The present review summarizes the current information on the lead poisoning of waterfowl with special attention to that occurred in Japan. The reviewed items are concerning with the incidence of the toxic disease, source of lead toxicity and ecological and environmental factors, absorption of lead and other relevant, susceptibilty to toxicosis, clinical signs, pathology, and diagnosis involving interpretation of chemical analysis. The pathological lesions associated with lead poisoning of waterfowl vary considerably depending upon the degree of toxicity present. The present reviewed information show that any conclusive diagnosis of lead poisoning should be based upon a combination of clinical, pathological, and analytical findings.

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"The panda's thumb"is very famous change and there are many reports in giant pandas. This pseudothumb bone is known technically as the radial sesamoid. This same bone is also said to be enlarged but not to such a great extent in the red panda. But there is little report in a small relative animal. We studied the main skeleton and radial sesamoid bones with its connected muscles on two red pandas. The vertebral formula of these red pandas is 7 cervical vertebrae, 14 thoracic vertebrae, 6 lumbar vertebrae, 3 sacrum vertebrae and 17 caudal vertebrae. There are 36 or 38 permanent teeth in these adult red pandas:incisor 3/3, canine 1/1, premolar 3/(3-4), and molar 2/2. The palmar of red pandas is made of 7 carpal bones, and one or two radial sesamoid bones are present. The length of radial sesamoid is half the length of the first metacarpal bone. Three muscles and four ligaments are connected with the radial sesamoid in the red panda. It seems that the radial sesamoid of the red panda may be used like a thumb, but there is obviously less power involved than with the giant panda.

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A Young Japanese serow was found in weakened condition and caught for preservation in a low-mountainous area of Komatsu city Ishikawa Prefecture. At that time, the serow was extremely emaciated and had abscesses with palisade parenchyma showing wide spread keratinization on the skin area around the coronary regions of the left fore and hind limbs. Reddish knots were also found on the lips. Since the animal died the next day, an autopsy was carried out to confirm the presence of Parapoxvirus particles by electron microscopy.

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An histopathologic examination was carried out on two 8- and 9-year old Sika deers(Cervus nippon Temminck), that had osselets in various parts of their bones, at a deer ranch in Jilin, China. Each animal received feed containing a fluoride additive ranging in amount from 1.08〜1.60 mg/kg/day for about 7 months. The fluoride contents of the osselets examined were in the range of 499.00〜1,069.00 ppm. Autopsies revealed osselets of various sizes in the limbs and facial bones. The histological findings obtained showed an increase in the connective tissue, cartilage and bone formation, increased osteoid, and the formation of new trabecular bone. These pathological changes most likely belong to periosteal hyperostoses.

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Pulmonary aspergillosis is a major disease in captive penguins. To detect Aspergillus spp.infections in penguins, we examined the usefulness of the commercially available serological test kit(PASTOREX ASPERGILLUS)which detects galactomannan antigen in human invasive aspergillosis with a latex agglutination test. The antigen was detected in 3 of 4 penguins which died of pulmonary aspergillosis. One penguin from which no antigen was detected showed antibody positive. In 26 healthy and diseased penguins belonging to 6 species, the antigen was positive in 2 penguins and semi-positive in 2 penguins which were diagnosed as pulmonary aspergillosis from their symptoms. After using antimycotic treatment for 3 of the 4 penguins, serum antigen changed to negative. No antigen was detected in 8 healthy penguins and in 14 penguins with other diseases. This serological test may be useful for diagnosing pulmonary aspergillosis of captive penguins, which previously was considered a difficult diagnosis. However, several kind of serological tests such as antibody detection tests should be used in addition to this test for more accurate diagnose of pulmonary aspergillosis of penguins.

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In order to obtain the normal electrocardiographic findings, ECG's were taken from five adult black eared kites under isoflurane anesthesia. Average heart rate was 312 to 375 beats/min. Right or left axis deviation was observed in each birds. P wave was up-right in lead I and II, and amplitude and duration were 0.15〜0.55 mV and 15〜20 msec, respectively. S wave was shown in lead II, III and aVF, and amplitude was 0.5〜1.4 mV. PQ and QRS durations were 55〜70 and 20〜30 msec, respectively. Since T wave amplitude was low and hard to be identified, QT interval could not be measured.

