Contributions to seabird health and wellbeing: best practices for preventing disease introductions to seabird colonies and enhancing seabird health knowledge by collecting samples from bycaught seabirds

MARCELA UHART, FLAVIO QUINTANA, LUCIANA GALLO, ESTEBAN FRERE, KIRSTEN GILARDI

Ciudad del Cabo

Conferencia; 2nd World Seabird Conference; 2015

World Seabird Union

Infectious diseases have the potential to cause rapid declines and extinction in vulnerable seabirdpopulations. Human presence can inadvertently contribute to pathogen introduction and spread inotherwise secluded seabird strongholds. Dramatic evidence of this are the recurrent mortalities andreproductive failure from disease presently affecting three albatross species from Amsterdam Island,including the critically endangered and endemic Amsterdam albatross. Biological monitoring ofpopulations requires periodic visitation to breeding sites, and some colonies are increasingly subjectto (oftentimes-unregulated) public visitation. Yet very few sites have implemented biosecurityprotocols and best practices guidelines for use by researchers and visitors to minimize the risk ofdisease introduction and transmission. Furthermore, lack of information prevents a thorough andaccurate evaluation of the current and potential impact of diseases on seabird populations. Accessto specimens for health evaluation is generally restricted, expensive and logistically challenging. Forsome species however, efforts to monitor the impact of fisheries through on-board observers iscommon practice. Nevertheless, seabird by-catch carcasses recovered from fisheries are currentlyunder-utilized. With proper protocols and training, evaluation of carcasses from by-catch eventscould not only provide valuable information on population-level demographics, distributionpatterns, genetics, and food habits, but also on overall health condition, pollution loads, and diseaseexposure. This will allow for the establishment of baseline health data for many species, and theearly identification of pathological processes. This presentation will expand on a series ofrecommendations and technologies for improvement of seabird health knowledge and wellbeing,based on models being developed for albatrosses and large petrels