Abstract
Medical advancements have allowed for improved diagnostic evaluation of sea turtles and other animal patients in the veterinary field. Endoscopy, including endoscopic-assisted surgery, is a minimally invasive technique that typically requires shorter anesthetic periods, has less procedural risk, reduces trauma and postoperative pain, and allows for faster recoveries.1-7 In sea turtles, endoscopy has been used to evaluate the reproductive, urinary, and lower gastrointestinal tracts.8 It has also been used for the retrieval of gastrointestinal foreign bodies (e.g., marine debris)9 and has aided in the diagnosis of intestinal strictures.10 Despite the numerous benefits of endoscopic procedures, there has been no reported information on its use to obtain fecal samples in sea turtles. The objective of this study was to implement a novel endoscopic technique combined with rectal enema for collecting fecal samples from two species of sea turtles to investigate gastrointestinal microplastics.11 In May and June 2021, 47 free-ranging sea turtles (46 Chelonia mydas, 1 Eretmochelys imbricata) in the Galápagos Islands and off the coast of Ecuador were captured and examined while utilizing catatonic passive restraint (tonic immobilization). All handling and sampling procedures were consistent with standard vertebrate protocols and veterinary practices and approved by the Universidad San Francisco de Quito with appropriate authorization permits issued by the Galápagos National Park Service (permit no. PC-32-21) and Machalilla National Park (permit no. MAE-EA-2021). The cloaca was insufflated with an endoscope after which the bladder and rectum separated, allowing access to the colon. Once the rectal sphincter was identified, air was used to push through the sphincter and an enema administered to obtain large fecal sample volumes. Environmental conditions and location influenced the performance of the procedure initially, but after several attempts the procedure was successfully initiated. In all cases, fecal samples were obtained, and the animals were released to their respective locations. Fecal sample collection using this approach enhances the ability to obtain diagnostic information and perform other scientific analyses of sea turtles, which can be applied to other species with similar anatomy.
Acknowledgements
The authors wish to thank the following people and institutions for their support and assistance: Diane Deresienski, Kent Passingham, and Craig Harms from NC State University. GSC staff, especially Carlos Mena, Stephen Walsh, Philip Page, Sofia Tacle, Sylvia Sotamba, Ana Carrión, Jessenia Sotamba, and Cristina Vintimilla. Roddy Macías from WILDAID. Jen Jones and Andy Donelly from Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT). Galápagos National Park Directorate (DPNG) staff: Harry Reyes, Eduardo Espinoza, Jenifer Suárez-Moncada, Andrea Loyola, Jimmy Bolaños, and Maryuri Yépez. In addition, we thank DPNG for the request and trust granted for sampling and for providing research permits for conducting this study. GSC for logistic support during the study. Special thanks to the technical support staff at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia. Special thanks to Captain Yuri Revelo, Manuel Yépez, and the research vessel Yualka II crew. Special thanks to the following institutions for their help and assistance in funding this study: The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) via the Research Training Program (RTP) International Stipend Scholarship, the Plastic Science to Solution (PPSS) program led by the University of Exeter and funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council Grant NE/5003975/1, Galapagos Conservation Trust (GCT), WILDAID, Colegio de Ciencias Biológicas y Ambientales (COCIBA), Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), and the Galapagos Science Center (GSC). This work was partially supported by the Robert J. Koller endowment for Aquatic Animal Medicine.
*Presenting author
+Student presenter
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