A case study of monofilament line entanglement in a common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): entanglement, disentanglement, and subsequent death
Advanced Search
Select up to three search categories and corresponding keywords using the fields to the right. Refer to the Help section for more detailed instructions.

Search our Collections & Repository

All these words:

For very narrow results

This exact word or phrase:

When looking for a specific result

Any of these words:

Best used for discovery & interchangable words

None of these words:

Recommended to be used in conjunction with other fields

Language:

Dates

Publication Date Range:

to

Document Data

Title:

Document Type:

Library

Collection:

Series:

People

Author:

Help
Clear All

Query Builder

Query box

Help
Clear All

For additional assistance using the Custom Query please check out our Help Page

i

A case study of monofilament line entanglement in a common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): entanglement, disentanglement, and subsequent death

Filetype[PDF-17.81 MB]


Select the Download button to view the document
This document is over 5mb in size and cannot be previewed

Details:

  • Journal Title:
    BMC Veterinary Research
  • Description:
    Background: Free-ranging common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) can become entangled in fishing line and other marine debris. Infrequently, dolphins can be successfully disentangled, released back into the wild, and later examined postmortem to better understand the pathology and long-term effects of these entanglements.

    Case presentation: An entangled common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) calf was observed in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, USA, with monofilament fishing line wrapped tightly around its maxilla. A multi-agency team successfully disentangled the dolphin for immediate release back into its natural habitat. A year after disentanglement, photos and observations indicated that the now independent calf showed a decline in body condition, characterized by grossly visible ribs and a prominent post-nuchal depression. More than 2 years post-disentanglement, the freshly dead carcass of this juvenile dolphin was recovered with extensive predation wounds. Despite the forestomach being ~ 50% full of ingesta (fish), the dolphin was emaciated. During postmortem examination, we collected and evaluated photographs and measurements of the maxillary damage resulting from the entanglement.

    Conclusion: The monofilament entanglement caused permanent, bilateral deformation of the maxillary dental arcade, including a 4.0-4.2 cm long, 0.5 cm deep linear groove where the entanglement eroded the lateral edges of the maxilla. There was no evidence of maxillary fracture and the dolphin survived for more than 2 years after disentanglement. External evidence of propeller scars and a fishing hook discovered embedded in the laryngeal mucosa at necropsy indicated repeated human interactions.

  • Source:
    BMC Vet Res. 2020 Jun 30;16(1):223.
  • Pubmed ID:
    32605630
  • Pubmed Central ID:
    PMC7325371
  • Document Type:
  • Rights Information:
    CC BY
  • Compliance:
    PMC
  • Main Document Checksum:
  • File Type:

Supporting Files

  • No Additional Files

More +

You May Also Like

Checkout today's featured content at repository.library.noaa.gov

Version 3.21