Veterinary medicine in reintroduction and reinforcement of the European pond turtle Emys orbicularis: a review.
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| Title: | Veterinary medicine in reintroduction and reinforcement of the European pond turtle Emys orbicularis: a review. |
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| Authors: | Carolin E; Department of Biogeography, University of Trier, Trier, 54296, Germany. caroeichert@t-online.de., Kathrin T; Department of Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Rheinland-Pfälzische Technische Universität, Kaiserslautern-Landau, Kaiserslautern, Germany.; Long-term Studies in Ecology and Evolution (SEE-Life) program Neu-Woerr, Lauterbourg, Neuburg am Rhein, CNRS, Strasbourg, France., Benoît Q; Parc Zoologique Et Botanique de Mulhouse, Mulhouse, 68100, France., Jean-Yves G; Long-term Studies in Ecology and Evolution (SEE-Life) program Neu-Woerr, Lauterbourg, Neuburg am Rhein, CNRS, Strasbourg, France.; University of Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR7178, Strasbourg, F-67000, France. |
| Source: | BMC veterinary research [BMC Vet Res] 2025 Nov 15; Vol. 21 (1), pp. 668. Date of Electronic Publication: 2025 Nov 15. |
| Publication Type: | Journal Article; Review |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: BioMed Central Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 101249759 Publication Model: Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1746-6148 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 17466148 NLM ISO Abbreviation: BMC Vet Res Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Original Publication: London : BioMed Central, 2005- |
| MeSH Terms: | Turtles*/physiology , Turtles*/microbiology , Conservation of Natural Resources*/methods , Endangered Species* , Veterinary Medicine*, Animals ; Europe |
| Abstract: | Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. This manuscript does not contain any individual person’s data in any form (including individual details, images, or videos) that would require consent for publication. Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or non-financial competing interests that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. The European pond turtle Emys orbicularis is among the most endangered reptile species in Europe, facing severe population decline due to habitat loss and environmental degradation. Conservation efforts increasingly rely on translocation-based strategies, including species reintroduction and reinforcement. Veterinary medicine plays a crucial role in ensuring the health and survival of captive-bred and translocated individuals, yet standardized health assessment protocols remain scarce. This review based on 418 publications synthesizes current veterinary practices related to freshwater turtle conservation, focusing on health monitoring before, during, and after translocation. We evaluate key medical concerns across different life stages, including prevention of zootechnical issues, pathogen screening, microbiome health, and adaptation challenges in captive and wild populations. Additionally, we propose standardized health assessment guidelines to improve diagnostic accuracy and long-term monitoring, and provide a global overview of the common health issues as well as normal blood reference values. By fostering transdisciplinary collaboration between veterinarians, researchers and conservationists, this study aims to refine best practices and ensure sustainable, evidence-based conservation efforts for E. orbicularis and other freshwater turtle species. (© 2025. The Author(s).) |
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| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: Captive breeding; Conservation management process; Contagious disease control; Freshwater turtles; Health monitoring; Quarantine regime; Species translocation |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20251115 Date Completed: 20251116 Latest Revision: 20251119 |
| Update Code: | 20251119 |
| PubMed Central ID: | PMC12619337 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12917-025-05097-w |
| PMID: | 41241723 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
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| Abstract: | Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Consent for publication: Not applicable. This manuscript does not contain any individual person’s data in any form (including individual details, images, or videos) that would require consent for publication. Competing interests: The authors declare that they have no financial or non-financial competing interests that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.<br />The European pond turtle Emys orbicularis is among the most endangered reptile species in Europe, facing severe population decline due to habitat loss and environmental degradation. Conservation efforts increasingly rely on translocation-based strategies, including species reintroduction and reinforcement. Veterinary medicine plays a crucial role in ensuring the health and survival of captive-bred and translocated individuals, yet standardized health assessment protocols remain scarce. This review based on 418 publications synthesizes current veterinary practices related to freshwater turtle conservation, focusing on health monitoring before, during, and after translocation. We evaluate key medical concerns across different life stages, including prevention of zootechnical issues, pathogen screening, microbiome health, and adaptation challenges in captive and wild populations. Additionally, we propose standardized health assessment guidelines to improve diagnostic accuracy and long-term monitoring, and provide a global overview of the common health issues as well as normal blood reference values. By fostering transdisciplinary collaboration between veterinarians, researchers and conservationists, this study aims to refine best practices and ensure sustainable, evidence-based conservation efforts for E. orbicularis and other freshwater turtle species.<br /> (© 2025. The Author(s).) |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1746-6148 |
| DOI: | 10.1186/s12917-025-05097-w |