Trace element levels in the brain tissue of red fox (Vulpes vulpes L.) in the Konya region

In nature, living beings serve and live as a link in the food chain in the ecosystem. Living beings in the wild are the last link in the food chain. They continue their existence by feeding on the nutritionally valuable foods they find in their natural habitats. People are leaving more residues in nature with developing technology. The effect of these residues is revealed by examining animals living in the wild. In this study, the determination, and histopathological examination of the concentration of trace elements in the brain tissue of red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were carried out. In the study, the measurement of the elemental levels of trace elements manganese, iron, copper, zinc, and cobalt was carried out with the ICP–MS method. Since no other scientific article could be found on red foxes regarding manganese, iron, copper, zinc and cobalt, a comparison could not be made. Histopathologically, hyperemia, hemorrhage, gliosis, neuronal degeneration and necrosis, perivascular space expansion, perivascular inflammatory cell infiltration, demyelination, and perineural edema findings were observed in red fox brain tissue. A statistically significant correlation was detected between manganese and iron. This could be explained by exposure to shared environmental sources or a simultaneous role in brain metabolism. It is thought that such studies should be increased to ensure the continuity of red fox species in wildlife.