| Abstrakt: |
Since its initial sighting in Algeria in 1994, the Eurasian Collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto) has exhibited invasive behavior, expanding its range gradually and consistently to the country's extreme south. An inventory of its health status has emerged, trying to respond more accurately to the question: does the immune status play a role in this invasion? Our investigation into the health of both nestlings and adults included identification and quantification of blood cells in nestlings before fledging, focusing on the evolution of total red blood cells (RBC) and white blood cells (WBC); Analysis of the bursal index and microscopic examination of the bursa. The study involved collecting blood smears from nestlings at different ages (5 days, 10 days, 15 days), and euthanizing individuals from each age group (5 days, 10 days, 15 days, 18-20 days, and adults), to extract the bursa for histological examination. This process aimed to ascertain the immune status of the species in Annaba (Northeastern Algeria). Our findings indicate a decline in immune competence with age, starting from an "Excellent" status in early life, deteriorating to "Poor" in later stages, and finally reaching "Bad" in adulthood. Although our results do not definitively confirm a compromised health status in the Eurasian Collared dove population studied, they suggest the need for further research to substantiate these preliminary findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
