A field effort to capture critically endangered vaquitas Phocoena sinus for protection from entanglement in illegal gillnets

Rojas-Bracho, L.; Gulland, F. M. D.; Smith, C. R.; Taylor, B.; Wells, R. S.; Thomas, P. O.; Bauer, B.; Heide-Jørgensen, M. P.; Teilmann, J.; Dietz, R.; Balle, J. D.; Jensen, M. V.; Sinding, M. H. S.; Jaramillo-Legorreta, A.; Abel, G.; Read, A. J.; Westgate, A. J.; Colegrove, K.; Gomez, F.; Martz, K.; Rebolledo, R.; Ridgway, S.; Rowles, T.; van Elk, C. E.; Boehm, J.; Cardenas-Hinojosa, G.; Constandse, R.; Nieto-Garcia, E.; Phillips, W.; Sabio, D.; Sanchez, R.; Sweeney, J.; Townsend, F.; Vivanco, J.; Vivanco, J. C.; Walker, S.
Endangered Species Research (2019)

In 2017 an emergency field effort was undertaken in an attempt to prevent the extinction of the world’s most endangered marine mammal, the vaquita (Phocoena sinus). The rescue effort involved…


Cytokine expression and lymphocyte proliferative capacity in diseased harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) – Biomarkers for health assessment in wildlife cetaceans

Lehnert, Kristina; Siebert, Ursula; Reißmann, Kristina; Bruhn, Regina; McLachlan, Michael S.; Müller, Gundi; van Elk, Cornelis E.; Ciurkiewicz, Malgorzata; Baumgärtner, Wolfgang; Beineke, Andreas
Environmental Pollution (2019)

Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the North and Baltic Seas are exposed to anthropogenic influences including acoustic stress and environmental contaminants. In order to evaluate immune responses in healthy and…


Porpoises the world over: Diversity in behavior and ecology

Teilmann, Jonas; Sveegaard, Signe
Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Odontocetes (2019)

Unlike the large number of species of true dolphins, there are only seven porpoise or phocoenid species, inhabiting different habitats and climate zones. They range from ice-covered water in the…


Immune responses of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis ssp. asiaeorientalis) to escalating anthropogenic stressors in the wild and seminatural environments

Nabi, Ghulam; Li, Ying; McLaughlin, Richard W.; Mei, Zhigang; Wang, Kexiong; Hao, Yujiang; Zheng, Jinsong; Wang, Ding
Frontiers in Physiology (2020)

Increasing anthropogenic stressors are potential threats to biodiversity conservation and management of Yangtze finless porpoises (YFPs). The objective of this study was to indirectly compare the habitat quality of a…


After the bite: Bacterial transmission from grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) to harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)

Gilbert, Maarten J.; IJsseldijk, Lonneke L.; Rubio-García, Ana; Gröne, Andrea; Duim, Birgitta; Rossen, John; Zomer, Aldert L.; Wagenaar, Jaap A.
Royal Society Open Science (2020)

Recent population growth of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) and common seal (Phoca vitulina) in the North Sea has increased potential interaction between these species. Grey…


Underwater noise pollution in China’s Yangtze River critically endangers Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis)

Wang, Zhi-Tao; Akamatsu, Tomonari; Duan, Peng-Xiang; Zhou, Lu; Yuan, Jing; Li, Jiao; Lei, Pei-Yu; Chen, Yu-Wei; Yang, Yi-Ning; Wang, Ke-Xiong; Wang, Ding
Environmental Pollution (2020)

Underwater sound plays an important role in some critical life functions of many aquatic animals. Underwater noise pollution has received relatively more attention in ocean systems. However, little attention has…


Assessing the effects of banana pingers as a bycatch mitigation device for harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)

Omeyer, Lucy C. M.; Doherty, Philip D.; Dolman, Sarah; Enever, Robert; Reese, Allan; Tregenza, Nicholas; Williams, Ruth; Godley, Brendan J.
Frontiers in Marine Science (2020)

Bycatch is a significant cause of population declines of marine megafauna globally. While numerous bycatch mitigation strategies exist, acoustic alarms, or pingers, are the most widely adopted strategy for small…


Using passive acoustic monitoring to investigate the occurrence of cetaceans in a protected marine area in northwest Ireland

Todd, Nicole R. E.; Cronin, Michelle; Luck, Cian; Bennison, Ashley; Jessopp, Mark; Kavanagh, Ailbhe S.
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science (2020)

Under the EU Habitats Directive, cetacean species must be maintained at favourable conservation status in European waters. Whether this is achieved via protected area designation, curtailment of activities such as…