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Histological studies on the artery of the uterine wall were performed in 30 adult female Japanese serows, Capricornis crispus. Gravid sclerosis was found in the myo- and endometrial arteries of parous serows. In nulliparous adult females, the internal elastic lamina is thin and poorly indented, whereas in the females that kidded one to three times, it is thick and full of indentation. In females that kidded more than four times, double- or multilayered elastic laminae, hyperplastic elastic fibers and degenerated nuclei of smooth muscle cells in the media were observed. In females that kidded eight times or more, degeneration of hyperplastic elastic fibers(elastosis)and disappearance of nuclei of smooth muscle cells in the media were noted. This study suggests that histological examination of the uterine wall enables one to identify a female serow of unknown breeding history as parous or nulliparous and to estimate how many times it has kidded.

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Seasonal trends in voluntarily food intake and body weights of groupfed sika deer(Cervus nippon)were monitored from July 1993 to July 1994 in Nogeyama Zoological Gardens, Yokohama, Japan. In this study, 2 adult(over 2 years old)males, 3 adult females, 1 young(1〜2 years old)males, 2 young females, 4 fawns(0〜1 years old)and 5 new born(May to June 1994)fawns were used. During the mating season from September through November, body weights of adult specimens and young males decreased, but these of young females and fawns continuously increased. During winter season from December through March, there was very little change in body weights of all specimens. From April through July, body weight of specimens increased, but these of adult and young females decreased about 6 kg after giving birth. The monthly average dry matter(DM) intake per metabolic body weight of the group decreased for a time in September. Great change in DM intake was not observed during winter, however, DM intake increased markedly from April. Digestive energy(DE) intake per metabolic body weight was much the same as the changes in DM intake. From this, DE intake for maintenance was estimated in approximately 196 kcal per metabolic body weight of the group.

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A quick and efficient method for determining the sex of striped hyena(Hyaena hyaena)was developed by performing Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR) analysis on sampled DNA. DNA samples were collected from white blood cells and hair roots of striped hyenas. PCR was performed using the primers to amplify the sex-determining region Y(SRY). In the test, a DNA band that can be regarded as the target DNA of 214 bp SRY sequence was detected only in males' samples. Therefore, in the case of the striped hyena, as well as other mammalian species, the SRY conserved region is specific only to male. A detection sensitivity test was carried out. The target region with 100 cells or with a single hair root was able to be detected. We conclude that this method, with high sensitivity and easy procedure, seems to present an easy and efficient way for future sex determination in striped hyena.

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A female spirurid nematode was obtained from the serosal surface of the gizzard in a male collared scops-owl, Otus bakkamoena from Mikata, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, and classified as Geopetitia sp., mainly based on the characteristic shape of its posterior body. This is the first report on this genus of nematode in Japan as well as from birds in Strigiformes in any region in the world. This case is attributable to predation of an insect intermediate host or ingestion of a migrating immature worm with a small avian paratenic host. The present case may indicate the need to devote attention to the worms of this genus in the zoos in Japan, because of the probability of epizootic infections and severe pathogenicity among many species of rearing birds.

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The present report deals with the current status, natural conservation and ex-situ breeding of giant pandas(Ailuropoda melanoleuca). Their habitats are still squeezing and population size is decreasing gradually. After 14 natural reserves and 17 corridors for giant pandas could be established in the near future, the extinction of giant pandas in the wild might be retarded. In many zoos all over the world, several progresses have been made in ex-situ conservation of this species. On the other hand, much more works must be done for the breeding of captive giant pandas to increase the population. Since we have incompletely utilized the superiority of ex-situ conservation, the numbers of captive giant pandas increase slowly. Although we are not so optimistic about the protection of giant pandas, there are some favourable prospects. So long as we develop some kind of cooperative research work with many countries outside China, there will be good prospects for protecting giant pandas.

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