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. 2024 Feb 16;14(2):e11000.
doi: 10.1002/ece3.11000. eCollection 2024 Feb.

Insights into the spatial ecology of severely injured free-living felids: Iberian lynx, bobcat, and snow leopard

Fernando Nájera  1   2   3 , Stella F Uiterwaal  2   4   5   6 , Elena Crespo  3 , Rebeca Grande-Gómez  3 , Juan Francisco Sánchez  3 , Manuel Mata-Huete  3 , Jamie Palmer  2 , Gabone Iturrarte  7 , Jorge Peña  8 , Bayaraa Munkhtsog  9   10 , Bariushaa Munkhtsog  9   11 , Andrey D Poyarkov  12 , Jose A Hernandez-Blanco  12 , Dmitry Y Alexandrov  12 , Naranbaatar Galsandorj  9 , Sharon L Deem  2
Affiliations

Insights into the spatial ecology of severely injured free-living felids: Iberian lynx, bobcat, and snow leopard

Fernando Nájera et al. Ecol Evol. .

Abstract

Severe musculoskeletal diseases, such as those associated with congenital or traumatic events, that result in missing limbs may compromise the fitness and survival of free-living felids. Here we report the space use of four amputee individuals from three felid species captured from 2017 to 2022 in Missouri (USA), Toledo and Badajoz (Spain), and Suitai Khairkhan Mountain (Mongolia). We describe home ranges and daily travel distances post-release of free-living felids that had either suffered a traumatic amputation or following a surgical amputation. We compared these data with those reported in the literature for felids without amputations. Forelimb or hindlimb amputation did not affect the hunting, mating, or territory patrolling behavior of any of the individuals. However, we recorded significant differences in the daily movement before and after the traumatic event of the Iberian lynx forelimb amputee. We attribute this difference to the physical impairment, although we consider other variables that may have played a role. Nevertheless, all animals appeared to cope well with their limb loss, showing home ranges and daily distances within those recorded for their sex and species. Unless amputee felids represent a threat to domestic livestock or humans, our data suggest these individuals may remain free-living as they contribute to local population persistence and appear to maintain good general health and welfare.

Keywords: Lynx pardinus; Lynx rufus; Panthera uncia; amputation; felid; home range.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they do not have competing interests.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Locations of the four sites of this study on the movement and health of three‐legged free‐living felids. Case #1: Toledo and Albacete (Spain), Case #2: Badajoz (Spain), Case #3: Missouri (USA), and Case #4: Sutai (Mongolia).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Pre‐ and post‐amputation 95% and 50% KDEs of the male Iberian lynx (Case #1) and post‐amputation 95% and 50% KDEs of the female Iberian lynx (Case #2) in Spain and in our study. For size comparison, an overlay of the male lynx's pre‐ and post‐amputation KDEs is shown. Silhouettes indicate the affected limb.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
95% and 50% KDEs of the amputated (Case #3) and not amputated bobcats in Missouri, United States in our study. Silhouettes indicate the affected limb.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
95% and 50% KDEs of the snow leopard (Case #4) in Mongolia in our study. Silhouettes indicate the affected limb.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Daily distances traveled by (a) the male Iberian lynx in Case #1 before (purple) and after (orange) amputation, (b) the focal bobcat in Case #3 after amputation (orange) and a four‐legged sympatric male (purple), and (c) the snow leopard in Case #4 before (purple) and after (orange) amputation. Shaded areas in (c) highlight the first 14 days and the third month post‐release.
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Amputee felids from this study. Top: anesthetized individuals shown in the study before release after amputation. The yellow triangle shows the missing limb. From left to right: bobcat from United States; snow leopard from Mongolia; Iberian lynx (male) from Spain; and Iberian lynx (female) from Spain.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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