Pathologic findings and causes of death of stranded cetaceans in the Canary Islands (2006-2012)
PLoS ONE publish this investigation article
October 5th, 2018
This study describes the pathologic findings and most probable causes of death (CD) of 224 cetaceans stranded along the coastline of the Canary Islands (Spain) over a 7-year period, 2006-2012. Most probable CD, grouped as pathologic categories (PCs), was identified in 208/224 (92.8%) examined animals. Within natural PCs, those associated with good nutritional status represented 70/208 (33.6%), whereas, those associated with significant loss of nutritional status represented 49/208 (23.5%). Fatal intra- and interspecific traumatic interactions were 37/208 (17.8%). Vessel collisions included 24/208 (11.5%). Neonatal/perinatal pathology involved 13/208 (6.2%). Fatal interaction with fishing activities comprised 10/208 (4.8%). Within anthropogenic PCs, foreign body-associated pathology represented 5/208 (2.4%). A CD could not be determined in 16/208 (7.7%) cases. Natural PCs were dominated by infectious and parasitic disease processes. Herein, our results suggest that between 2006 and 2012, in the Canary Islands, direct human activity appeared responsible for 19% of cetaceans deaths, while natural pathologies accounted for 81%. These results, integrating novel findings and published reports, aid in delineating baseline knowledge on cetacean pathology and may be of value to rehabilitators, caregivers, diagnosticians and future conservation policies
Diaz-Delgado J., Fernandez A., Sierra E., Sacchini S., Andrada M., Vela AI., Quesada-Canales O., Paz Y., Zucca D., Groch K. and Arbelo M.
Instituto Universitario de Sanidad Animal y Seguridad Alimentaria (IUSA). Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). | |
Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia. Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP). | |
Departamento de Sanidad Animal. Facultad de Veterinaria. Universidad Complutense (UCM). | |
Servicio de Diagnóstico, Identificación y Caracterización Molecular (DICM). Centro de Vigilancia Sanitaria Veterinaria (VISAVET). Universidad Complutense (UCM). | |