Introduction

The disease affects the viability of wild animal population. In a balanced ecosystem most populations survive with low levels of disease or with periodic epidemics. Determination of cause of death of a wild animal is often difficult and need cooperation of a number of disciplines. A careful selection and preservation of specimens in suitable condition sent to the laboratory will help in the final diagnosis of cause of death. Many a times the carcass of a wild animal is found in an unsuitable condition for postmortem examination due to high ambient temperatures which cause a very rapid putrefaction of carcasses, common in tropics and due to the presence of avian and mammalian scavengers. Many disease epidemics affecting the wildlife or livestock go undetected if appropriate samples are not collected for diagnostic testing from animals that died during epidemics. The performance of a thorough necropsy plays an important part in the diagnosis of the cause of death.