Forest Birds at the Veterinary Hospital of the Centro Universitário de Maringá - CESUMAR

Abstract

Wild animals are classified according to their geographical distribution. Endemic animals belong to native, migratory or non-migratory, land or water, species which naturally occur in natural biotypes. They are species which do not live in their natural habitat and are not ecologically dependent on humans. Exotic animals belong to species that do not occur naturally in a determined region, biome or ecosystem. Compared to local species, they are invasive or introduced species. Attendance of wild animals, endemic and exotic, in veterinary clinics and hospitals has become a rather common event during the last decades. Specimens originate from the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA), environmental organs or from illegal private vivariums. Current analysis deals with a survey of wild birds from the Brazilian or exotic fauna attended at the veterinary hospital of the Centro Universitário de Maringá (CESUMAR) between 2005 and 2011. Methodology comprises analysis of attendance records in the files of the veterinary hospital of the Cesumar. Further, 109 files including 22 morphotypes distributed into 9 orders were reported: 39% cockatiel (47/109), followed by the parrot (15/109), of which 89% (89/109) belonged to private persons, with special emphasis on the popularity of wild birds as pets. Results show that attendance of wild birds, free or not, is routine in the Cesumar´s veterinary hospital. Laboratory and equipments for the attendance and management of these birds are highly important.