Haematological reference values for east African wild ungulates

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Wildlife Biology
• Hematology

Background:

• Establishing baseline hematological parameters is crucial for assessing wildlife health.
• Previous studies have provided limited hematological data for wild East African ungulates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine and document basic hematological values in several species of wild East African ungulates.
• To compare field-obtained hematological data with existing literature.

Main Methods:

• Blood samples were collected in the field from clinically normal, wild East African ungulates.
• Hematological analysis included red blood cell and white blood cell counts and morphology.
• Species studied: Thomson's gazelle, Grant's gazelle, blue wildebeest, Coke's hartebeest, impala, and Burchell's zebra.

Main Results:

• Red blood cell parameters were generally consistent with previous reports, with higher mean cell hemoglobin concentrations observed.
• White blood cell counts were significantly lower in all studied species compared to expected values.
• Standard mammalian morphology was observed for both red and white blood cells across all species.

Conclusions:

• The study provides essential reference hematological values for these wild ungulate populations.
• Lower white blood cell counts suggest potential species-specific physiological differences or environmental influences.
• Field methodology, while generally effective, presented challenges with microscopy and slide preservation due to environmental conditions.