Biologging is suspect to cause corneal opacity in two populations of wild living Northern Bald Ibises (Geronticus eremita)  

作　　者：Johannes Fritz Barbara Eberhard Corinna Esterer Bernhard Goenner Daniela Trobe Markus Unsoeld Bernhard Voelkl Helena Wehner Alexandra Scope 

机构地区：[1]Waldrappteam,LIFE Northern Bald Ibis,6162 Mutters,Austria [2]Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Biology,University of Vienna,Vienna,Austria [3]Veterinary University Vienna,Vienna,Austria [4]University of Bern,Vetsuisse Faculty,Bern,Switzerland [5]Bavarian State Collection of Zoology,Munich,Germany

出　　处：《Avian Research》2020年第4期412-420,共9页鸟类学研究（英文版）

基　　金：With 50%contribution of the LIFE financial instrument of the European Union(LIFE+12-BIO_AT_000143,LIFE Northern Bald Ibis).

摘　　要：Background:In this paper,we present evidence that biologging is strongly correlated with eye irritation,with sometimes severely impairing effects.A migratory population of the Northern Bald Ibis(Geronticus eremita,NBI)is reintroduced in Europe,in course of a LIFE+project.Since 2014,all individuals have been equipped with GPS-devices.Remote monitoring allows the implementation of focussed measures against major mortality causes.Methods:Initially all birds carried battery-powered devices,fixed on the lower back of the birds.Since 2016 an increasing amount of birds has been equipped with solar-powered devices,fixed on the upper back,the more sunexposed position.In 2016,we observed opacity in the cornea of one eye(unilateral corneal opacity;UCO)during a regular health monitoring for the first time.Results:By 2018,a total of 25 birds were affected by UCO,with varying intensity up to blindness.Clinical examination of the birds revealed no clear cause for the symptoms.However,only birds carrying a device on the upper back were affected(2017 up to 70%of this group).In contrast,none of the birds carrying devices on the lower back ever showed UCO symptoms.This unexpected relationship between tagging and UCO was discovered in 2017.After we took countermeasures by removing the device or repositioning it on the lower back,we observed an immediate reduction of the incidence rate without any new cases reported since January 2019.NBI roost with their head on the back,one eye closely placed to the device if it was positioned on the upper back.Thus,we conclude that the most parsimonious explanation for the symptomatology is either a repetitive slight temperature rise in the corneal tissue due to electromagnetic radiation by the GSM module of the device or a repetitive slight mechanical irritation of the corneal surface.Concrete evidence is missing so far.Meanwhile,cases of UCO were found in another NBI population.Conclusion:Our observations indicate that further research in the fast-growing field of biologging is urgently needed.T

关 键 词：BLINDNESS Electromagnetic radiation Endangered bird species Eye opacity GPS-devices Mechanical irritation REINTRODUCTION Solar-powered 

分 类 号：Q958[生物学—动物学]