Haptoglobin estimation in serum of wild ruminants living in captivity

Haptoglobin concentration was estimated in serum from 117 animals of Bovidae and Cervidae families Living in captivity in Berlin Zoo. Eighty six percent of tested samples taken from Bovidae and 52% from Cervidae had the "normal" range of Hp concentration (0-0.2 g/l), Haptoglobin concentrations exceeding 0.2 g/l were found in 13.5% of Bovidae animals, but up to 48% Cervidae. The obtained results suggest the potential usefulness of quantitative haptoglobin estimation in the diagnostics of inflammatory processes in some wild species.