FIRST RECORD OF HEMATOLOGIC VALUES IN FREE- LIVING AND CAPTIVE MANED SLOTHS (BRADYPUS TORQUATUS; XENARTHA, BRADYPODIDAE) Author(s): Lilian S. Catenacci, D.V.M., Aisla Nascimento, D.V.M., Elza S. Muniz-Neta, D.V.M., Camila R. Cassano, Ph.D., Sharon L. Deem, D.V.M., Ph.D., Dipl. A.C.Z.M., Elizabeth S. Travassos da Rosa, Ph.D., Patricia Parker, Ph.D., and Alexandre D. Munhoz, D.V.M., Ph.D. Source: Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, 48(2):312-318. Published By: American Association of Zoo Veterinarians https://doi.org/10.1638/2016-0025R1.1 URL: http://www.bioone.org/doi/full/10.1638/2016-0025R1.1 BioOne (www.bioone.org) is a nonprofit, online aggregation of core research in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences. BioOne provides a sustainable online platform for over 170 journals and books published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses. Your use of this PDF, the BioOne Web site, and all posted and associated content indicates your acceptance of BioOne’s Terms of Use, available at www.bioone.org/page/ terms_of_use. Usage of BioOne content is strictly limited to personal, educational, and non-commercial use. Commercial inquiries or rights and permissions requests should be directed to the individual publisher as copyright holder. BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. Journal of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine 48(2): 312–318, 2017 Copyright 2017 by American Association of Zoo Veterinarians FIRST RECORD OF HEMATOLOGIC VALUES IN FREE-LIVING AND CAPTIVE MANED SLOTHS (BRADYPUS TORQUATUS; XENARTHA, BRADYPODIDAE) Lilian S. Catenacci, D.V.M., Aisla Nascimento, D.V.M., Elza S. Muniz-Neta, D.V.M., Camila R. Cassano, Ph.D., Sharon L. Deem, D.V.M., Ph.D., Dipl. A.C.Z.M., Elizabeth S. Travassos da Rosa, Ph.D., Patricia Parker, Ph.D., and Alexandre D. Munhoz, D.V.M., Ph.D. Abstract: Bradypus torquatus is a rare and endemic sloth species from the Atlantic Forest, Brazil. Due to a lack of medical information including hematologic reference parameters for the species, hematologic baseline values were determined using samples from 14 clinically healthy B. torquatus, under captive (n ¼ 7) and free-living (n ¼ 7) conditions in Bahia State, Brazil. Additionally, the morphology of the blood cells is presented, with a demonstration that the Barr body chromosome may assist with sex determination of the species. The Barr body chromosome was present in all seven females and absent in all males. Many erythrocytes were approximately the size of small lymphocytes, with red blood cells exhibiting anisocystosis, normochromia, and apparent macrocytosis, compared with domestic animals. This study provides the first published hematologic values and cell morphology for B. torquatus. However, further studies are suggested using an automated hematology analyzer with larger sample sizes so that reference intervals may be established and hematologic values better understood for sex, habitat type, and age cohorts. Key words: Baseline data, Bradypus torquatus, Clinical pathology, Hematology, Sloth. INTRODUCTION a large number of plant species.5 Research on the health status and diseases of this genus are only Hematologic values are commonly used in both available for Bradypus variegatus,2,23,27,33 whereas human and veterinary medicine. Although refer- hematologic values have been published for ence intervals should not be calculated with small Choelopus spp. and B. variegatus.23,25,27,31,33 sample sizes (e.g., ,20 individuals), baseline The maned sloth (Bradypus torquatus) is one of blood values are instrumental for monitoring the six extant species of sloths and one of four species health of populations, allowing comparisons of within the genus Bradypus. It is endemic to the captive and free-living individuals, and determin- Brazilian Atlantic Forest and listed as ‘‘Vulnera- ing changes in population health over time.6,11,21,30,31 ble’’ by the International Union for Conservation An increasing number of studies have reported of Nature.15 Primarily due to habitat loss and its unique trends in the ecology, anatomy, physiology, small geographic range, it is the second most and behavior of sloths.5,8,12,13,31 Three-toed sloths threatened sloth species in the world.15 Maned (Bradypus spp.) are heterothermic14,20 and are sloths are found in old growth forests and may be considered one of the most lethargic mammals,9 found in disturbed environments if tall trees, with activity dependent on ambient temperature.13 necessary in the sloth’s diet, are still present and Species within this group have a specialized include shaded cacao agroforest and small forest gastrointestinal tract to fit their strictly folivorous fragments or those that maintain a high percent- diet20; however, unlike most folivores, they feed on age of vegetation cover.4,28 To date, the species has not been found in any highly modified environ- Federal University of Piaui State, Rod municipal Bom ments, whereas its