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Conservation programs

Pudú

Pudu puda

We invite you to learn about the Pudú conservation program

Pudu (Pudu puda) is one of the smallest deer in the world, distributed in Chile from the Maule region to Aysén. Its breeding and reproduction under human care is common in the country, and is categorized as almost threatened with extinction by the **International Union for Conservation of Nature (**IUCN). The main threats to this species include:

  • Fragmentation and destruction of their habitat.
  • Dog attacks.
  • Crashes by vehicles.

In 2016, Buin Zoo he selected pudú as a new focus species for his conservation efforts, based on the findings of the project “Zoos as sentinels for the sanitary management of fauna”, which presented evidence that infectious diseases were a significant cause of death in populations under human care and a potential threat to wild populations. For the past eight years Buin Zoo, in collaboration with rehabilitation centers and wildlife nurseries in central and southern Chile, he has developed one of the most extensive health surveillance programs in Latin America, managing a bank of biological samples of more than 300 wild animals from Maule to Aysén.

In addition, collaborations have been established with national and international research centers and universities for the analysis of pudú samples in laboratories specialized in viruses, bacteria and parasites. These advanced diagnostic techniques have made it possible to identify new threats to the health of this and other species. Thanks to these alliances, important advances have been made:

  • Identification of infectious agents: Through the analysis of biological samples of wild pudús, 19 unprecedented infectious agents have been identified in this species. Among them, a virus, two bacteria and a protozoan stand out, which are microorganisms new to science. In addition, the presence of two domestic ruminant viruses has been reported for the first time in Chile.
  • Pathology studies: Pathology studies in wild pudús and under human care have identified infectious diseases as a new threat to the conservation and health of this and other threatened species of native deer, such as huemul.
  • Interaction with anthropogenic activities: The results reveal a wide interaction between human activities, particularly livestock, and pudú, evidencing a high prevalence of pathogens and zoonotic agents from cattle and sheep.
  • Scientific publications: Thanks to the results obtained, 10 scientific articles have been published in journals of high international prestige, identifying pudú as the wild ungulate most susceptible to infectious agents in Latin America.

These achievements underscore the importance of conservation and collaborative effort to protect the pudú and ensure its long-term survival. La Fundación Buin Zoowill continue to work hard to preserve this emblematic species and its natural habitat.

Publications/Dissemination

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WoS scientific publications

  1. Salgado, R., Hidalgo Hermoso, E., Pizarro Lucero, J. 2018. “Detection of persistent pestivirus infection in pudú (Pudu puda) in a captive population of artiodactyls in Chile”. BMC Veterinary Research 14 (1)

  2. Hidalgo-Hermoso, E., Cabello, J., Novoa, I., Celis, S., Ortiz, C., Kemec, I., Lagos, R., Verasay, J., Mansell-Venegas, M., Moreira-Arce, D., Vergara, P.M., Millán, J., Esperón, F. (2022). Molecular detection and characterization of hemoplasmas in the Pudu (Pudu puda), a native cervid from Chile. Journal of Wildlife Diseases 58, 8-14. doi:10.7589/JWD-D-21-00057.

  3. Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Ruiz-Fons F, Cabello-Stom J, Ramírez N, López R, Sánchez F, Mansell M, Sanchez C, Simonetti JA, Peñaranda D, Stipicic G, Moreira-Arce D, Cariñanos A, Barría I, Silva A, Millán J, Esperón F. Lack of Exposure to Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in Chilean Cervids, and Evidence of a New Mycobacterium-Like Sequence. J Wild Dis. 2022 Jul 1; 58 (3) :680-684. doi: 10.7589/JWD-D-21-00135. PMID: 35512300.

  4. SantoDomingo A, Robbiano S, Thomas R, Parragué-Migone C, Cabello-Stom J, Vera-Otarola F, Valencia-Soto C, Moreira-Arce D, Moreno L, Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Muñoz-Leal S. A search for piroplasmids and spirochetes in threatened pudu (Pudu puda) and associated ticks from Southern Chile unveils a novel Babesia sp. and a variant of Borrelia chilensis. Transbound Emerg Dis. 2022 Nov; 69 (6) :3737-3748. doi: 10.1111/tbed.14743. Epub 2022 Nov 11. PMID: 36317891.

  5. Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Celis S, Cabello J, Kemec I, Ortiz C, Lagos R, Verasay J, Moreira-Arce D, Vergara PM, Vera F, Esperón F. Molecular survey of selected viruses in Pudus (Pudu puda) in Chile revealing first identification of caprine herpesvirus-2 (CPhV-2) in South American ungulates. See Q. 2023 Dec; 43 (1) :1-7. doi: 10.1080/01652176.2022.2149879. PMID: 36409461; PMCID: PMC9809401.

