Clinical Evaluation and Pathological Findings of Air Rifle Shot in Slow Lorises (Nycticebus spp.) At The Animal Rehabilitation Center of Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI) Bogor Regency
Clinical Evaluation and Pathological Findings of Air Rifle Shot in Slow Lorises (Nycticebus spp.) At The Animal Rehabilitation Center of Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI) Bogor Regency
Hanita Fadhilla1, Shafia Khairani1,2*, Ahmad Fitrah3, Wendi Prameswari4, Nur Purba Priambada4, Indri Saptorini4, Imam Arifin4
ABSTRACT
Indonesian slow lorises (Nycticebus spp.) are threatened due to habitat loss and illegal trade. Despite their protected status, slow lorises are often hunted using air rifles. This study aims to evaluate the effects of air rifle wounds in slow lorises, identify hot spot areas for improved habitat protection, and develop standard operating procedures for veterinarians in rehabilitation centers. From 2015 to 2022, 16 individual cases of air rifle shot to slow lorises were documented by Yayasan Inisiasi Alam Rehabilitasi Indonesia (YIARI), accompanied with radiology results and anatomical gross pathology examination. Medical records were evaluated based on lesions, clinical findings, radiological findings, surgical or conservative management (treatment), and survival rates. Results showed that twelve slow lorises did not show clinical conditions, while others experienced ballistic wounds and swelling of the lymphoglandula axillary. Radiology results from 16 cases revealed there were 29 pellets identified in the regions of the head (28%), the neck (7%), the shoulder (14%), the forelimb (10%), the thorax (21%), the abdomen (3%), the pelvis (10%), and the hindlimb (7%). Surgery was performed to remove 16 pellets, with 9 being subcutaneous and 7 intramuscular. Other pathology gross anatomy findings include encapsulated pellets, entry wounds, and damaged palate tissue. Based on the findings, the impact of air rifle use is harming the welfare and population of slow loris, also probably other wildlife. Thus, we recommend that the government improves habitat protection and law enforcement, especially, with regards to air rifle hunting.
Keywords | Air rifle pellet, Air rifle wounds, Indonesia, Medical records, Necropsy, Slow loris
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