Hematologic, plasma protein. and biochemical profiles of brown pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis)

Objective-To establish hematologic and biochemical reference values for the brown pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis). Animals-31 captive, healthy, but permanently disabled pelicans and 35 wild- caught, healthy pelicans from a rehabilitation facility on the east coast o f Florida. Procedures-Samples of venous blood were collected from each pelican, and he matologic, plasma biochemical, and electrophoretic protein analyses were pe rformed. Student t-tests were used to compare blood values between captive versus wild-caught, adult male versus adult female, and adult versus juveni le pelicans. Results-Hematologic and electrophoretic Values were similar between male an d female, adult and juvenile, and captive and wild-caught pelicans. Signifi cant sex differences existed for plasma calcium and triglyceride concentrat ions. Plasma concentrations of calcium, cholesterol, and CO2 content differ ed between captive and wild-caught adults. No significant differences were found between wild-caught adult and juvenile pelicans. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Our plasma biochemical results are simil ar to those of other brown pelicans and confamilial species. Additional stu dies on seabirds are encouraged, as age, sex, reproductive status, feeding habits, and captivity are important variables for health assessment in this and other aquatic species.