MYOCARDIAL DISEASES IN PALAWAN PEACOCK PHEASANTS POLYPLECTRON EMPHANUM

Palawan peacock pheasants Polyplectron emphanum have been reared succe ssfully at the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust since 1972, In the s ummer of 1993 a series of seven deaths occurred within the space of 43 days. The birds were in the same age group (one to two months old) an d stemmed from four different pairs of parents. In all of these animal s acute heart failure was found to be the cause of death. The reason f or this heart failure is unclear, but the autopsy findings, with speci al consideration of the histology of the heart, are described and thei r possible causes are discussed.