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Neves J, Methion S, Díaz López B. Relationship between skin and body condition in three species of baleen whales. DISEASES OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS 2024; 159:99-115. [PMID: 39145476 DOI: 10.3354/dao03808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2024]
Abstract
The assessment of free-ranging cetacean health through the study of skin conditions using photographs has gained prominence in recent years. However, little attention has been given to the relationships between cetacean skin conditions, species, and body condition. To explore this relationship among baleen whale species along the northwestern coast of Spain, we employed a non-invasive method involving photograph analysis. In this study, we examined skin conditions (including injuries, epizoites and ectoparasites, pigmentation disorders, skin lesions, and anatomical malformations) and body condition (overall physical contours and form, as an indicator of nutritional status and health) in 3 species of whales (blue, fin, and minke whales). This methodology facilitated the identification of 29 subcategories of distinct skin conditions and an assessment of body condition over a 5 yr period (2017 to 2021). In our study, we present evidence linking hypopigmentation, protruding pieces of tissue, and tattoo-like lesions to 'Poor' body condition in the 3 baleen whale species. Fin whales exhibited a higher susceptibility to mottling (prevalence = 17.7%), while blue whales were more prone to starbursts (prevalence = 90.5%). Additionally, we found a significant relationship between skin condition diversity and individual body condition. Our findings contribute valuable information to the broader understanding of the health status of baleen whales. Further investigations are necessary to delve into the etiology of the documented skin conditions and their potential implications for individual survival. This study serves as a foundation for ongoing research aimed at advancing our comprehension of these findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Neves
- Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (BDRI), 36980 O Grove, Spain
- Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of Algarve, Campus of Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal
| | - Séverine Methion
- Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (BDRI), 36980 O Grove, Spain
| | - Bruno Díaz López
- Bottlenose Dolphin Research Institute (BDRI), 36980 O Grove, Spain
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Snell M, Baillie A, Berrow S, Deaville R, Penrose R, Perkins M, Williams R, Simmonds MP. An investigation into the effects of climate change on baleen whale distribution in the British Isles. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 187:114565. [PMID: 36657338 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Climate change is predicted to impact the distribution of many marine species. In the North-East Atlantic and elsewhere in the world, studies indicate that climate change is leading to poleward shifts in cetacean distribution. Here, strandings data collected in the British Isles from 1990 to 2020 were used to assess whether there is evidence of a shift in baleen whale distribution. Linear regression models were used to compare the number of strandings over time between six regions of the British Isles and, whilst the results indicate no significant change in the number of strandings in the most southerly region of the British Isles, there have been significant increases in more northern regions. Data related to stranded minke whales is the primary driver of these increases, with a number of potential variables affecting this trend, including observer effort. These variables are discussed and further research to explore this potential association is suggested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Snell
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK.
| | - Andrew Baillie
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Simon Berrow
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Department of Natural Sciences, Galway Mayo Institute of Technology, Dublin Road, Ireland
| | - Robert Deaville
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Rod Penrose
- Marine Environmental Monitoring, Penwalk, Cardigan SA43 2PS, UK
| | - Matthew Perkins
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
| | - Ruth Williams
- Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Five Acres, Allet, Truro, Cornwall TR4 9DJ, UK
| | - Mark P Simmonds
- Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol BS40 5DU, UK
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Prevalence and spatio-temporal variation of epidermal conditions, deformities and injuries in common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Welsh waters. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00300-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Solomando A, Pujol F, Sureda A, Pinya S. Evaluating the Presence of Marine Litter in Cetaceans Stranded in the Balearic Islands (Western Mediterranean Sea). BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11101468. [PMID: 36290372 PMCID: PMC9598389 DOI: 10.3390/biology11101468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The global distribution and presence of plastic, at all levels of the water column, has made plastic debris one of today's greatest environmental challenges. The ingestion and entanglement of plastic-containing marine debris has been documented in more than 60% of all cetacean species. In light of the increasing pressure on cetaceans, and the diversity of factors that they face, the aim of this work is to provide evidence of the impact of plastic debris on stranded cetaceans, in terms of ingestion and entanglement, in the Balearic Islands for the first-time. Detailed examinations, necropsies, and plastic debris analysis were performed on 30 of the 108 cetaceans stranded between 2019 and 2022. Specimens belonging to five different species, Stenella coeruleoalba, Tursiops truncatus, Grampus griseus, Balaenoptera physalus, and Physeter macrocephalus, were evaluated. Ten percent of the cetaceans (N = 3) presented plastic debris in their stomach, with one case of obstruction and perforation. Fishery gear fragments (ropes and nets) were found in two adults of T. truncatus, whereas packaging debris (plastic bag, packing straps, and plastic sheets) were found in a juvenile P. macrocephalus. Plastic items analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) reported three polymer types: polypropylene, polyamide, and high-density polypropylene. A total of seven cases of entanglement were recorded during the study, affecting four different species (S. coeruleoalba, T. truncatus, P. macrocephalus, and Megaptera novaeangliae). Only two individuals were freed from the nets, although one died after a week, whereas the rest were already found dead. In conclusion, data collected in the present study provided evidence of plastic ingestion and entanglement in cetaceans of the Balearic Islands for the first-time, thus highlighting the need for the regular examination of stranded cetaceans (as they are top predators) in future research to better understand the effects of these pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antònia Solomando
