Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lisa K. Lauderdale, Michael T. Walsh, Jill D. Mellen, Douglas A. Granger, Lance J. Miller
Summary: Animal welfare science has evolved in recent decades to utilize a multidisciplinary approach in assessing the welfare of animals in accredited zoos and aquariums. Science-based welfare assessments have become essential in management programs, where management practices and habitat characteristics play a significant role in impacting animal welfare. The study collected survey data from 86 bottlenose dolphins in 40 habitats at 38 facilities in seven countries, aiming to provide insights into dolphin management practices and habitat characteristics in accredited zoos and aquariums.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lisa K. Lauderdale, Michael T. Walsh, Jill D. Mellen, Douglas A. Granger, Lance J. Miller
Summary: In recent decades, animal welfare science has evolved to utilize a multidisciplinary approach to assess the welfare of animals in accredited zoos and aquariums. Science-based animal welfare assessments have become an essential component of management programs, although habitat characteristics and management practices are not standardized across locations. Knowledge and subsequent application of these practices and habitat characteristics can enhance our understanding of factors associated with positive welfare.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Stefano Bigiani, Cristina Pilenga
Summary: The mechanism behind dolphins' strong social bonds has been unclear, so researchers hypothesized a positive feedback mechanism where social affiliation promotes cooperation and vice versa. By stimulating cooperation with a rope-pulling task, they found that cooperating dolphins had stronger social affiliation before cooperation and increased it further after cooperation, while non-cooperating dolphins did not show similar changes. These findings provide evidence for the hypothesis that previous social affiliation facilitates cooperative behavior among dolphins.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Mathilde Lalot, Fabienne Delfour, Birgitta Mercera, Dalila Bovet
Summary: Research has found that bottlenose dolphins may exhibit prosocial behaviors and direct reciprocity, with a tendency to modulate these behaviors based on partner-specific information. The subjects showed a preference for being more prosocial towards the opposite sex and more reciprocal towards same-sex recipients. Additionally, an audience effect was observed, with the presence of the subject's offspring increasing the likelihood of a prosocial response.
Article
Biology
Rebecca Rimbach, Ahmad Amireh, Austin Allen, Brian Hare, Emily Guarino, Chana Kaufman, Hannah Salomons, Herman Pontzer
Summary: Marine mammals are believed to have a high energy expenditure due to their endothermy in marine environments. In this study, total energy expenditure was measured in 10 adult bottlenose dolphins, showing a decline in adjusted energy expenditure and an increase in fat mass with age. Results suggest that marine mammals have higher energy expenditure compared to terrestrial mammals, but bottlenose dolphins expend less energy than other marine mammals of similar body mass.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alessandro Gallo, Aglae Thieffry, Martin Boye, Kyra Monmasson, Martine Hausberger, Alban Lemasson
Summary: The study of animal communication has faced challenges in associating signals with specific emitters, especially in cetacean communication. However, researchers have now developed a low-cost device that allows for reliable identification of callers in dolphin vocalizations, which could contribute to a better understanding of dolphin acoustic communication.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Ashley M. Blawas, Douglas P. Nowacek, Austin S. Allen, Julie Rocho-Levine, Andreas Fahlman
Summary: The study found that dolphins exhibit respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during surface breathing, with a rapid increase and gradual decrease in heart rate (f(H)). The minimum if(H) during submerged breath-holds was lower than during surface breathing, but similar patterns were observed between RSA and extended inter-breath intervals (IBI). Understanding the relationship between RSA and submersion bradycardia is important for comprehending heart rate variability in marine mammals.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
John Kucklick, Ashley Boggs, Kevin Huncik, Amanda Moors, Elizabeth Davis, Gina Ylitalo, Mary McConnell, Christina Makris, Randall S. Wells
Summary: Legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in common bottlenose dolphins from Sarasota Bay have been declining from 2000 to 2016, with different rates of decline for different POP classes and classifications. The decline in POPs is highest in adult males and lowest in calves. The POP trends appear to have stabilized since 2009.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Leslie B. Hart, Miranda Dziobak, Randall S. Wells, Bonnie Ertel, John Weinstein
Summary: The oceans are polluted with trillions of plastic particles, mainly microplastics, which have been found in marine organisms. Bottlenose dolphins in Sarasota Bay have shown exposure to prevalent phthalates, possibly from plastic sources. A recent study detected microplastic particles in gastric samples of free-ranging dolphins, suggesting potential microplastic exposure to humans through contaminated seafood.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lisa K. K. Lauderdale, Michael T. T. Walsh, Kevin A. A. Mitchell, Douglas A. A. Granger, Jill D. D. Mellen, Lance J. J. Miller
Summary: This study provides comprehensive clinical pathology data for various species of dolphins kept in zoos and aquariums. The data can be used to compare hematological, serum, and plasma biochemical values in captive cetaceans.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lisa K. Lauderdale, Michael T. Walsh, Kevin A. Mitchell, Douglas A. Granger, Jill D. Mellen, Lance J. Miller
