Anthropogenic pressures and spatial disease dynamics in a threatened endemic deer of Patagonia

Wildlife rehabilitation admissions are increasing globally, yet the conservation implications of these trends and their links to anthropogenic pressures and disease risk remain poorly understood. Here, we examine these dynamics in the southern pudu (Pudu puda), a near-threatened deer species endemic to the temperate rainforests of Chile and Argentina. Populations are increasingly affected by habitat loss, livestock presence, domestic dog attacks, and road collisions. We analyzed clinical records from 188 pudus admitted to two wildlife rehabilitation centers in the Los Lagos Region of Chilean Patagonia between 2015 and 2023. Records included serological or molecular screening for exposure to 20 infectious agents shared with domestic animals, along with demographic data and clinical outcomes, and were linked to local environmental variables in generalized additive models. Overall, 29.8% of tested individuals were positive for at least one infectious agent. Spatial analyses revealed an association between pathogen-positive cases and proximity to protected areas, suggesting that these zones may not consistently function as refuges from disease risk. Our findings highlight the value of wildlife rehabilitation data for detecting emerging threats and integrating wildlife health into conservation planning. Management actions that reduce dog-related and vehicle-related admissions and mitigate pathogen spillover at the wildlife-livestock interface will be essential to improve the long-term viability of P. puda populations in and around protected areas.