RADIOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PELVIC LIMB OF CAPTIVE-REARED CRANES (GRUS SPP.)

For captive-reared cranes, pelvic limb abnormalities in chicks have be en identified as significant morbidity/mortality factors. An important component of the diagnosis of limb abnormalities is the understanding of the normal limb. This study was undertaken to describe the normal, radiographic development of the femur, tibiotarsus, tarsometatarsus, and fibula of the whooping crane (Grus americana), Florida sandhill cr ane (Grus canadensis pratensis), and Siberian crane (Grus leucogeranus ). Crane chicks were anesthetized and their pelvic limb bone developme nt evaluated radiographically on a weekly to bimonthly basis from one to fourteen weeks of age. Body weight, bone length, diaphyseal width, and physeal development and closure were evaluated. Based on the radio graphic analysis, the gross development of the long bones of the pelvi c limb of whooping, Florida sandhill, and Siberian cranes was found to be similar among the three species, and not dissimilar from other avi an species which have been studied. Repeated handling, anesthesia, and radiographic exposure did not produce any behavioral, developmental, or physical abnormalities in the studied cranes when compared to crane s of the same species raised using the same methods. This is the first work to describe pelvic limb bone development in these species. (C) 1 996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.