Exam 3

toothed whales

toothed whales

odontoceti

baleen whales

mysticeti

cetaceans characteristics

fusiform bodies

paddle-like flippers

how is forward movement powered in cetaceans

upward and downward movements of the tail, or flukes

streamlining is aided by what in cetaceans

smooth, rubbery skin

what do cetaceans lack

glands and hairs, hind limbs, male external genitalia

odontoceti teeth characteristics

closely spaced

uniform in shape and size

bear growth rings in longitudinal section

what can be used in odontoceti whales for estimating the animal’s age

growth rings in teeth

baleen

hair-like bristles on the inner edges of keratinous plates that intertwine, forming a sieve that filters food from the water

what is distinctive of baleen for each species?

color, number, lenght

nostrils in baleen whales

paired

toothed whales nasal passages

interconnected series of air sacs used in sound production

toothed whales can swallow and breathe at the same time because

unique arrangement of the larynx

small toothed whales vs large toothed whales

smaller have shorter life spans

habor porpoise lifespan

7 to 15 years

harbor porpoise sexually mature at

3 to 4 years

harbor porpoise gestation period

10 to 12 months

harbor porpoise nurse for

8 months

sperm and pilot whales life span

more than 60 years

sperm and pilot whales sexually mature at

8 to 10 years

sperm and pilot whales pregnancy lasts

14 to 16 months

sperm and pilot whales nursing lasts

2 years or longer

baleen whales reproduction snychronized with

annual migrations between low-latitude winter calving grounds and high-latitude summer feeding areas

baleen whale lifespan

50 to 80 years

baleen whales sexually mature at

4 to 10 years

baleen whales carry fetus from

10 to 12 months

baleen whales nurse calves for

4 to 10 months

toothed whale social structure

vary among species - some solitary, some highly social and live in organized schools

mass stranding always involve _____

social species

baleen whales social structure

usually alone or in loose aggregations

mortality ___ in very young

_______ with maturity

________ in old age

high

decreases sharply

increases again

dangers for cetaceans in high latititudes

trapped in ice - die of starvation or killed by predators and hunters

dangers for cetaceans in southwestern newfoundland

trapped in ice and pushed ashore by wind

why are many cetaceans coming ashore emaciated

starvation due to prey depletion

where do toxins originate

produced by marine algae and accumulated in fish or inverts

predation on larger cetaceans limited to

young, old, those weakened by injury or disease

predators of cetaceans

sharks, killer whales, same species (infanticide in bottlenose dolphins)

parasites

may not be cause of strandings but can be linked to disease and mortality

majority of human-related mortality results from

interaction with fishing gear (entanglement, vessel strike)

what is more common in cetaceans - entanglement or ingestion of marine debris?

ingestion

harbor porpoise

Phocoena phocoena

bottlenose dolphin

Tursiops Truncatus

common dolphin

Delphinus delphis

risso’s dolphin

Grampus griseus

Pilot whale

Globicephala macrorhynchus

Minke whale

Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Humpback whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

Right whale

Eubaleana glacialis

more DOB or more live strandings for NY?

more DOB

primary function of tagging or marking

identify it for subsequent captures

follow it for a period of time

what to consider when tagging

minimize pain and discomfort, environmental conditions, type of tag (time and duration), ability of animal to conduct normal behavior, infection

cost-benefit analysis

important step to justify the use of funds and other resources as well as the potential impacts on animal welfare

plastic cattle tag

for pinnipeds and small cetaceans

pinnipeds cattle tag

paired tags attached to flipper webbing with a single plastic pin

cetaceans cattle tag

paired tags attached to the dorsal fin with a single plastic pin

cattle tag advantages

trivial cost, quick, little trauma, no follow-up costs, stored indefinitely

cattle tag disadvantage

only useful if animal seen again at close quarters

head tag

for pinnipeds only

head tag advantages

low cost, more visible than cattle tag, can be stored indefinitely

head tag disadvantages

only useful if animal is seen again

hot branding

for pinnipeds only

hot branding advantages

small cost, long life

hot branding disadvantages

only useful if animal is seen again at close quarters, increased chance of infections

freeze branding

for small cetaceans only

freeze branding advantages

small cost, no trans-dermal trauma, long life

freeze branding disadvantages

only useful if animal is seen again at close quarters

VHF radio tag

for pinnipeds and cetaceans

VHF radio tag pinnipeds

electronic package glued to the fur of the head or shoulders

VHF radio tag cetaceans

electronic package attached to the dorsal fin with pins, a blubber anchor, or a suction cup

VHF radio tag advantages

ability to detect animal from much farther ranges, low tag cost compared to satellite tag

VHF radio tag disadvantages

costs high if ship/aircraft needed for tracking, information only when you are in range

satellite tags

for pinnipeds and cetaceans

satellite tags pinnipeds

electronic package glued to fur of the head or shoulders

satellite tag cetaceans

electronic package attached to dorsal, fin with pins or via a blubber anchor

satellite tags advantages

ability to track animal anywhere in the world without the need to follow it

satellite tag disadvantage

high cost per animal for tag and daily charge

externally applied tags for sea turtles

metal and plastic id tags on fore flipper or rear flipper

passive integrated transponder tags

consist of a transponder and antenna within a glass or durable plastic capsule implanted using a large-bore needle and injector in “armpit” of sea turtles

pit tag advantages

low cost, small pain

pit tag disadvantages

animal must be seen again and scanner must be present

passive acoustic monitoring

attached to carapace of sea turtle and uses multiple receivers positioned around in an area that detect unique frequency pings emitted by a device

passive acoustic monitoring disadvantage

very costly

passive acoustic monitoring advantages

potential for utilizing existing widely dispersed acoustic arrays that are increasingly being deployed for long term monitoring of migratory fish

sea turtle living tags

involves the transplantation of dermis of the carapace to plastron and vice versa to create a dorsally unpigmented and ventrally pigmented transplant of living tissue

sea turtle satellite tagging

anti fouled tags attached to shell using a combination of fiberglass, putty, and epoxy

sea turtle satellite tags advantage

post release movement pattern

sea turtle satellite tags disadvantage

cost

cetaceans in US waters

jurisdiction of National Marine Fisheries Service and protected by Marine Mammal Protection Act (some also protected by Endangered Species Act)

before taking action:

identify species

approximate size

distinguishing size

respiration rate

other animals in area

unusual behaviors or conditions

course of action depends on

size, age, and health of animal

available support and environmental conditions

time since stranding

capturing distressed cetaceans in the water requires

specialized equipment and expertise

approval of NMFS

approaching the animal

plan beforehand based on animal’s behavior

advance calmly and cautiously from front or side (keeping clear of mouth and flukes)

WARNING: animals may panic

first aid during rescue

determining condition (behavioral observations)

alert animal

aware, responsive to environmental stimuli

weakly responsive animal

responsive only after much stimulation

non-responsive animal

not responding to noise or touch (no blink reflex)

respiratory fatigue occurs sooner in

larger animals whose chest cavity will be more severely compressed by body weight

signs of respiratory fatigue and distress

irregular and increased respiratory rate

audible gurgling sounds as animal breathes

signs of critically poor health

extensive bleeding, or frothy, or foul smelling fluid from the blowhole

cardiovascular function determination in small animals

use stethoscope