M. C. O. Santos

Emerging infectious diseases in cetaceans worldwide and the possible role of environmental stressors.

We reviewed prominent emerging infectious diseases of cetaceans, examined their potential to impact populations, re-assessed zoonotic risk and evaluated the role of environmental stressors. Cetacean morbilliviruses and papillomaviruses as well as Brucella spp. and Toxoplasma gondii are thought to interfere with population abundance by inducing high mortalities, lowering reproductive success or by synergistically increasing the virulence of other diseases. Severe cases of lobomycosis and lobomycosis-like disease (LLD) may contribute to the death of some dolphins. The zoonotic hazard of marine mammal brucellosis and toxoplasmosis may have been underestimated, attributable to frequent misdiagnoses and underreporting, particularly in developing countries and remote areas where carcass handling without protective gear and human consumption of fresh cetacean products are commonplace. Environmental factors seem to play a role in the emergence and pathogenicity of morbillivirus epidemics, lobomycosis/LLD, toxoplasmosis, poxvirus-associated tattoo skin disease and, in harbour porpoises, infectious diseases of multifactorial aetiology. Inshore and estuarine cetaceans incur higher risks than pelagic cetaceans due to habitats often severely altered by anthropogenic factors such as chemical and biological contamination, direct and indirect fisheries interactions, traumatic injuries from vessel collisions and climate change.

Southern Right Whales (Eubalaena australis) in an Urbanized Area off the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean: Updated Records and Conservation Issues

The southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) has been placed in the category of “least concern” in the International Union for Conservation of Natureʼs Red List of Threatened Species and in the category of “endangered” in the Brazilian Red List of Threatened Fauna. The aim of this study was to update sighting and stranding records of right whales along the southeastern Brazilian coast between 2000 and 2015 and to assess the main threats they face. Records occurred mainly between May and October, and mother and calf pairs represented 78% of all sightings, evidenc-ing the use of the southeast coast of Brazil as part of the breeding and possibly calving area. A total of eight strandings was reported. On 6 September 2012, the first confirmed ship strike on a right whale was reported in the surveyed area. The intensified conflicts between coastal development and the use of protected and calm waters along southeastern Brazil by southern right whales as breeding areas should be considered in manage-ment plans.