We have presented a brief review of a selected number of wildlife disease investigations that have been carried out by the staff of the National Wildife Health Center. Investigations into the causes of bald eagle mortality have resulted in significant legal changes to better protect the eagle. In contrast, the isolation of the new virus from the woodcock(which may be pathogenic)is currently awaiting funding to conduct experimental studies. Other investigations, such as those involving avian cholera and Newcastle disease, are designed to obtain a better understanding of the role of these diseases in the wildlife populations we are attempting to manage.

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We have developed endocrinological methods to breed avian species artificially. These methods were originally devised for captive artificial breeding of a critically endangered bird. Japanese crested ibis(Nipponia nippon). To estimate the gonadal endocrine activity, we successfully employed the measurement of fecal sex steroid concentrations. In case that a female bird with developed ovary does not ovulate, we may induce ovulation by injecting luteinizing hermone, as already reported in domestic birds. However, in case that a female has completely regressed ovary, we have to induce development of ovarian follicles and then ovulation. We could induce full-devlopment of the ovary by chronically administering a chicken gonadotropin preparation(a glycoprotien fraction of chicken pituitaries)by means of the osmotic pump, and then ovulation followed by oviposition by injecting the chicken gonadotropin preparation that mimics the luteinizing hormone surge.

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During the 1960's when the numbers of Oriental White Storks(Ciconia boyciana)were on the decline, the local government and people of Tajima district in Hyogo Prefecture implemented conservation measures to help this threatened bird species. Two countermeasures were put into action. First, "the tail of the loach"which collected loaches(Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)from the entire area of Hyogo Prefecture for stork feeding. Secondly, "the activities of keeping quiet"which increased public awareness not to approach and speak loudly around a stork nesting site. On behalf of wildlife, these pioneering conservation efforts set an example we can all learn from. One reason these movements are so active in the Tajima district is the Izushi feudal clan has protected the stork as a good omen since the Edo period. An affection between local people and the stork is inherited but now it becomes encouragement for a reintroduction plan Hyogo Prefectural Government presides over. The organic agricultural method of using the hybrid duck[mallard(Anas platyrhyncos)×duck(A. platyrhynchos var. domestica)]is spreading gradually therefore allowing the stork to feed in rice fields. Organized volunteer groups make biotope for increasing the number of fishes, amphibians and insects as food for the stork. These volunteers also conduct educational programs and wildlife tours. In spite of recent progress there is no guarantee the Oriental White Stork reintroduction plan will succeed. The current situation is becoming worse than in the 1970's when the stork fiest became a candidate for extinction. Environmental destruction as a result of development and encroachment continues. The river where reintroduced storks will feed is herdened with concrete and a farm road running through the rice fields is going to be built. The repaired rice fields for highly mechanized agriculture becomes an environment where all forms of wildlife find it hard to survive. It is doubtful whether stork can be successfully reintroduced to this environment. A change of lifestyle is required. With this purpose, it is imperative to enlist the cooperation of all urban and local people. The opposition of economic growth and/or wildlife conservation has been a problem in both the past and present. If the reintroduction of the Oriental White Stork is to be successful a solution must be found that applies present technology to natural environmental reconstruction immediately. A viable solution offers people and wildlife the opportunity to live together and in this particular case allows future generations to enjoy the beauty of the Oriental White Stork.

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Although Blakiston's Fish owls(Ketupa blakistoni)was widely distributed throughout Hokkaido to the first half of the 20 th century, it now occurs very locally by loss of suitable habitats. Japanese Red Data Category nominated it to the "Critically Endangered"rank in 1997, that is to say the species is one of the most endangered bird species in Japan. In response to this situation, the Environmental Agency of Japan has supplied fish in stocked ponds and nest boxes in some habitats from 1984 to improve food-supplies and nest sites respectively. Although these supplies have been done a considerable contribution on their survival and breeding, their population has not been increasing because their habitats have not been restored. Efforts at reintroduction from captivity began since construction of a new facility by The Environmental Agency in 1993. Problems with high costs under poor conservation monies has not been solved:per capita costs for keeping captivity are higher than that of conservation in nature. In order to achieve the aim that increasing the population number by twice in 10-15 years, suitable habitats have to be preserved and restored. It goes without saying that present distribution area have to be conserved of high priority.

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The current ecological status of White-tailed sea eagle breeding in Hokkaido was reported and about conservation and releasing program of this species were commented. The productivity of the eagle was high in recent five years and the survival rate of young birds one and more year old was over 70 %. These results indicate that the new individual supply would be enough for increasing of this population. Therefore, it can be said that the releasing of captive breeding birds to the wild population is not necessary at present. Meanwhile, the preferable habitat for nesting has been loosed, even though around the present nest sites, timber cutting and development tend to acquiesced. It was also found that most of breeding pairs and young birds used fish discarded by the commercial fishing and the fishery factories in greater or lesser degree. It was considered that the good breeding status and the survival rate of young birds would be sustained by those discards. However, foods supplied from human activities tended to vary in the amount and might be suspended anytime. For this reason, it is hard to say that the current good status of this population would be sustained in the future. To maintain the healthy population of this species, well protection by low of the present nest sites and conservation or restoration of forests for nesting, which retain big tress, in surrounds of waterbodies, are most important tasks should be executed, instantly.

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Almost 30 years ago, the Young Elephant Training School(YETS) was established by the Forest Industry Organization(FIO), Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives of Thailand. Its objectives were to train young elephants for logging and to nurture baby elephants. Recently, YETS was renamed and expanded to be the Thai Elephant Conservation Center(TECC). The name as well as its role has been redirected toward the conservation of Asian elephants in Thailand. The activities of TECC consist of management for conservation, training mahouts and elehants, veterinary services, and tourism. Other functions also serve the public, such as a mobile elehant clinic, school visits, and an exhibition center. The research programs on reproduction and reintroduction of domesticated elephants to the wild are a recent focus of TECC. The center's annual cost is 13 million baht, of which about seven million is provided by FIO. The remainder is derived from NGO grants, donations, and tourism.

