White and other fur colourations and hybridization in golden jackals (Canis aureus) in the Carpathian basin.

The golden jackal (Canis aureus) is a reoccurring species in the centre of the Carpathian basin, in Hungary. In total, 31 golden jackal tissue samples were collected, from 8 white-coated, 2 black-coated and one mottled animal across Hungary. Sequences and fragment length polymorphisms were studied for white colour (MC1R), and for black coat colouration (CBD103). In each white animal, the most widespread mutation causing white fur colour in dogs in homozygous form was detected. Three animals were found to carry the mutation in heterozygous form. The two black golden jackals were heterozygous for the 3 bp deletion in CBD103 that mutation for black coat colouration in dogs, and one of them also carried the mutation causing white fur. None of the white animals showed signs of hybridization, but both the black and the mottled coloured individuals were found to be hybrids based on genetic testing. Kinship was found three times, twice between white animals, and once between a white animal and an agouti animal carrying the mutation of white coat. Our results confirm the findings that golden jackal-dog hybrids may occur without human intervention, and the detected mutation causing white fur colour in golden jackals could possibly be due to an early hybridization event.

Survey of wild boar hunter interactions with pig farming in central Europe.

African swine fever (ASF) is a fatal animal disease without zoonotic potential but greatly impacts human well-being, especially in the most vulnerable human communities. In Europe, ASF concerns mostly the wildlife domain of health. The main vector of the disease is confirmed to be the wild boar, though long-distance jumps of the infection are due to anthropogenic effects. This study aimed to evaluate the potential role of hunting assistant personnel (beaters and carcass handlers) in ASF spread in Hungary. Based on a personal interview survey, we attempted to identify the epidemiological risk caused by hunting activities and the hunting personnel. The interviews with 58 hunting workers confirmed that an extent backyard pig sector (13 pig farmers) and pork production system (31 pork producers) existed within the study region out of the authorities' sight. Two pig farmers did not wear special working clothes for pig caring, seven pork producers disposed of slaughter offal in the settlements periphery, and six persons regularly contacted distant pig farms. The revealed knowledge, attitude, and practice of the questioned pig farmers suggested that this sector would be very vulnerable in an epidemic situation; moreover, backyard farms would cause a great risk for wildboar populations. Considering that the study region is the third poorest region of Hungary, these findings called attention to the high epidemiologic risk of socioeconomic inequality between different regions within the European Union.

The golden jackal (Canis aureus) and the African swine fever pandemic: Its role is controversial but not negligible (a diet analysis study).

BACKGROUND: In Europe, the African swine fever (ASF) pandemic mostly affects the environmental domain of health, which is a strongly human-impacted ecosystem. However, the current control strategies focus solely on the wild boar and tend to disregard other epidemiologically relevant elements of the ecosystem. OBJECTIVES: This study investigated the potential impact of the golden jackal on the surveillance effort and disease transmission. METHODS: For this reason, the authors analysed the content of 277 stomachs of this canid species within its westernmost inhabitant population, in order to determine the amount of suid remains, disposed. RESULTS: The findings confirmed that in a densely populated wild boar habitat, the main diet component of jackals was wild boar all the year round. The jackals disposed of 0.3-0.6 kg/km2 /day offals that potentially contained suid remains. On the other hand, the scavenging activity removed the most important target objects on which the passive surveillance of ASF should be based. CONCLUSIONS: This study cannot determine whether canid scavengers positively or negatively influence the control efforts; however, the impact of the jackal should not be disregarded. The results warn the necessity of a multidisciplinary approach to complex epidemiological situations within different ecosystems.

Accumulation of selected metals and concentration of macroelements in liver and kidney tissues of sympatric golden jackal (Canis aureus) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Somogy County, Hungary.

This study examined the concentrations of Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, and Zn in the liver and kidney samples of golden jackals (n = 163) and red foxes (n = 64). Additionally, we studied how sex affected element concentration in both species, and in the case of golden jackals, how concentration levels were affected by age.Liver was the most important storage organ for Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, while kidney for Cd and Na in jackals and foxes.We found no sex-related differences in concentration of any of the selected elements in fox samples. In jackals, the mean concentrations of Al, Mn, and Zn were significantly higher in kidneys of males, while Zn and Cu had higher concentrations in female livers. Our results suggest bioaccumulation processes do not occur in mesocarnivores.Lead and Cd concentrations fell within ranges accepted as normal for canine species and were below toxic levels in the organs of the examined species. Concentrations of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn were far below the toxic levels in both organs of both species, with a slight sign of deficiency of Fe, Mn, and Zn in jackal and fox kidneys. In comparison with toxicity levels and results from other European study sites, the current study demonstrated that species living in the examined area of Somogy County, Hungary, are generally exposed to low levels of environmental contamination.

Accumulation of Metals in Liver Tissues of Sympatric Golden Jackal (Canis aureus) and Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) in the Southern Part of Romania.

Several previous study results have already demonstrated that golden jackal and red fox may serve as biological indicators of trace elements and heavy metal concentrations in the various regions they inhabit. The aim of this study was to evaluate accumulation patterns of targeted elements (Al, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni and Pb) in liver samples of red foxes and golden jackals collected during the same period in the southern part of Romania. The accumulation patterns of trace elements in the livers of sympatric golden jackal and red fox were practically the same. To date, separate studies of the species individually in different habitats have shown that either of the species can be used for ecotoxicological and biomonitoring studies. Moreover, in general gender related studies, no significant differences in the concentrations of the investigated elements were found in either jackals or foxes. Also, average metal concentrations in liver samples do not show significant differences between groups under and above 12 months of age.

Toxic heavy metals in the muscle of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus)--food toxicological significance.

The study was performed on 20 (10 males, 10 females) roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) to investigate the concentration of cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic in the muscle tissue. They reside in forest and meadow, about 50 km distance from industrial activities and traffic. Samples were taken from the musculus biceps femoris of each deer without external contamination after shooting during the regular hunting season on a hunting area close to Eger in Hungary. The determination of heavy metal contents was carried out by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). The statistical analysis was performed by statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 11.0. The measured residue concentration of cadmium was below the limit of detection in the roe deer meat indicating no health risk for the consumers. The average lead concentration (0.48 ± 0.21 mg/kg wet weight) exceeded the regulated maximum limit, but its calculated weekly intake was below the provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI). The residue level of mercury is not regulated and the average mercury content of roe deer meat (0.87 ± 0.40 mg/kg wet weight) was about half of PTWI, but the consumption of meat with the highest detected concentrations results in higher PTWI than recommended. The measured concentration of arsenic (0.27 ± 0.20 mg/kg wet weight) in the roe deer meat may not pose any health risk for the human consumers according to the PTWI set by the World Health Organization.