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Studies benefit health of critically endangered whale species BY DIANE BROWN, DVM, PhD, DACVP Chief Scientific Officer
The critically endangered North Atlantic right whale is a coastal-dwelling species that holds an important place in the history of our country. It was reduced to near extinction through commercial whaling because it was the “right” whale to harvest for its abundant oil. Fewer than 500 remain and they continue to be threatened by encounters with humans, exposure to disease outbreaks and environmental toxins. Boat strikes and entanglements in fishing gear also put these massive creatures at risk when they migrate between calving grounds in the southern Atlantic to northern feeding grounds that range from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to the Bay of Fundy in Canada. In order to monitor and better understand the health of these great mammals, wildlife veterinarians and researchers need methods for live observation that are safe for the scientists and the whales. Observing free-ranging whales from boats allows only a partial view of the animals, so researchers are developing a novel, low-cost method for collecting health data from the whales. With a grant from Morris Animal Foundation, researchers from Duke University and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are using a new remote-controlled, unmanned aerial vehicle to collect detailed measurements of whale and calf body condition and size. This type of data is called aerial photogrammetry. These images will provide much-needed seasonal, repeatable, noninvasive sampling data from the animals. The Foundation-funded fellowship grant will help veterinarian Rachel Cassoff complete this research as part of her PhD program. Her research career will benefit not only the endangered whales, but animal health in general.
Photo: Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GADNR), Permit 15488
“This new study provides an opportunity to test a new data collection method to benefit health in aquatic species,” Dr. Cassoff says. A recently completed Foundation-funded study increased understanding of health problems in this whale population. Veterinarian Rosalind Rolland and her co-investigators, at the New England Aquarium, integrated health and stress hormone data with long-term historical data on these animals. Dr. Rolland’s team discovered that infection with the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium was correlated with a whale’s decline in body condition. The near-shore habitat and low genetic diversity in this small population increases their exposure and susceptibility to diseases and parasites originating from land. With studies like these leading to better understanding of health problems in endangered animals like the North Atlantic right whale, researchers can develop new strategies to protect these great creatures and help ensure their survival for generations to come. Morris Animal Foundation has been committed to funding studies that better our understanding and improve health for wildlife worldwide since 1967. ✢
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