Captive welfare studies in odontocete species have been mostly conducted on bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) while the welfare of many other species’ -including endangered species- remains poorly studied. More research…
Poyang Lake, located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, is the largest freshwater lake in China and the most important habitat for the Yangtze finless porpoise.…
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…
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…
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…
The continuing rise in underwater sound levels in the oceans leads to disturbance of marine life. It is thought that one of the main impacts of sound exposure is the…
An adult male harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) stranded off the coast of Alaska displaying poor body condition, scattered mild ulcerative dermatitis, and necrotizing balanoposthitis. Necropsy findings included severe verminous panniculitis,…
Records of marine debris in and attached to stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) were studied comprising information on 6587 carcasses collected…
Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis), inhabiting the Yangtze River, are an endangered species in China. They are threatened by various kinds of pollutants, among which persistent organic pollutants (POPs)…
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of 209 persistent and bio-accumulative toxic pollutants present as complex mixtures in human and animal tissues. Harbor porpoises accumulate some of the highest levels…