In:
PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science (PLoS), Vol. 18, No. 6 ( 2023-6-28), p. e0286551-
Abstract:
Photographic identification catalogs of individual killer whales ( Orcinus orca ) over time provide a tool for remote health assessment. We retrospectively examined digital photographs of Southern Resident killer whales in the Salish Sea to characterize skin changes and to determine if they could be an indicator of individual, pod, or population health. Using photographs collected from 2004 through 2016 from 18,697 individual whale sightings, we identified six lesions (cephalopod, erosions, gray patches, gray targets, orange on gray, and pinpoint black discoloration). Of 141 whales that were alive at some point during the study, 99% had photographic evidence of skin lesions. Using a multivariate model including age, sex, pod, and matriline across time, the point prevalence of the two most prevalent lesions, gray patches and gray targets, varied between pods and between years and showed small differences between stage classes. Despite minor differences, we document a strong increase in point prevalence of both lesion types in all three pods from 2004 through 2016. The health significance of this is not clear, but the possible relationship between these lesions and decreasing body condition and immunocompetence in an endangered, non-recovering population is a concern. Understanding the etiology and pathogenesis of these lesions is important to better understand the health significance of these skin changes that are increasing in prevalence.
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
1932-6203
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g003
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g004
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g005
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g006
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g007
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g008
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g009
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g010
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g011
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.g012
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.t001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.t002
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.s001
DOI:
10.1371/journal.pone.0286551.s002
Language:
English
Publisher:
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Publication Date:
2023
detail.hit.zdb_id:
2267670-3
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