Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program Report for 2005

UHART, M.; ROWNTREE, V.; POZZI, L.; LA SALA, L.; MUSMECI, LUCIANA RAQUEL

2005-05-01/2005-12-31

1-14

Biológica

Sanidad animal-Otros

The objectives of The Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program are: 1) to continue the development of a health assessment protocol that will allow for a global comparison of the health status of right whale populations; 2) to use the health assessment protocol to collect biomedical samples and morphological data from right whales that strand on beaches off Peninsula Valdés, Argentina; 3) to identify laboratories and scientists for analyses of samples; 4) to establish baseline information on the health status of the Valdés right whale population; and 5) to distribute the protocol and encourage its use in other South American countries (Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile). The most outstanding event in 2005 was the stranding of five adult females in Golfo San José within a period of 2 weeks, and is likely to have an unusual, related cause. Unfortunately all the animals decomposed extremely quickly after they were found, which greatly limited the collection of quality samples and the value of the few tissues collected (i.e. baleen, blubber, skin, measurements) in the investigation of specific health problems. If these five females were nursing at the time they died, then their calves would also be expected to have died. Possible causes of death and/or strandings, not necessarily related to disease have been reported in baleen whales. Among these are the abrupt decline in food availability, red tide intoxication, weather conditions, acoustic disruption due to boat and submarine navigation and human-related injuries. The fact that the October 2005 deaths of adults occurred in Golfo San José, the bay at the Peninsula with less pollution, fewer human establishments and less ship activity, suggests that these cases are most probably not related to pollution or harassment from whale-watching boats.