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Hematological, serum biochemical and bone marrow reference values were measured for 12 adult male Javan mongooses(Herpestes javanicus auropunctatus）, captured on Amami Oshima Island. Of all carnivora researched to date, the Javan mongoose showed a comparatively high erythrocyte cell count with relatively small erythrocyte size. The leukocyte count averaged 2, 200/μl:of 50% lymphocytes, 47% segmented form neutrophils and 2% monocytes. No basophils were detectable. In comparison to the small indian mongoose(H.auropunctatus)on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, the Egyptian mongoose(H.ichneumon), and the domestic dog and the domestic cat, the Javan mongoose showed a much lower leukocyte count. The bone marrow cell count averaged 0.69 x 10⁶/μl, the differential count showed a predominant erythroid series, and the average myeloids/erythroids ratio was 0.71. The morphology of the peripheral leukocytes and the bone marrow cells resembled that of the dog and the cat. Glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, alkaline phosphatase and creatine phosphokinase levels showed a tendency to be higher in the Javan mongoose than in the dog and the cat. γ-glutamil transpeptidase and total bilirubin were not at measurable levels in 2 or 3 of 12 Javan mongooses.

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Strobilae having no scolex of diphyllobothriid tapeworms were found from both a killer whale, Orcinus orca captured off the Kii Peninsula, Japan and a bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus born in a sea water pool of Taiji Whale Museum. These animals have been artificially maintained in the sea water pool for several years. Two kinds of strobilae obtained appeared to be identical species of diphyllobothriid tapeworms morphologically, and the strobila from T.truncatus was considered in somewhat immature from. The strobilae in the present study were identified as Diphyllobothrium fuhrmanni Hsü 1935 based on morphological characteristics of transverse and sagittal sections of segments and the eggs despite lack of the scolex. Two marine mammals, Orcinus orca and Tursiops truncatus are the new record of natural definitive host for D.fuhrmanni. Moreover, the authors also mentioned this important point in regard to the marine mammalian sources of infection.

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Twrnty captive and 9 wild bears were treated with a mixture of zolazepam-HCl and tiletamine-HCl to evaluate effective dosages for immobilization and physiological responses of immobilized bears. Total dose required for effective immobilization were small(3.52±1.53 mg/kg in captive, and 3.75±1.57 mg/kg for wild bears), and immobilized bears showed good muscle relaxation and smooth recovery. Accordingly, this mixture of zolazepam-HCl and tiletamine-HCl was considered effective for the immobilization of Hokkaido brown bears.

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Preliminary information was obtained on the wild elephants roaming around Nam Tok Mae Surin National Park in Mae Hong Son Province, northern Thailand. Numerous villages are located in and around the National Park, which may affect Asian elehant(Elephas maximus)status. Field surveys were made for elephant tracks and Karen tribal villagers were interviewed. We found clear tracks of two adult females. Fordfoot circumferences were measured for their estimated ground-to-shoulder height as 2.3 and 2.9 meters, respectively. Droppings and mud stains on trees were noted and elephant hairs were collected for future genetic analysis of the wile population. In addition, the relationships between the tribal people and the nature were introduced.

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As a model of phenotype of cartilage formation, the pattern and the number of tracheal cartilage rings were surveyed in three different groups of Macaca(macaque). They are easy to approach and to count or measure. For Japanese(J), Formosan(F)and Rhesus(R)monkeys, the length of trachea(from distal end of cricoid cartilage to tracheal carina)was J:4.6-8.5cm(average 6.86), F:7.0-9.1cm(averege 7.8)and R:5.6-7.7cm(average 6.76). The number of cartilage rings for J, F and R was 21.54±2.89, 23.63±3.46 and 22.55±2.43, respectively. The average number of fused rings in J, F and R was 2.8, 6.4 and 5.9. Practically all three groups of macaque had similar length of trachea and number of tracheal cartilage rings. Most of tracheal rings were complex type(J23/26, F8/8, R20/20)composed of two to four cartilage pieces. In cross section, the dorsal protion of C type ring was overlapped. Whether left or right half edge covers over the opposite half edge was not consistent. The number of cartilage rings was not always proportional to the length of trachea. The comparison of cartilage pattern of trachea to that of bronchus, the change of the pattern with age, the comparison of the pattern of parents with their offspring(genetical survey), and also the embryological survey of the tracheal cartilage pattern remained to be surveyed.

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To compare the structure of forepaw of monkeys to that of human, the composition of skeleton and some muscles of a total of 27 Japanese monkeys(Macaca fuscata), 6 Taiwan macaques(Macaca cyclopis)and 6 rhesus monkeys(Macaca mulatta)were surveyed with X-ray, Arizarin red skeletal staining, and gross anatomy. All macaques had a central carpus which is not independent in human carpal bones. The order of length of metacarpal bones of macaques was III>II>IV>V while that of human was II>III>IV>V. The order of length phalanges was III>IV>II>V in both macaques and human. There were four types of arrangement of sesamoidal bones. Japanese and rhesus monkeys had three types and Taiwan macaques had all four patterns. In general, muscles of forepaw of macaques were similar to those of human hand but M.extensor digiti IV were more prominent than in human. M.contrahentes digitorum manus was specific to monkeys. Those features of skeletal and muscular arrangement suggested that the main function of forepaw of macaques was more specific to grip, branches of tree, etc., rather than to walk on the ground.

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