- Research Group in Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- Interdisciplinary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Francisca Pujol
- Palma Aquarium Foundation, Carrer Manuela de los Herreros i Sorà 21, E-07610 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
| | - Antoni Sureda
- Research Group in Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress, University of Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- Health Research Institute of Balearic Islands (IdISBa), E-07120 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
- CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBEROBN), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), E-28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-971172820
| | - Samuel Pinya
- Interdisciplinary Ecology Group, Department of Biology, University of the Balearic Islands, E-07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
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Lowe CL, Hunt KE, Robbins J, Seton RE, Rogers M, Gabriele CM, Neilson JL, Landry S, Teerlink SS, Buck CL. Patterns of cortisol and corticosterone concentrations in humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) baleen are associated with different causes of death. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab096. [PMID: 34987826 PMCID: PMC8710851 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Baleen whales are subject to a myriad of natural and anthropogenic stressors, but understanding how these stressors affect physiology is difficult. Measurement of adrenal glucocorticoid (GC) hormones involved in the vertebrate stress response (cortisol and corticosterone) in baleen could help fill this data gap. Baleen analysis is a powerful tool, allowing for a retrospective re-creation of multiple years of GC hormone concentrations at approximately a monthly resolution. We hypothesized that whales that died from acute causes (e.g. ship strike) would have lower levels of baleen GCs than whales that died from extended illness or injury (e.g. long-term entanglement in fishing gear). To test this hypothesis, we extracted hormones from baleen plates of four humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) with well-documented deaths including multiple and chronic entanglements (n = 1, female), ship strike (n = 2, male and female) and chronic illness with nutritional stress (n = 1, male). Over ~3 years of baleen growth and during multiple entanglements, the entangled whale had average corticosterone levels of 80-187% higher than the other three whales but cortisol levels were similar to two of the other three whales. The nutritionally stressed and chronically ill whale showed a slow increase in both cortisol and corticosterone spanning ~3 years, followed by a sharp decline in both hormones before death, possibly indicative of adrenal failure in this moribund individual. This whale's correlation between cortisol and corticosterone was significant but there were no correlations in the other three whales. Our results show that cortisol and corticosterone concentrations vary according to the type and duration of illness or injury. Single-point GC concentrations should be interpreted with caution as low values can occur in whales experiencing pronounced stress and individual baselines can be highly variable. Baleen analysis is a promising tissue type for retrospective analyses of physiological responses to various stressors affecting baleen whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carley L Lowe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
- Corresponding author: Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA. Tel: 702-524-3667. Fax: 928-523-7500.
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation & George Mason University, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Jooke Robbins
- Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA 02657, USA
| | - Rosemary E Seton
- Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Matthew Rogers
- NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center Auke Bay Laboratories, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
| | | | - Janet L Neilson
- Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Gustavus, AK 99826, USA
| | - Scott Landry
- Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA 02657, USA
| | - Suzie S Teerlink
- NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Regional Office, Protected Resources Division, Juneau AK, 99801 USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
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Kuzin AE, Trukhin AM. Entanglement of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) in marine debris on Tyuleniy Island (Sea of Okhotsk) in 1998-2013. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 143:187-192. [PMID: 31789154 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.04.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/19/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The systematic annual observations of the northern fur seal rookery on Tyuleniy (= Robben) Island, Sea of Okhotsk, were started in 1958. Since 1975, all seals entangled in marine debris have been registered. Some of the data on this issue, collected on the island in the late 20th century, were published earlier. This report provides data for the period of completion of the commercial sealing (from 1998 to 2013). During this period, a total of 867 fur seals were observed entangled in marine debris, including 212 bulls, 97 half-bulls, 223 bachelors, and 335 females. The estimated mean annual number of entangled fur seals in 1998-2013 is 1113 individuals. Marine debris was found mainly on the neck and, less frequently, on the head and front flippers of the animals. This included pieces of fishing nets, packaging bands, ropes, fishing lines, and other items of anthropogenic origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexey E Kuzin
- Pacific Research Fisheries Center (TINRO-Center), Vladivostok, Russia.
| | - Alexey M Trukhin
- V.I. Il'ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute (POI), Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Science, Vladivostok, Russia.
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