Natural hazards and wildlife health: The effects of a volcanic eruption on the Andean Condor

PLAZA, PABLO I; WIEMEYER, GUILLERMO; BLANCO, GUILLERMO; ALARCÓN, PABLO; HORNERO-MÉNDEZ, DÁMASO; DONÁZAR, JOSÉ ANTONIO; SÁNCHEZ-ZAPATA, JOSÉ ANTONIO; HIRALDO, FERNANDO; DE LA ROSA, JESÚS; LAMBERTUCCI, SERGIO A

THE CONDOR

COOPER ORNITHOLOGICAL SOC

Año: 2019

0010-5422

Volcanic eruptions produce health changes in animals that may be associated with emitted gases and deposited ashes.We evaluated whether the Puyehue?Cordón Caulle volcanic eruption in 2011 produced health changes in the threatenedAndean Condor (Vultur gryphus) living in the area most affected by the eruption, northwestern Patagonia. Westudied clinical and biochemical parameters of condors examined before and after the eruption. We also examined concentrationsof different metals and metalloids in the blood of individuals sampled after the eruption. The most commonclinical abnormality associated with the eruptive process was irritating pharyngitis. In condors sampled after the eruption,blood concentrations of albumin, calcium, carotenoids, and total proteins decreased to levels under the referencevalues reported for this species. We found different chemical elements in the blood of these condors after the eruption,such as arsenic and cadmium, with the potential to produce health impacts. Thus, the health of Andean Condors was affectedin different ways by the eruption; remaining in the affected area appears to have been costly. However, in comparisonto other animal species, the health impacts were not as strong and were mainly related to food shortages due to thedecrease in availability of livestock carcasses linked to the eruption. This suggests that condors dealt relatively well withthis massive event. Future research is needed to evaluate if the health changes we found reduce the survival of this species,and if the cost of inhabiting volcanic areas has any ecological or evolutionary influence on the condors life history.