（包括肢体或肢体功能丧失或死亡）的风险增加有关。我们的结果可能会影响大猩猩健康监测和治疗的决策，以最有效地保护这一极度濒危物种。