Summary: This study provides comprehensive clinical pathology data on hematological, serum, and plasma biochemistry reference intervals for various marine mammals in zoos and aquariums, including common bottlenose dolphins, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins, beluga whales, and Pacific white-sided dolphins. The research revealed statistically significant differences in several variables based on age, gender, and month, and generated reference intervals and values for a wide range of hematologic, serum, and plasma biochemical variables. Additionally, a mobile software application called ZooPhysioTrak was developed to provide species-specific reference intervals and values for cetacean management.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Meaghan A. McCormack, Weston H. Nowlin, Jessica Dutton
Summary: The study found that spatial variability in skin mercury concentrations among bottlenose dolphins in the northern Gulf of Mexico is influenced by differences in trophic positions and foraging habitats, with dolphins in habitats with higher THg concentrations generally having higher estimated trophic positions, except for coastal dolphins.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kim E. Ludwig, Mags Daly, Stephanie Levesque, Simon D. Berrow
Summary: The 26-year study of a genetically discrete, resident population of bottlenose dolphins in the Shannon Estuary in Ireland revealed a high adult survival rate, although there were differences in survival rates among individuals due to variations in markings. The results underscore the importance of consistent and thorough survey efforts in studies of marine mammal populations.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
J. L. Crespo-Picazo, C. Rubio-Guerri, M. A. Jimenez, F. J. Aznar, V Marco-Cabedo, M. Melero, J. M. Sanchez-Vizcaino, P. Gozalbes, D. Garcia-Parraga
Summary: In the western Mediterranean, bottlenose dolphins exhibit aggressive behavior towards striped dolphins and Risso's dolphins, resulting in lethal injuries and deaths. The injuries and inter-tooth distance characteristics suggest that these interactions are caused by bottlenose dolphins. The study discusses how environmental changes and human activities may be triggering these interactions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Daniela Rickert, Ralph Simon, Lorenzo von Fersen, Katrin Baumgartner, Thomas Bertsch, Clemens Kirschbaum, Michael Erhard
Summary: Animal welfare assessments are crucial in zoos and aquaria, and behavioral observations and stress hormone measurements are commonly used tools. This study found that the way blood samples are taken can affect cortisol levels in bottlenose dolphins, with lower levels during voluntary medical training compared to sampling on a lifting platform. There was no correlation between saliva cortisol and blood cortisol values, and saliva cortisol values increased significantly after feeding. Caution is recommended when sampling saliva and interpreting cortisol values.
Review
Parasitology
J. P. Dubey, F. H. A. Murata, C. K. Cerqueira-Cezar, O. C. H. Kwok, C. Su
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide, with wild and domestic avian species playing a crucial role in the dissemination of the infection. Humans can become infected by consuming undercooked avian tissues. The genetic diversity of T. gondii strains isolated from various avian species worldwide from 2009 to 2020 is discussed, as well as the role of migratory birds in spreading T. gondii infection.
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
James W. B. Powell, Deborah A. Duffield, Jonathan J. Kaufman, Gangming Luo, Gretchen N. Lovewell, Wayne E. McFee
Summary: This study examined bone mineral density (BMD) in the pectoral flipper of the common bottlenose dolphin and found that BMD increased with age and body length. There were no significant differences in BMD measurements based on sex, handedness, geographical region, or nutritional status. These findings can be used as a preliminary descriptive dataset for BMD in bottlenose dolphins and provide a primary skeletal site for clinical assessment of bone density in the species.
MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Review
Parasitology
J. P. Dubey, F. H. A. Murata, C. K. Cerqueira-Cezar, O. C. H. Kwok, C. Su
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive overview of Toxoplasma gondii infections in wild rodents worldwide, including prevalence, persistence of infection, clinical disease, epidemiology, and genetic diversity. Data are presented in tables organized by country, rodent species, and chronologically, making it easier for researchers to access information. The recent genetic diversity of T. gondii strains in rodents is critically evaluated in the review.
JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Shilin Xin, Nan Jiang, Liulu Yang, Niuping Zhu, Wei Huang, Junbao Li, Longxian Zhang, Chunlei Su, Yurong Yang
Summary: This study identified a case of Toxoplasma gondii infection in a rhesus monkey collected from zoos in Henan Province, China. A new strain of T. gondii, designated as TgMonkeyCHn1, was successfully isolated from the monkey's myocardium, with unique characteristics in genotype and virulence genes. This is the first T. gondii strain isolated from Old World monkeys, demonstrating a new host record for T. gondii.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Jitender P. Dubey, Fernando H. A. Murata, Camila K. Cerqueira-Cezar, Oliver C. H. Kwok, Yurong Yang, Chunlei Su
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide, with New World NHP being highly susceptible to infection while Old World NHP show no reports of clinical toxoplasmosis. Susceptibility to clinical toxoplasmosis varies among different genera of New World NHP, with factors affecting this susceptibility not fully understood. Genetic characteristics of T. gondii strains from monkeys are summarized.