congeneric B. variegatus is Jesus Viana, BR135, km 1, Bom Jesus, PI, 64900-000, found in urban areas and simplified agroforestry Brazil; Virology Graduate Program, Evandro Chagas systems such as living fences and pasture with Institute, Rod BR-316 km 7 S/N, Ananindeua, PA, isolated trees.25 Furthermore, the only captive 67030-000, Brazil; State University of Santa Cruz, Rod center known to have kept the species and Jorge Amado, km 16, Salobrinho, Ilhe` us, BA, 45662-900, conducted research, the ‘‘Reserva Zoobotanicaˆ Brazil; Saint Louis Zoo Institute for Conservation da Comiss˜ao Executiva da Lavoura Cacaueira– Medicine. One Government Dr, St. Louis, MO 63110, EUA; and University of Missouri-St Louis, St. Louis, CEPLAC’’, no longer houses any individuals of 10,22 One University Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63121, EUA. the species. Correspondence should be directed to Dr. Catenacci The primary objective of this study was to ([email protected]). describe baseline hematologic values of maned 312 CATENACCI ET AL.—HEMATOLOGIC VALUES IN BRADYPUS TORQUATUS 313 Figure 1. Study sites of (A) the Zoobotanical Reserve Rehabilitation Center (circle) and (B) free-living sloths capture sites in the surrounding of Una Biological Reserve. sloths. The paucity of data on the health status of placed radio-collars (model TW-3, Biotrack Ltd.; B. torquatus justifies the need for such informa- Telonics TR-4 receiver and a three-element Yagi tion. antenna, Wildlife Material, Wareham, BH20 4P, England).13 Each sloth was hand caught in the tree MATERIALS AND METHODS canopy by a trained climber, placed in a burlap sack, and lowered to the forest floor using a long Study area rope. No anesthesia was administered to any of Free-living maned sloths were captured from the sloths. Adults were sexed based on genitalia 2006 to 2008 in forest remnants and a cacao shade and pelage, and all sloths were aged based on plantation near the Una Biological Reserve body mass following previous studies.18 Sloths (158109S, 398039W) and the Private Reserve Eco- were weighed using a scale (Pesola AG, CH-8834 parque de Una (158119S, 39829W) in the lowlands Schindellegi, Switzerland), and morphometrics of southern Bahia, Brazil (Fig. 1). The presence of were collected (head-body length). We recorded large forest remnants within and outside Una heart rate (beats per minute), respiratory rate Biological Reserve makes this region of special (respirations per minute), and temperature (8C) conservation value. Shaded cacao and rubber tree every 5 min to ensure animals tolerated handling. plantations account for 60% of the cultivated land Animals were handled immediately and re- and represent the main crops in the Una Biolog- leased after 15–30 min at the base of the tree ical Reserve buffer zone.1 where captured. For those sloths that were The captive animals were located at the Zoobo- captured two or more times, intervals between tanical Reserve Rehabilitation Center, Comiss˜ao captures were 6 mo. Official permission to carry Executiva do Plano da Lavoura Cacaueira-CE- out captures and procedures was issued by the PLAC, in Ilhe´us, Bahia, Brazil (1484691S, 398139W) Brazilian environmental agency, Sistema de (Fig. 1). Five of the animals were captured in 2007, Autorizacao˜ e Informacao˜ em Biodiversidade whereas two animals were captured in 2013. SISBIO, under the authorization of the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Study animals Naturais Renova´veis, number 02001.007588/ 2002 (L. S. Catenacci), and approved by The A total of 24 blood samples were collected from Animal Welfare Committee of Universidade Es- 14 animals (Table 1). Seven free-living sloths were tadual de Santa Cruz, under number 004/2008. examined (five females and two males); of these, The seven captive individuals (five males and five individuals were sampled multiple times (one two females) were housed in a single enclosure male and four females). These animals were (approximately 20 3 50 feet) with B. variegatus manually captured after location using previously individuals at the Zoobotanical Reserve Rehabil- 314 JOURNAL OF ZOO AND WILDLIFE MEDICINE Table 1. Habitat, age, body mass, sex and number of times captured for free-living and captive Bradypus torquatus in the Southern Bahia, Brazil. Identification Habitat Agea Body massa (kg) Sex Number of captures BT033 Free-living Adult 5.8 Female 1 BT123 Free-living Adult 4.5 Male 1 BT464 Free-living Adult 5.7 Female 3 BT142 Free-living Adult 4.5 Female 2 BT040 Free-living Immature-Adult 2.2–4.8 Male 4 (2 Im;2 Ad)b BT162 Free-living Immature 1.5–2.6 Female 2 BT065 Free-living Immature 1.6–2.1 Female 4 BT 212 Captive Immature 3.5 Male 1 BT 200 Captive Adult 4.8 Male 1 BT 224 Captive Adult 4.9 Male 1 BT 228 Captive Adult 4.8 Male 1 BT 232 Captive Immature 1.2 Female 1 BT 240 Captive Immature 3.5 Female 1 BT 136 Captive Adult 4.1 Male 1 a Values indicated for BT040, BT065, and BT162 correspond to age and weight range during the study.