  6. SantoDomingo A, Thomas R, Robbiano S, Uribe JE, Parragué-Migone C, Cabello-Stom J, Vera-Otarola F, Valencia-Soto C, Moreira-Arce D, Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Muñoz-Leal S. Wild deer (Pudu puda) from Chile harbor a novel ecotype of Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Parasit Vectors. 2023 Jan 27; 16 (1) :38. doi:10.1186/s13071-023-05657-9. PMID: 36707862; PMCID: PMC9883915.

  7. Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Sepúlveda-García P, Cabello J, Celis S, Valencia C, Ortiz C, Kemec I, Moreira-Arce D, Orsola M, Canales N, Garnham A, Vera F, Muller A. Molecular survey and phylogenetic analysis of Bartonella sp., Coxiella sp., and hemoplamas in pudu (Pudu puda) from Chile: first report of Bartonella henselae in a wild ungulate species. Front Vet Sci. 2023 Nov 16; 10:1161093. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1161093. PMID: 38033637; PMCID: PMC10687462.

  8. Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Cabello J, Lopez R, Vergara-Wilson V, Vera F, Valencia C, Sanchez C, Celis S, Silva A, Cariñanos A, Barria I, Vicencio R, Muñoz-Leal S, Aravena P, Lagos R, Toro-Letelier J, Verasay-Caviedes S, Garnham A, Peña I, Sánchez F, Moreira-Arce D, Vergara PM, Alegria-Moran R, Cortes-Hinojosa G. Molecular and phylogenetic analysis of endangered herpesviruses ranging cervids of Chile: ovine gammaherpesvirus-2-a novel threat to wild and domestic animal health in Chilean Patagonia. Front Vet Sci. 2024 Feb 1; 10:1321172. doi:10.3389/fvets.2023.1321172. PMID: 38362467; PMCID: PMC10867328.

  9. Hidalgo-Hermoso E, Verasay Caviedes S, Pizarro-Lucero J, Cabello J, Vicencio R, Celis S, Ortiz C, Kemec I, Abuhadba-Mediano N, Asencio R, Vera F, Valencia C, Lagos R, Moreira-Arce D, Salinas F, Ramirez-Toloza G, Muñoz-Quijano R, Neira V, Salgado R, Abalos P, Parra B, Cárdenas-Cáceres S, Muena NA, Tischler ND, Del Pozo I, Aduriz G, Esperon F, Muñoz-Leal S, Aravena P, Alegría-Morán R, Cuadrado-Matías R, Ruiz-Fons F. High Exposure to Livestock Pathogens in Southern Pudu (Pudu puda) from Chile. Animals (Basel). 2024 Feb 6; 14 (4) :526. doi: 10.3390/ani14040526. PMID: 38396494; PMCID: PMC10886221.

Book chapters

Sanchez-Vazquez, M.J., Hidalgo-Hermoso, E., Cacho-Zanette, L., de Campos-Binder, L., Rivera, A., Molina-Flores, B., Maia-Elkhoury, A., Schneider-Vianna, R., Valadas, S., Natal-Vigilato, M.A. et al. (2021). Characteristics and perspectives of disease at the wildlife-livestock interface in Central and South America. In: Vicente, J., Vercauteren, K.C., Gortázar, C. Editors. Diseases at the wildlife-livestock interface. Wildlife Research Monographs. vol 3. Springer, Cham.

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Current and past researchers who have collaborated with the Pudú Conservation Program (2012-2024)

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  • Fernando Esperón MV PhD European University, Spain.
  • Javier Cabello MV Ms PhD. Chiloé Silvestre Nature Conservation Center.
  • Frank Vera MV PhD San Sebastian University.
  • Jose Francisco Ruiz Fonz. MV PhD University of Castilla-La Mancha. Spain.
  • Darío Moreira Biologist Ms PhD. University of Santiago de Chile.
  • Cortes Galaxy. MV. Ms. Catholic University.
  • Sebastian Munoz Leal. MV PhD University of Concepción.
  • Juliana Vianna. Biologist PhD Catholic University.
  • Cristian Alvarez. MV. PhD. Catholic University.
  • Gonzalo Barriga. Biotechnologist. PhD. University of Chile.
  • Ananda Muller. MV PhD Austral University
  • Victor Neira. MV PhD. University of Chile.
  • Danni Fuentes. MV PhD University of Concepción
  • Jose Mauricio Barbanti. MV. PhD. University of the State of Sao Paulo.
  • Lucia Azócar. MV PhD University of Concepción.
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