occurrence of cardiac rupture in a capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) probably induced by myocardial infarction

A pair of capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) were newly introduced from Austria into a museum in Japan, and the female bird died on the way to the museum. Autopsy revealed cardiac tamponade filled with a large quantity of blood coagulum in the pericardial cavity and cardiac rupture along the apex around 1.5 cm in length. Microscopically, myocardial necrosis associated with cellular infiltration was observed. The results indicated that the bird suffered from cardiac rupture on the way to the museum. Myocardial infarction was considered to be a predisposing factor for the incident.