Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland
The UK shores are home to approximately 40% of the world's population of gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) and 40% of Europe's harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Stranded juvenile seals of both species are frequently rescued and admitted for rehabilitation. This study investigates the causes of...
Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Wiley
2023
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/630765/7/Marine%20Mammal%20Science%20-%202022%20-%20Zatrak%20-%20Factors%20affecting%20the%20survival%20of%20harbor%20%20Phoca%20vitulina%20%20and%20gray%20seal%20.pdf |
id |
ftmanchuniv:oai:e-space.mmu.ac.uk:630765 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftmanchuniv:oai:e-space.mmu.ac.uk:630765 2024-05-19T07:47:20+00:00 Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland Zatrak, Michal Brittain, Sam Himmelreich, Lauren Lovick-Earle, Susie Pizzi, Romain Shaw, Kirsty J Grant, Robyn A Geary, Matthew 2023-04-07 text https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/630765/7/Marine%20Mammal%20Science%20-%202022%20-%20Zatrak%20-%20Factors%20affecting%20the%20survival%20of%20harbor%20%20Phoca%20vitulina%20%20and%20gray%20seal%20.pdf en eng Wiley https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/630765/ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12983 10.1111/mms.12983 https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/630765/7/Marine%20Mammal%20Science%20-%202022%20-%20Zatrak%20-%20Factors%20affecting%20the%20survival%20of%20harbor%20%20Phoca%20vitulina%20%20and%20gray%20seal%20.pdf Zatrak, Michal </view/creators/Zatrak=3AMichal=3A=3A.html>, Brittain, Sam </view/creators/Brittain=3ASam=3A=3A.html>, Himmelreich, Lauren </view/creators/Himmelreich=3ALauren=3A=3A.html>, Lovick-Earle, Susie </view/creators/Lovick-Earle=3ASusie=3A=3A.html>, Pizzi, Romain </view/creators/Pizzi=3ARomain=3A=3A.html>, Shaw, Kirsty J </view/creators/Shaw=3AKirsty_J=3A=3A.html>, Grant, Robyn A </view/creators/Grant=3ARobyn_A=3A=3A.html> and Geary, Matthew </view/creators/Geary=3AMatthew=3A=3A.html> (2023) Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland. Marine Mammal Science, 39 (2). pp. 462-480. ISSN 0824-0469 cc_by_4 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Article PeerReviewed 2023 ftmanchuniv 2024-05-01T00:05:02Z The UK shores are home to approximately 40% of the world's population of gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) and 40% of Europe's harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Stranded juvenile seals of both species are frequently rescued and admitted for rehabilitation. This study investigates the causes of P. vitulina and H. grypus admittance to rehabilitation centers in the UK and Ireland and identifies factors that can affect juvenile seal survival. Rehabilitation records for 1,435 P. vitulina and 2,691 H. grypus were used from five rehabilitation centers from 1988 through 2020. The most common nonexclusive reasons for seal admission to rehabilitation centers included malnourishment (37%), injuries (37%), maternal abandonment (15%), lethargy (12%), and parasite infections (8%). A mixed effects logistic regression model showed that H. grypus had 4.55 times higher survival odds than P. vitulina and that the odds of survival to release multiplied by 1.07 for every kilogram over their age-predicted weight. This weight-dependent survival could be attributed to the importance of fat in thermoregulation, hydration, and buoyancy during foraging. We recommend that seal rehabilitators pay special attention to the weight of admitted juvenile seals during triage and treatment to enhance their odds of survival and consequent release to the wild. Article in Journal/Newspaper Phoca vitulina eSpace - Manchester Metropolitan University's Research Repository |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
eSpace - Manchester Metropolitan University's Research Repository |
op_collection_id |
ftmanchuniv |
language |
English |
description |
The UK shores are home to approximately 40% of the world's population of gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) and 40% of Europe's harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Stranded juvenile seals of both species are frequently rescued and admitted for rehabilitation. This study investigates the causes of P. vitulina and H. grypus admittance to rehabilitation centers in the UK and Ireland and identifies factors that can affect juvenile seal survival. Rehabilitation records for 1,435 P. vitulina and 2,691 H. grypus were used from five rehabilitation centers from 1988 through 2020. The most common nonexclusive reasons for seal admission to rehabilitation centers included malnourishment (37%), injuries (37%), maternal abandonment (15%), lethargy (12%), and parasite infections (8%). A mixed effects logistic regression model showed that H. grypus had 4.55 times higher survival odds than P. vitulina and that the odds of survival to release multiplied by 1.07 for every kilogram over their age-predicted weight. This weight-dependent survival could be attributed to the importance of fat in thermoregulation, hydration, and buoyancy during foraging. We recommend that seal rehabilitators pay special attention to the weight of admitted juvenile seals during triage and treatment to enhance their odds of survival and consequent release to the wild. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Zatrak, Michal Brittain, Sam Himmelreich, Lauren Lovick-Earle, Susie Pizzi, Romain Shaw, Kirsty J Grant, Robyn A Geary, Matthew |
spellingShingle |
Zatrak, Michal Brittain, Sam Himmelreich, Lauren Lovick-Earle, Susie Pizzi, Romain Shaw, Kirsty J Grant, Robyn A Geary, Matthew Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland |
author_facet |
Zatrak, Michal Brittain, Sam Himmelreich, Lauren Lovick-Earle, Susie Pizzi, Romain Shaw, Kirsty J Grant, Robyn A Geary, Matthew |
author_sort |
Zatrak, Michal |
title |
Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland |
title_short |
Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland |
title_full |
Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland |
title_fullStr |
Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland |
title_sort |
factors affecting the survival of harbor (phoca vitulina) and gray seal (halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the uk and ireland |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/630765/7/Marine%20Mammal%20Science%20-%202022%20-%20Zatrak%20-%20Factors%20affecting%20the%20survival%20of%20harbor%20%20Phoca%20vitulina%20%20and%20gray%20seal%20.pdf |
genre |
Phoca vitulina |
genre_facet |
Phoca vitulina |
op_relation |
https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/630765/ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12983 10.1111/mms.12983 https://e-space.mmu.ac.uk/630765/7/Marine%20Mammal%20Science%20-%202022%20-%20Zatrak%20-%20Factors%20affecting%20the%20survival%20of%20harbor%20%20Phoca%20vitulina%20%20and%20gray%20seal%20.pdf Zatrak, Michal </view/creators/Zatrak=3AMichal=3A=3A.html>, Brittain, Sam </view/creators/Brittain=3ASam=3A=3A.html>, Himmelreich, Lauren </view/creators/Himmelreich=3ALauren=3A=3A.html>, Lovick-Earle, Susie </view/creators/Lovick-Earle=3ASusie=3A=3A.html>, Pizzi, Romain </view/creators/Pizzi=3ARomain=3A=3A.html>, Shaw, Kirsty J </view/creators/Shaw=3AKirsty_J=3A=3A.html>, Grant, Robyn A </view/creators/Grant=3ARobyn_A=3A=3A.html> and Geary, Matthew </view/creators/Geary=3AMatthew=3A=3A.html> (2023) Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland. Marine Mammal Science, 39 (2). pp. 462-480. ISSN 0824-0469 |
op_rights |
cc_by_4 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
_version_ |
1799487733416067072 |