scholarly journals Physiological Parameters Monitored on Bottlenose Dolphin Neonates (Tursiops truncatus, Montagu 1821) over the First 30 Days of Life

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1066
Author(s):  
Barbara Biancani ◽  
Guillermo J. Sánchez-Contreras ◽  
Stefano Furlati ◽  
Francesco Benaglia ◽  
Carmen M. Arija ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tursiops Truncatus ◽  
Complete Blood Count ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Physiological Parameters ◽  
Respiratory Pattern ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Gamma Glutamyl Transferase ◽  
Apnea Duration ◽  
Human Care ◽  
Glutamyl Transferase

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) have been bred under human care for more than 60 years. Calves up to 30 days of life have presented the highest mortality rate, although comparable data for free-ranging neonates within this age group is not available. Husbandry measures to increase survivability have therefore been constantly improved. This work shows the results of a structured veterinary program that established the procedures to collect relevant physiological parameters on 13 calves during their first 30 days of life. Standardized observation protocols facilitated statistical analysis of the respiratory pattern, nursing, morphometric measurements and bloodwork. These allow early detection of health issues. Healthy neonates had longer apnea duration, despite the shape and size of the facility. The nursing pattern showed that successful calves started nursing 3 to 18 h postpartum. Although with different individual patterns, a steady increase in suckling time occurs during the first 24 h of life. The healthy neonates grew 0.428 ± 0.102 kg per day and the complete blood count profile, glucose, iron, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), total protein, Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), Gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), creatinine and electrolytes values considered normal for healthy calves are provided. Furthermore, cholesterol, triglycerides, α-amylase, lipase, magnesium and cortisol are reported for the first time for such young calves. A list of indications for prompt intervention is included.

Contexts of emission of non-signature whistles in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care

2020 ◽  
Vol 181 ◽  
pp. 104255
Author(s):  
Juliana Lopez-Marulanda ◽  
Heiko G. Rödel ◽  
Nikolaas Colpaert ◽  
Sander Vanderheul ◽  
Olivier Adam ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tursiops Truncatus ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Signature Whistles ◽  
Human Care

scholarly journals Behavioral and Personality Effects ona Cooperative Task for Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Dyads

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kimberly C. Bagley ◽  
Kelley Winship ◽  
Teri Bolton ◽  
Preston Foerder
Keyword(s):  
Bottlenose Dolphin ◽  
Tursiops Truncatus ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Personality Profiles ◽  
Social Communities ◽  
Social Species ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Cooperative Behaviors ◽  
Human Care ◽  
The Relationship

Social species can depend on each other for survival, helping in rearing of young, predator defense, and foraging. Personality dynamics between individuals may influence cooperative behaviors. Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) live in social communities and cooperate with other conspecifics to achieve goals both in the wild and in human care. We investigated the role that personality plays in the willingness of dolphins to work together. We tested five bottlenose dolphin pairs at the Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences, Honduras, with an apparatus previously used to experimentally test dolphin cooperation. Personality profiles of each dolphin were created using surveys completed by the caretakers, in particular noting two different categories of interactions: dolphin to dolphin and dolphin to world. We hypothesized that dyadic success in the cooperative task would differ based on specific personality traits of individuals. We also hypothesized that the most successful dyads would show similar types of conspecific sociality and different means of interacting with objects. Although none of the dolphin pairs cooperated to open the apparatus, individual personalities were analyzed in relation to the dolphins’ individual and mutual interactions with the apparatus as well as the pairs’ social behaviors. Playfulness, curiosity, and affiliation as well as agreeableness, and extraversion were positively related to affiliation with the apparatus and each other. These findings suggest that certain aspects of personality are indicative of affiliation or interaction by an individual dolphin. These results could guide future animal research on the relationship between personality, social interactions, and problem-solving.

scholarly journals Immunometabolic response in Egyptian water buffalo cows during the transition period

2021 ◽  
pp. 2678-2685
Author(s):  
Naglaa A. Gomaa ◽  
Samy A. Darwish ◽  
Mahmoud A. Aly
Keyword(s):  
Neutrophil Count ◽  
Water Buffalo ◽  
Transition Period ◽  
Complete Blood Count ◽  
Leukocyte Count ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Physiological Adaptation ◽  
Total Leukocyte Count ◽  
Gamma Glutamyl Transferase ◽  
Glutamyl Transferase

