IUCN / SSC Cat Specialist Group - Digital Cat Library |
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| Ryser-Degiorgis, M.-P. | |
| Todesursachen und Krankheiten beim Luchs - eine Uebersicht | |
| 2001 Full Book | |
The most common causes of death of free-ranging lynx are traffic accidents (cars, trains), poaching, hunting and legal shooting of animals causing too many damages to livestock. Although diseases seem to be rare, their significance as possible cause of death should not be neglected. On the one hand, infectious diseases are probably underrepresented, at least when one considers only lynx carcasses found by chance. On the other hand, lynx seem to be more or less sensitive to all bacterial and viral diseases of domestic cats - however, lynx in their natural habitat seldom come in contact with such infectious agents. Parasites play an important role, especially in the wild. Mange is the most common disease affecting lynx. It is described in Eurasian lynx and is an important cause of death especially in northern Europe. Other ectoparasites like fleas and ticks are frequently observed in summer - like in other domestic and wild animals. Intestine worms (especially round worms) are very common. In North America and in Europe infections with toxoplasma and trichinella also occur frequently. However, they seldom cause disease symptoms. Bacterias play a role especially in the infection of wounds: they sometimes lead to death by causing septicemia. But occasionally lynx can also be affected by specific bacterial diseases: Salmonellosis occurs sometimes in lynx kept in zoos, and tuberculosis has been described in a free-ranging Iberian lynx. Viral diseases are seldom in the wild. However, isolated cases of rabies, parvovirosis, feline infectious peritonitis, Borna disease (Eurasian lynx), and distemper (Canada lynx) have been observed. In zoo animals as well, only few cases of viral diseases are known: infections with orthopoxviruses and also a case of feline leucose. Tumours and fungi infections are seldom, too. The only cases described up to now were observed in lynx kept in zoos. However, it can not be excluded that such diseases also occur in the wild. |
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