Adaptive Changes in Hematologic and Plasma Chemical Constituents in Captive Beluga Whales, Delphinapterus leucas

Forty-two beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, were captured in the Seal and Churchill River estuaries in western Hudson Bay during July, 1985 and 1987. Blood samples were drawn from each whale, and analyzed for cellular elements, electrolytes, metabolites, enzymes, proteins, and adrenocortical hor...

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Published in:Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Main Authors: St. Aubin, D. J., Geraci, J. R.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1989
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f89-099
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f89-099
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spelling crcansciencepubl:10.1139/f89-099 2024-09-15T17:59:00+00:00 Adaptive Changes in Hematologic and Plasma Chemical Constituents in Captive Beluga Whales, Delphinapterus leucas St. Aubin, D. J. Geraci, J. R. 1989 http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f89-099 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f89-099 en eng Canadian Science Publishing http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences volume 46, issue 5, page 796-803 ISSN 0706-652X 1205-7533 journal-article 1989 crcansciencepubl https://doi.org/10.1139/f89-099 2024-07-11T04:12:03Z Forty-two beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, were captured in the Seal and Churchill River estuaries in western Hudson Bay during July, 1985 and 1987. Blood samples were drawn from each whale, and analyzed for cellular elements, electrolytes, metabolites, enzymes, proteins, and adrenocortical hormones. Most of the whales were released immediately after sampling; six were maintained in holding facilities for 10 k during 1985. Blood samples drawn during the early stages of acclimation to captivity, and at irregular intervals thereafter, revealed the variety of metabolic adjustments that accompanied the transition to captivity. The stress and exertion of capture resulted in increased levels of aldosterone, Cortisol, glucose, iron, potassium, and the enzymes creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase. Acute changes in leucocytes included lymphopenia, eosinopenia, and mild neutrophilia. Most of these indices normalized within the first week in captivity. Progressive changes were noted in triglycerides and creatinine, reflecting the whales' altered diet and caloric intake. A steady decline in red cell mass was indicative of reduced demands on oxygen carrying capacity, and provided a clue to the significance of low hematocrits reported for whales sampled after several weeks in shallow estuaries. Article in Journal/Newspaper Beluga Beluga* Churchill River Delphinapterus leucas Hudson Bay Canadian Science Publishing Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 46 5 796 803
institution Open Polar
collection Canadian Science Publishing
op_collection_id crcansciencepubl
language English
description Forty-two beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, were captured in the Seal and Churchill River estuaries in western Hudson Bay during July, 1985 and 1987. Blood samples were drawn from each whale, and analyzed for cellular elements, electrolytes, metabolites, enzymes, proteins, and adrenocortical hormones. Most of the whales were released immediately after sampling; six were maintained in holding facilities for 10 k during 1985. Blood samples drawn during the early stages of acclimation to captivity, and at irregular intervals thereafter, revealed the variety of metabolic adjustments that accompanied the transition to captivity. The stress and exertion of capture resulted in increased levels of aldosterone, Cortisol, glucose, iron, potassium, and the enzymes creatine kinase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase. Acute changes in leucocytes included lymphopenia, eosinopenia, and mild neutrophilia. Most of these indices normalized within the first week in captivity. Progressive changes were noted in triglycerides and creatinine, reflecting the whales' altered diet and caloric intake. A steady decline in red cell mass was indicative of reduced demands on oxygen carrying capacity, and provided a clue to the significance of low hematocrits reported for whales sampled after several weeks in shallow estuaries.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author St. Aubin, D. J.
Geraci, J. R.
spellingShingle St. Aubin, D. J.
Geraci, J. R.
Adaptive Changes in Hematologic and Plasma Chemical Constituents in Captive Beluga Whales, Delphinapterus leucas
author_facet St. Aubin, D. J.
Geraci, J. R.
author_sort St. Aubin, D. J.
title Adaptive Changes in Hematologic and Plasma Chemical Constituents in Captive Beluga Whales, Delphinapterus leucas
title_short Adaptive Changes in Hematologic and Plasma Chemical Constituents in Captive Beluga Whales, Delphinapterus leucas
title_full Adaptive Changes in Hematologic and Plasma Chemical Constituents in Captive Beluga Whales, Delphinapterus leucas
title_fullStr Adaptive Changes in Hematologic and Plasma Chemical Constituents in Captive Beluga Whales, Delphinapterus leucas
title_full_unstemmed Adaptive Changes in Hematologic and Plasma Chemical Constituents in Captive Beluga Whales, Delphinapterus leucas
title_sort adaptive changes in hematologic and plasma chemical constituents in captive beluga whales, delphinapterus leucas
publisher Canadian Science Publishing
publishDate 1989
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f89-099
http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f89-099
genre Beluga
Beluga*
Churchill River
Delphinapterus leucas
Hudson Bay
genre_facet Beluga
Beluga*
Churchill River
Delphinapterus leucas
Hudson Bay
op_source Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
volume 46, issue 5, page 796-803
ISSN 0706-652X 1205-7533
op_rights http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/page/about/CorporateTextAndDataMining
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1139/f89-099
container_title Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
container_volume 46
container_issue 5
container_start_page 796
op_container_end_page 803
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