Department of Veterinary Services and Conservation Medicine, Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3HA, United Kingdom and the University of Bristol, Bristol BS40 5DU, United Kingdom,
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust, Les Augrès Manor, La Profonde Rue, Trinity, Jersey, Channel Islands JE3 5BP.
J Zoo Wildl Med. 2021 Jan;51(4):970-980. doi: 10.1638/2020-0018.
The population of the Mauritian pink pigeon () fell to fewer than 20 individuals in the 1970s. Following intensive conservation efforts, the free-living population is now estimated to be 470 individuals. However, because of the population bottleneck the species remains at risk of extinction because of genetic loss and inbreeding depression. A European captive population was established in 1977 and a European Endangered Species Program (EEP) was formalized in 1992. As birds in the EEP captive population possess unique alleles not observed in the surviving free-living birds, the EEP management plan recommends transferring EEP birds to Mauritius to improve genetic diversity. Health screening of the current EEP population to identify circulating pathogens was performed. Forty-two birds from three collections in the United Kingdom and one in Jersey were screened for a wide range of pathogens, present clinically or subclinically, including important viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and helminths. Eleven birds tested positive for at least one pathogen: spp. (5), (2), (1), coccidial oocysts (3), and strongyle ova (3). None of the positive birds showed overt signs of clinical disease, although two birds with spp. had suboptimal body condition. Genotyping of one sample revealed a type-C strain (low pathogenicity). The results from this screening will contribute towards a disease risk assessment, to create a pre-export protocol for translocation of captive EEP birds to Mauritius.
毛里求斯粉鸽（）的数量在 20 世纪 70 年代减少到不足 20 只。经过密集的保护工作，目前自由生活的数量估计为 470 只。然而，由于种群瓶颈，该物种仍然面临灭绝的风险，因为遗传损失和近交衰退。1977 年建立了一个欧洲圈养种群，并于 1992 年正式制定了欧洲濒危物种计划（EEP）。由于 EEP 圈养种群中的鸟类拥有在幸存的自由生活鸟类中未观察到的独特等位基因，EEP 管理计划建议将 EEP 鸟类转移到毛里求斯以提高遗传多样性。对当前 EEP 种群进行了健康筛查，以识别循环病原体。从英国的三个集合和泽西岛的一个集合中筛选了 42 只鸟，以检测包括重要病毒、细菌、原生动物和寄生虫在内的广泛临床或亚临床病原体。有 11 只鸟至少对一种病原体呈阳性： spp.（5）、 （2）、 （1）、球虫卵囊（3）和鞭虫卵（3）。尽管有两只携带 spp.的鸟身体状况不佳，但没有阳性鸟表现出明显的临床疾病迹象。对一个 样本的基因分型显示出一种 C 型株（低致病性）。此次筛查的结果将有助于进行疾病风险评估，为将 EEP 圈养鸟类转移到毛里求斯制定出口前协议。
