Delayed peracute capture myopathy in a Himalayan Ibex Capra sibirica (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae)

Abstract

The present study focused on the capture myopathy as a fatal consequence of capture and rescue operation in an endangered Himalayan Ibex kid. The Ibex died 48 hours after being captured without showing specific clinical signs. Post-mortem examination revealed renal cortical necrosis, degeneration of tubular cells and congestion as the main histopathological findings in kidneys. Myocardial lesions consisted of multifocal degenerative changes of myofibres, hyalinization and nuclear degeneration with pyknosis. Skeletal muscles that appeared grossly normal showed mild to moderate degeneration and fragmentation with intermittent loss of striation. The pathological findings were indicative of delayed peracute capture myopathy. This is believed to be the first report of capture myopathy in an endangered Himalayan ibex from India underlining the importance of understanding the causes of mortality in such endangered wild species as a prerequisite to successful conservation programme.

Keywords

• ibex
• endangered
• capture myopathy