Browsing by Author "Afema-Azikuru, Josephine"

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    Clinical Pathology and Morphometrics of African Fish Eagles in Uganda
    (Journal of wildlife diseases, 2004) Hollamby, Simon; Afema-Azikuru, Josephine; Sikarskie, James G.; Kaneene, John B.; Stuht, John N.; Fitzgerald, Scott D.; Bowerman, William W.; Cameron, Kenneth; Gandolf, A. Rae; Hui, Gretchen N.; Dranzoa, Christine; Rumbeiha, Wilson K.
    Packed cell volumes (PCVs) and plasma chemistry parameters were measured in 15 adult and 18 nestling African fish eagles (Haliaeetus vocifer) sampled from June 2002 through January 2003 in Uganda. Morphologic measurements were obtained from 15 adult eagles. All eagles were examined for blood parasites and sexed by examination of DNA from red blood cells. Ten adults and eight nestlings were sampled from Lake Mburo and five adults and 10 nestlings were sampled from Lake Victoria near Entebbe, Uganda. Analysis of variance was conducted to assess the association between site, age, sex, and plasma chemistry parameters and the association between sex and morphologic characteristics. Plasma chemistry values for nestling and adult African fish eagles were similar to those reported for other captive and free-ranging eagle species. Packed cell volumes for nestling African fish eagles were markedly lower than values reported for nestlings of other eagle species, although the mean estimated age of nestlings sampled also was lower. A significant association (P#0.05) was found between PCV of nestling eagles and study site (lower at Lake Mburo) but no association was found between PCV and nestling body weight (P$0.05). An unidentified Plasmodium sp. was present in erythrocytes of three nestlings from Lake Mburo. No other blood parasites were seen. There was significant variation (P#0.05) in PCV, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, cholesterol concentrations, and creatine kinase activity between adults and nestlings; all were lower in adults. Aspartate transaminase activity was higher in adults. Like other Haliaeetus sp., body weight, bill depth, culmen length, footpad length, and hallux length as well as bill depth measurements were significantly (P#0.05) greater for females than males. The objective of the study was to provide baseline biologic and physiologic information that may prove useful in the management and study of captive and wild populations of African fish eagles.
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    Clinical Pathology of Nestling Marabou Storks in Uganda
    (Journal of wildlife diseases, 2004) Hollamby, Simon; Afema-Azikuru, Josephine; Sikarskie, James G.; Stuht, John N.; Bowerman, William W.; Kaneene, John B.; Fitzgerald, Scott D.; Cameron, Kenneth; Gandolf, A. Rae; Hui, Gretchen N.; Dranzoa, Christine; Rumbeiha, Wilson K.
    Packed cell volumes (PCV) and plasma chemistry parameters were measured in 20 nestling marabou storks (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) in January 2003 that were a part of a colony located in the center of the city of Kampala, Uganda. There were no significant differences (P$0.05) in plasma chemistry values or PCV between sexes with the exception of globulin and total plasma protein values, which were higher in females. There were significant differences (P#0.05) in blood glucose, creatine kinase, and globulin levels between birds of different body weight. Total plasma protein, uric acid, phosphorous, and creatine kinase were generally higher relative to published data on other avian species, including nestling white storks (Ciconia ciconia).
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    Mercury and Persistent Organic Pollutant Concentrations in African Fish Eagles, Marabou Storks, and Nile Tilapia in Uganda
    (Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 2004) Hollamby, Simon; Afema-Azikuru, Josephine; Sikarskie, James G.; Kaneene, John B.; Bowerman, William W.; Fitzgerald, Scott D.; Cameron, Kenneth; Gandolf, Rae; Hui, Gretchen N.; Dranzoa, Christine; Rumbeiha, Wilson K.
    The purpose of this research was to evaluate persistent organic pollutant (POP) and mercury concentrations in tissues of African fish eagles (Haliaeetus vocifer) and Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) from Lake Victoria near Entebbe and Lake Mburo, Uganda. Marabou stork (Leptoptilos crumeniferus) nestlings from urban Kampala (40 km from Entebbe) also were sampled for POPs and mercury. Total mercury was measured in the breast feathers of eight nestling and 10 adult African fish eagles from Lake Mburo, 10 nestling and five adult African fish eagles from Lake Victoria near Entebbe, and 20 nestling marabou storks from Kampala from June 2002 through January 2003. Mercury concentrations in all samples were below levels associated with adverse effects in similar species. Mercury concentrations were significantly higher in eagle adults and nestlings from Entebbe than in adults and nestlings from Lake Mburo (P#0.05). No significant differences (P$0.05) were found in mercury concentrations between sexes or between the entire fish eagle population sampled at Entebbe and marabou stork nestlings sampled at nearby Kampala. Plasma samples from the same birds were analyzed for 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl) ethane, aldrin, hexachlorocyclohexane (a-HCH), dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor and their metabolites, as well as total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Nile tilapia whole-body cross sections collected from Lake Mburo (n53) and Lake Victoria near Entebbe (n58) also were analyzed for these POPs and mercury. No samples contained POPs or PCBs at the limits of detection except for 4,49-1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethylene in five adult eagle plasma samples (0.002660.0015 ppm wet weight) and five Nile tilapia samples (0.00260.001 ppm wet weight) from Entebbe.
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    Methods for capturing African fish eagles on water
    (Wildlife Society Bulletin, 2004) Hollamby, Simon; Afema-Azikuru, Josephine; Bowerman, William W.; Cameron, Kenneth N.; Dranzoa, Christine; Gandolf, A. Rae; Hui, Gretchen N.; Kaneene, John B.; Norris, Amanda; Sikarskie, James G.; Fitzgerald, Scott D.; Rumbeiha, Wilson K.
    Twelve adult African fish eagles (Haliaeetus vocifer) were captured on water using a floating fish “snare vest” on Lake Victoria near Entebbe and Lake Mburo in Uganda. The snare vest comprised 8–12 monofilament nylon snares attached to a floating 15–25-cm Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Capture success was 17% of birds that struck the bait at Lake Mburo and 10% at Lake Victoria. The success rate was dependent on multifactorial local site conditions, operator experience, and snare design. The methods described are the first detailed report on the capture of this species, and the snare vest highlights subtle variations in technique from those reported for the capture of other large eagle species.