An E-Delphi study to facilitate animal welfare assessment in Italian zoos and aquaria.

Ensuring animal welfare is a key aspect of animal management in zoological facilities and aquaria, representing a pivotal facet of their mission. Italy currently lacks a comprehensive and valuable assessment methodology for evaluating the welfare of captive animals. To address this gap, the present study aimed to identify the most important criteria that should be considered in the welfare management and assessment of animals housed in Italian zoos and aquaria.

Serum Protein Concentration and Serum Protein Fractions in Bottlenose Dolphins under Human Care Using Agarose Gel Electrophoresis.

Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) is the most used and reliable method to determine the percentage of serum protein subfractions. The interpretation of the kinetics of total proteins and albumin and globulin fractions is receiving increased attention in wild animals, as well as in domestic animals, due to the possibility of identifying typical pathologic patterns. However, the interpretation of these data had to be performed in light of an appropriate method-and species- specific reference intervals (RIs).

Report on the brain of the monk seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann, 1779).

The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann, 1779) is an endangered species of pinniped endemic to few areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Extensive hunting and poaching over the last two centuries have rendered it a rare sight, scattered mainly in the Aegean Sea and the western coast of North Africa. In a rare event, a female monk seal calf stranded and died in southern Italy (Brindisi, Puglia).

Razorbills in Italian Seas: A Massive Irruption of Historical Relevance and Role of Social Network Monitoring.

Reporting on uncommon wide animal movements could help in depicting potential carry-over effects at the population level, particularly in an era of rapid climate and environmental changes. The razorbill (, Linnaeus 1758) is a regular passage migrant and winter visitor to Italian seas, but with sporadic presences usually involving small numbers of individuals. Irruptions have been occasionally documented, with the last records of an unusually large number dating back to 1982.

General and species-specific recommendations for minimal requirements for the use of cephalopods in scientific research.

Here we list species-specific recommendations for housing, care and management of cephalopod molluscs employed for research purposes with the aim of contributing to the standardization of minimum requirements for establishments, care and accommodation of these animals in compliance with the principles stated in Directive 2010/63/EU. Maximizing their psychophysical welfare was our priority. General recommendations on water surface area, water depth and tank shape here reported represent the outcome of the combined action of the analysis of the available literature and an expertise-based consensus reached - under the aegis of the COST Action FA1301 - among researchers working with the most commonly used cephalopod species in Europe.