Hematological and serum chemical characteristics of the Iberian lynx (Lynx pardina) in southwestern Spain

Abstract

Hematological and serum chemical values were determined for 16 wild Iberian lynxes, Lynx pardina (5 adult males, 4 adult females, 4 juvenile males, and 3 juvenile females) captured with box traps and coil-spring traps. The results include reference values, analysis of sex and age differences, and data on the influence of capture method on blood values. Males had higher red blood cell counts (p = 0.03) and packed cell volumes (p = 0.06) than females, which presented higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin levels (p = 0.08) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations (p = 0.07) than males. Juveniles had higher serum levels of alkaline phosphatase (p = 0.01), urea (p = 0.02), and cholesterol (p = 0.02) and lower levels of creatinine (p = 0.07) than adults. Four hematological variables (mean platelet volume, platelet size distribution, white blood cell count, and mean corpuscular volume) and two serum variables (concentrations of amylase and calcium) were influenced by capture method. The use of standard procedures to assess base-line blood values in wild carnivores is encouraged.