RESEARCH IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Aline Diniz Cabral, Chunlei Su, Rodrigo Martins Soares, Solange Maria Gennari, Marcia Aparecida Speranca, Adriana Ruckert da Rosa, Hilda Fatima Jesus Pena
Summary: Studies in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, investigated the molecular frequency and diversity of Sarcocystidae parasites in bats, revealing a variety of these organisms in different bat species. The findings suggest that bats may play a role in the transmission of these parasites and highlight the need to consider Toxoplasma gondii as a differential diagnosis for rabies and other neurological syndromes in bats.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Meaghan A. McCormack, Wayne E. McFee, Heidi R. Whitehead, Sarah Piwetz, Jessica Dutton
Summary: Dolphin teeth contain enamel, dentin, and cementum, with various major, minor, and trace elements distributed differently within teeth. Analyzing teeth from bottlenose dolphins, researchers found distinct differences in the distribution of magnesium and chlorine between enamel and dentin, suggesting the need for technologies with lower detection limits to confirm the presence and distribution of trace elements.
BIOLOGICAL TRACE ELEMENT RESEARCH
(2022)
Review
Parasitology
J. P. Dubey, F. H. A. Murata, C. K. Cerqueira-Cezar, O. C. H. Kwok, C. Su
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii infections are common in humans and animals worldwide, including in bears. Black bears have one of the highest seroprevalence rates of T. gondii. Clinical toxoplasmosis is rare in bears, with most cases reported in young bears. Genetic diversity of T. gondii isolates in bears is relatively high, ranging from strains associated with domestic cycles to those mainly found in wildlife.
JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Parasitology
Jitender P. Dubey, Fernando H. A. Murata, Camila K. Cerqueira-Cezar, Oliver C. H. Kwok, Chunlei Su, Michael E. Grigg
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii infections in kangaroos and other marsupials in Australia and New Zealand are common and may pose a risk for human infection. Kangaroo meat could potentially serve as a source of T. gondii infection for humans. The genetic diversity of T. gondii strains varies among different regions and species.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Sawsan Ammar, Liberty Wood, Chunlei Su, Maria Spriggs, Justin Brown, Kyle Van Why, Richard Gerhold
Summary: Raptors from different regions in the United States showed varying seroprevalence rates of T. gondii. There were no significant differences in T. gondii exposure between raptors from different regions, sexes, or age groups. One red-shouldered hawk was found to harbor viable T. gondii tachyzoites, highlighting the need for further research to better understand the prevalence and impact of T. gondii in raptors in the US.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE
(2021)
Article
Virology
Trevor J. Hancock, Peyton Hickman, Niloo Kazerooni, Melissa Kennedy, Stephen A. Kania, Michelle Dennis, Nicole Szafranski, Richard Gerhold, Chunlei Su, Tom Masi, Stephen Smith, Tim E. Sparer
Summary: We report cross-reactive antibodies specific for SARS-CoV RBD from prepandemic cats and postpandemic South Carolina white-tailed deer. There are several potential explanations for this cross-reactivity, each with important implications to coronavirus disease surveillance.
JOURNAL OF VIROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Emilie Bouchard, Rajnish Sharma, Adrian Hernandez-Ortiz, Kayla Buhler, Batol Al-Adhami, Chunlei Su, Heather Fenton, Geraldine G.-Gouin, James D. Roth, Chloe Warret Rodrigues, Carla Pamak, Audrey Simon, Nicholas Bachand, Patrick Leighton, Emily Jenkins
Summary: This study investigated the seroprevalence and tissue infection rate of Toxoplasma gondii in foxes in northern Canada. The findings showed a higher antibody detection rate in older foxes. There was a correlation between the seroprevalence of foxes and humans in different regions of Canada.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Rafael Calero-Bernal, Mercedes Fernandez-Escobar, Frank Katzer, Chunlei Su, Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora
Summary: Toxoplasma gondii shows significant genetic and phenotypic diversity. Different haplogroups of T. gondii exhibit different phenotypic characteristics in laboratory mouse infections. While mortality rate is an important phenotypic marker, additional non-lethal parameters could provide promising discriminatory power for field isolates. There is a need for consistent methods in phenotypic characterization and definition of virulence.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Alfred Chikweto, Andy Alhassan, Chunlei Su, Calum Macpherson, Muhammad Iqbal Bhaiyat, Jitender P. Dubey
Summary: This study investigated the genotypes and diversity of T. gondii in pigs in Grenada, West Indies, revealing a lower genetic diversity compared to other Caribbean areas, with ToxoDB #2 being the most common genotype.
VETERINARY MEDICINE AND SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Sawsan Ammar, Nathan Hoggard, Liberty Wood, Chunlei Su, Richard Gerhold
Summary: Toxoplasmosis, caused by the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, can infect turkeys and may lead to signs of infection at high doses. The antibody titers, weight gain, and feed conversion rate in infected birds are influenced by the dose and strain of T. gondii. A significant decrease in weight gain was observed at 14 days postinfection in birds infected with a high dose of virulent T. gondii tachyzoites. Detection of T. gondii DNA was most common in the brain and heart, followed by the bursa of Fabricius and lungs. Continued experimental infection studies in wild and domestic animals are recommended given the growing trend of outdoor-raised livestock and wildlife consumption.