Selected contaminants and infectious diseases in Estonian northern goshawks (Accipiter gentilis)

• Main Author: Kirk, Egeli
• Other Authors: Leivits, Madis
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: unknown
• Published: Eesti Maaülikool 2020
• Subjects: magistritööd; indikaatorliigid; Kuna; Accipiter gentilis; Northern Goshawk
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10492/6003

Final Thesis in Veterinary Medicine Northern goshawk is widely distributed bird of prey species in Estonia, but compared to the period before the year 1990, the population size has come down almost by a half. In previous study conducted in Estonia it was found, that 70% of the birds of prey samples tested, turned up positive for rodenticide residues. In addition to rodenticides there are other environmental pollutants like heavy metals, such as lead, mercury and cadmium etc. that may endanger the health status of an individual bird. As there have been changes in the habitats of northern goshawk, more and more birds get accustomed to city-life and catching pigeons for prey exposes them to a wider range of infectious diseases. The purpose of this study was to screen heavy metal residues and second generation anticoagulant rodenticides in Estonian northern goshawks. We also screened for most common avian infectious diseases in Estonian northern goshawks, using Nabuto FB strips for ELISA and FTA cards for molecular diagnostics. Anticoagulant residues were detected in 95% of the analysed samples. All of the tested samples had heavy metal residues, whereas mercury levels in 5 birds (22%) were high enough to cause possible health alterations. Molecular diagnostics detected antigens for infectious bursal disease virus, avian influenza type A and Chlamydiaceae spp. Kanakull on Eestis laialdase levikuga röövlind, kelle arvukus Eestis on alates 1990-datest langenud ligi poole võrra. 2019 aastal kaitstud magistritöö kohaselt sisaldasid 70% uuringus kasutatud Eestis elutsenud röövlindude proovidest rodentitsiidide jääke. Keskkonnamürkidest ohustavad röövlinde lisaks rodentitsiididele veel raskemetallid, näiteks plii, elavhõbe ja kaadmium. Kuna kanakulli elupaigavalikutes on toimunud muudatused ning aina rohkem satub kanakulle elama linnatingimustesse, on toimunud muutused ka saagi valikus. Linnas elutsevate kanakullide toidulaua moodustavad suures osas tuvid, kes infektsioonhaiguste kandjatena ohustavad ka kanakulle. ...