The role of aquaria in beluga research and conservation
Aquaria that care for and maintain belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) under professional care have the opportunity to contribute to the conservation of wild belugas through research, expertise in animal care and husbandry, and engaging and educating the public about threats to the species’ health and p...
Published in: | Polar Research |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Norwegian Polar Institute
2021
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5567 https://doaj.org/article/f611b30adbd948c9acf89c417a65296f |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:f611b30adbd948c9acf89c417a65296f |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:f611b30adbd948c9acf89c417a65296f 2023-05-15T15:41:33+02:00 The role of aquaria in beluga research and conservation Tracy A. Romano Laura A. Thompson Maureen V. Driscoll Ebru Unal Allison D. Tuttle Gayle Sirpenski Mary Ellen Mateleska Dale Wolbrink 2021-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5567 https://doaj.org/article/f611b30adbd948c9acf89c417a65296f EN eng Norwegian Polar Institute https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/5567/14101 https://doaj.org/toc/0800-0395 https://doaj.org/toc/1751-8369 0800-0395 1751-8369 doi:10.33265/polar.v40.5567 https://doaj.org/article/f611b30adbd948c9acf89c417a65296f Polar Research, Vol 40, Pp 1-16 (2021) education husbandry whales recovery and management delphinapterus leucas zoos Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 article 2021 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5567 2022-12-31T09:42:56Z Aquaria that care for and maintain belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) under professional care have the opportunity to contribute to the conservation of wild belugas through research, expertise in animal care and husbandry, and engaging and educating the public about threats to the species’ health and population sustainability. In an aquarium setting, belugas can be studied under controlled conditions, with known variables that are often difficult to discern when studying wild belugas. Information on nutrition, health status and environmental parameters can be easily obtained in a controlled setting. Biological samples are collected from professionally trained whales that voluntarily participate in informative experimental paradigms. Research studies in aquaria seek to contribute to the recovery and management of endangered beluga populations, such as those in Cook Inlet. Mystic Aquarium’s efforts are presented as a case study. Key research priorities address action items in the Cook Inlet Beluga Recovery Plan and include: (1) understanding the beluga immune system, microbial communities, pathogens and disease; (2) development of non-invasive methods for assessing reproductive status, body condition and health in wild whales; (3) investigation of diving physiology and the impact of altered dive patterns on health; (4) understanding reproduction, a key to recovery and sustainability of wild populations; (5) development and testing of new technologies for tracking and monitoring whales and habitat use; and (6) understanding how noise affects beluga hearing, behaviour and physiology. Expertise in animal handling, behaviour and nutrition contribute to rescue, rehabilitation and capture release efforts. Moreover, ‘students’ of all ages have the opportunity to be engaged, educated and contribute to beluga conservation. Article in Journal/Newspaper Beluga Beluga* Delphinapterus leucas Polar Research Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Polar Research 40 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
education husbandry whales recovery and management delphinapterus leucas zoos Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 |
spellingShingle |
education husbandry whales recovery and management delphinapterus leucas zoos Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 Tracy A. Romano Laura A. Thompson Maureen V. Driscoll Ebru Unal Allison D. Tuttle Gayle Sirpenski Mary Ellen Mateleska Dale Wolbrink The role of aquaria in beluga research and conservation |
topic_facet |
education husbandry whales recovery and management delphinapterus leucas zoos Environmental sciences GE1-350 Oceanography GC1-1581 |
description |
Aquaria that care for and maintain belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) under professional care have the opportunity to contribute to the conservation of wild belugas through research, expertise in animal care and husbandry, and engaging and educating the public about threats to the species’ health and population sustainability. In an aquarium setting, belugas can be studied under controlled conditions, with known variables that are often difficult to discern when studying wild belugas. Information on nutrition, health status and environmental parameters can be easily obtained in a controlled setting. Biological samples are collected from professionally trained whales that voluntarily participate in informative experimental paradigms. Research studies in aquaria seek to contribute to the recovery and management of endangered beluga populations, such as those in Cook Inlet. Mystic Aquarium’s efforts are presented as a case study. Key research priorities address action items in the Cook Inlet Beluga Recovery Plan and include: (1) understanding the beluga immune system, microbial communities, pathogens and disease; (2) development of non-invasive methods for assessing reproductive status, body condition and health in wild whales; (3) investigation of diving physiology and the impact of altered dive patterns on health; (4) understanding reproduction, a key to recovery and sustainability of wild populations; (5) development and testing of new technologies for tracking and monitoring whales and habitat use; and (6) understanding how noise affects beluga hearing, behaviour and physiology. Expertise in animal handling, behaviour and nutrition contribute to rescue, rehabilitation and capture release efforts. Moreover, ‘students’ of all ages have the opportunity to be engaged, educated and contribute to beluga conservation. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Tracy A. Romano Laura A. Thompson Maureen V. Driscoll Ebru Unal Allison D. Tuttle Gayle Sirpenski Mary Ellen Mateleska Dale Wolbrink |
author_facet |
Tracy A. Romano Laura A. Thompson Maureen V. Driscoll Ebru Unal Allison D. Tuttle Gayle Sirpenski Mary Ellen Mateleska Dale Wolbrink |
author_sort |
Tracy A. Romano |
title |
The role of aquaria in beluga research and conservation |
title_short |
The role of aquaria in beluga research and conservation |
title_full |
The role of aquaria in beluga research and conservation |
title_fullStr |
The role of aquaria in beluga research and conservation |
title_full_unstemmed |
The role of aquaria in beluga research and conservation |
title_sort |
role of aquaria in beluga research and conservation |
publisher |
Norwegian Polar Institute |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5567 https://doaj.org/article/f611b30adbd948c9acf89c417a65296f |
genre |
Beluga Beluga* Delphinapterus leucas Polar Research |
genre_facet |
Beluga Beluga* Delphinapterus leucas Polar Research |
op_source |
Polar Research, Vol 40, Pp 1-16 (2021) |
op_relation |
https://polarresearch.net/index.php/polar/article/view/5567/14101 https://doaj.org/toc/0800-0395 https://doaj.org/toc/1751-8369 0800-0395 1751-8369 doi:10.33265/polar.v40.5567 https://doaj.org/article/f611b30adbd948c9acf89c417a65296f |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.33265/polar.v40.5567 |
container_title |
Polar Research |
container_volume |
40 |
_version_ |
1766374443229118464 |