Causes of Raptor Admission to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre in Abruzzo (Central Italy) from 2005–2016

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Nowadays, it is increasingly important to obtain data through the study of wild animals. There is no doubt that they provide a “summary” of the overall health of the natural environment. For years, wild animals that recovered at rescue centers have provided data on hazards in the wild, from those caused by human activities to more natural hazards such as viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Carcass analysis also provides data on potential environmental residues of pesticides and other toxic substances. The present retrospective study aims to provide an overview of the causes of admission to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center; specifically of 2496 wild raptors from 2005 to 2016, in Abruzzo, central Italy. Results showed that the main causes of admission were trauma, nestling (including birds on their first flight attempt or presumed abandoned by their parents), and starvation. ABSTRACT: The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe the causes of morbidity and mortality in free-ranging raptors admitted to a wildlife rehabilitation center (WRC) in Abruzzo Italy from 2005 to 2016 and the associated risk factors. A total of 2496 free-ranging raptors were included in the study. We analyzed the raptors’ medical records, epidemiological information, bird characteristics, cause of admission, final diagnosis, and outcome. The prevalence rates of nocturnal and diurnal raptors were 49% and 51%, respectively. Nocturnal raptors showed trauma as the primary cause of admission (45.8%, 558/1219), followed by nestling (including birds on their first flight attempt or presumed abandoned by their parents) (39.2%, 478/1219), and starvation (5.6%, 68/1219). Diurnal raptors showed trauma (73.1%, 934/1277), starvation (12.1%, 155/1277), and nestling (5.8%, 74/1277) accordingly. A description of the dangers for wild birds of prey in the Abruzzo region was provided to assist in the planning of rescue and rehabilitation activities in the WRC. Finally, the cause of admission, GAP, and BCS can be used as prognostic factors during the bird entry process.