Evaluation of annual survival and mortality rates and longevity of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at the United States Navy Marine Mammal Program from 2004 through 2013 (original) (raw)
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T he MMP has housed and cared for marine mammals for over 45 years, including a population of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). A number of recent clinical research studies have involved the use of dolphins in the MMP population to determine baselines for healthy, normal dolphins, including hematologic reference ranges, 1 estimated glomerular filtration rates, 2 and circulating IgG concentrations. 3 This population has also been used for case-control studies related to nephrolithiasis, 4 chronic, phasic high aminotransferases activity, 5 and treatments for hemochromatosis. 6 Because of the growing use of this population as a baseline for health and disease in bottlenose dolphins, a need was identified to characterize the overall health of dolphins in the MMP population.
Journal of Wildlife Diseases, 2009
Although cause-of-death information on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) can be located in the literature, few citations include mortality data over a long period of time covering a broad geographic region. This study describes major pathologic findings and probable causes of death of bottlenose dolphins over a 14-yr period (1993-2006) for the coastal region of South Carolina. Probable causes of death for 97 cases were determined based on gross pathology and histopathology. In an additional 30 cases, probable cause of death was apparent from gross pathology alone, and carcass condition precluded histopathology. Of the 97 dolphins examined grossly and histologically, 30 (31%) likely died of infectious disease and 46 (47%) of noninfectious disease; the cause of death was unknown in 21 (22%). Bacterial infections accounted for the large majority of fatal infections and emaciation was the leading cause of noninfectious mortality. Twelve dolphins were killed by human interactions. Of the 30 dolphins diagnosed from gross examination alone, 23 likely died from human interaction and seven were killed by stingray-spine inflictions. Although the absence of consistent use of microbiology, biotoxin analysis and contaminant testing decreases the conclusiveness of the findings, this study has broad implications in establishing baseline data on causes of death of bottlenose dolphins for future studies and for the detection of emerging diseases.
Synopsis on the Most Common Pathologies of Dolphins
Dolphins are one of the most iconic species of the marine world. With their playful nature and high intelligence, dolphins have enthralled the hearts of people of all ages from all over the world. The worldwide distribution of dolphins through the diverse global aquatic environments has gifted them with global popularity compared to other aquatic animals in direct contact with the human communities. In the past few decades, deaths, injuries, toxicities, genetic disorders and overfishing were continuously increasing due to faulty anthropogenic activities in th marine environment. The increasing global threats to dolphins’ populations have remarkably enhanced the public awareness about these threats and triggered scientific communities to configure reliable/effective solutions. Combating trans-species infectious diseases and development of reliable, safe and cheaper diagnostic as well as therapeutic tools for tissue alterations were the infrastructure of dolphins’ veterinary research through the past few decades. However, the veterinary library is suffering from remarkable scarcity of comprehensive literatures about diseases/disorders affecting different body systems of marine mammals. Thus, we present the current review in trial to shed the light on the most common affections of dolphins as a model of the most critically impacted marine mammals.
Dolphins in the care of humans: A look toward the future
The exsistence of dolphin groups in the direct care of humans is a recent development on a world -wide basis. In the past 30 years, much progress has been made in understanding cetacean biology through study of delphinids in human care. Millions of people who otherwise would have no proximate experience with these sea mammals have appreciated and learned about them. Further, dolphins have become a symbol and a vehicle for educating the public on the world's oceans and their ecosystems. Protection of ocean ecosystems must be a high priority as we look toward the 21st century. At the top of the ocean food chain, delphinids may be important indicator species for understanding the effects of some human activities on the ocean environment.
American Journal of Veterinary Research, 2009
Objective-To develop robust reference intervals for hematologic and serum biochemical variables by use of data derived from free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and examine potential variation in distributions of clinicopathologic values related to sampling sites' geographic locations. Animals-255 free-ranging bottlenose dolphins. Procedures-Data from samples collected during multiple bottlenose dolphin capturerelease projects conducted at 4 southeastern US coastal locations in 2000 through 2006 were combined to determine reference intervals for 52 clinicopathologic variables. A nonparametric bootstrap approach was applied to estimate 95th percentiles and associated 90% confidence intervals; the need for partitioning by length and sex classes was determined by testing for differences in estimated thresholds with a bootstrap method. When appropriate, quantile regression was used to determine continuous functions for 95th percentiles dependent on length. The proportion of out-of-range samples for all clinicopathologic measurements was examined for each geographic site, and multivariate ANOVA was applied to further explore variation in leukocyte subgroups. Results-A need for partitioning by length and sex classes was indicated for many clinicopathologic variables. For each geographic site, few significant deviations from expected number of out-of-range samples were detected. Although mean leukocyte counts did not vary among sites, differences in the mean counts for leukocyte subgroups were identified. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance-Although differences in the centrality of distributions for some variables were detected, the 95th percentiles estimated from the pooled data were robust and applicable across geographic sites. The derived reference intervals provide critical information for conducting bottlenose dolphin population health studies. (Am J Vet Res 2009;70:973-985) R eference intervals for hematologic and serum biochemical variables are important in assessments of animal health. Clinicopathologic test results for individual animals are compared with the distribution of
Marine Mammal Science, 2012
The health, postrelease movements, and behavior of mass stranded Atlantic white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) and short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, were evaluated. Health was assessed through physical examination and blood analysis. Eleven dolphins (eight white-sided dolphins and three common dolphins) were relocated, outfitted with satellite transmitters, and released during seven mass stranding events. Five transmitters recorded only location, and six also included a time-depth recorder. Transmission duration ranged from 8 h to 218 d, with a mean of 117 d (median = 118 d, SD = 82 d), after release. All dolphins demonstrated extensive movement throughout the Gulf of Maine. The distribution of tagged dolphins was considered normal based on comparisons with published data for these species. Excluding the dolphin that transmitted for only 8 h, mean minimum speeds for individual dolphins ranged from 3.4 to 6.6 km/h; overall mean for all dolphins was 5.4 km/h (SD = 0.9 km/h). The five dolphins with time-depth recorders had mean dive depths of 8.6-40.3 m and mean dive durations of 46-296 s. Hematologic and biochemical data revealed only minor abnormalities. Data suggest that at least 10 of the 11 dolphins were likely successfully reintroduced into the wild.