Background and Aim: The transition period is extremely critical for pregnant producing animals. However, there is very limited research on the metabolic and immunological changes in Egyptian water buffalo cows during the transition period. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the immunometabolic changes occurring during the transition period in Egyptian water buffalo cows. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 multiparous pregnant Egyptian water buffalo cows were subjected to weekly blood sampling 3 weeks before calving and 3 weeks after calving and on the day of parturition to determine the complete blood count, including red blood cell count, total leukocyte count (TLC), differential leukocyte count, hemoglobin level, and packed cell volume (PCV). Some selected serum biochemical and immunological parameters were analyzed, including serum glucose, beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA), non-esterified fatty acids, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), very LDL (VLDL), cholesterol, total protein, albumin, globulin, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, alanine transaminase, gamma-glutamyl transferase, Haptoglobin, and C-reactive protein and the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin β1, interleukin 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. All data were statistically analyzed using the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences statistics software. Results: The neutrophil count showed a statistically significant increase at 2 weeks preparturition. There was also a significant increase in PCV, TLC, neutrophil count, and IL-6 and TNF-α level at the time of parturition and even at 2 weeks post parturition, except PCV that returned to normal levels in the 1st week post parturition. BHBA and BUN levels were increased significantly in the 2nd and 3rd weeks postcalving. Serum creatinine and VLDL levels were decreased significantly at the time of parturition, and VLDL levels showed a significant decrease even till the 3rd week postcalving, whereas creatinine levels gradually returned to the pre-calving levels in the 3rd week postcalving. Other parameters showed no significant changes. Conclusion: The most important immunometabolic changes occur in the first 2 weeks post parturition in Egyptian water buffalo cows, which exhibit a potent, remarkable physiological adaptation achieved by their functional liver, which can help the animal overcome the stressful conditions during the transition period.

An Acoustic Play-Fight Signal in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Human Care

2005 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 187-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christer Blomqvist ◽  
Inês Mello ◽  
Mats Amundin
Keyword(s):  
Tursiops Truncatus ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Human Care

scholarly journals Pregnancy and Fetal Development: Cephalic Presentation and Other Descriptive Ultrasonographic Findings from Clinically Healthy Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under Human Care

Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 908
Author(s):  
Pietro Saviano ◽  
Letizia Fiorucci ◽  
Francesco Grande ◽  
Roberto Macrelli ◽  
Alessandro Troisi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bottlenose Dolphin ◽  
Tursiops Truncatus ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Invasive Technique ◽  
Medical Procedures ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Dolphin Population ◽  
Human Care ◽  
First Time

Ultrasonography is widely used in veterinary medicine for the diagnosis of pregnancy, and can also be used to monitor abnormal pregnancies, embryonic resorption, or fetal abortion. Ultrasonography plays an important role in modern-day cetacean preventative medicine because it is a non-invasive technique, it is safe for both patient and operator, and it can be performed routinely using trained responses that enable medical procedures. Reproductive success is an important aspect of dolphin population health, as it is an indicator of the future trajectory of the population. The aim of this study is to provide additional relevant data on feto-maternal ultrasonographic monitoring in bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) species, for both the clinicians and for in situ population studies. From 2009 to 2019, serial ultrasonographic exams of 11 healthy bottlenose dolphin females kept under human care were evaluated over the course of 16 pregnancies. A total of 192 ultrasound exams were included in the study. For the first time, the sonographic findings of the bottlenose dolphin organogenesis and their correlation with the stage of pregnancy are described. Furthermore, this is the first report that forecasts the cephalic presentation of the calf at birth, according to its position within the uterus.

Modulation of whistle production related to training sessions in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under human care

Zoo Biology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (6) ◽  
pp. 495-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Lopez Marulanda ◽  
Olivier Adam ◽  
Fabienne Delfour
Keyword(s):  
Tursiops Truncatus ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Human Care

scholarly journals Is Enrichment Always Enriching and How Would You Know? Unintended Consequences and the Importance of Formal Assessment of Enrichment Programs in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi Lyn ◽  
Hannah Bahe ◽  
Megan S. Broadway ◽  
Mystera M. Samuelson ◽  
Jamie K. Shelley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tursiops Truncatus ◽  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Enrichment Programs ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Human Care

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are viewed as a highly intelligent species, capable of complex behaviors, requiring marine parks to maintain dynamic environmental enrichment procedures in order to ensure their optimal psychological and physiological well-being in human care. In this study, two experiments were conducted to determine the effects of different forms of enrichment on the behavior of bottlenose dolphins. In Experiment 1, the most successful enrichment included highly novel items, which resulted in avoidance, but also what is frequently considered positive behavioral changes including a reduction in circle swimming and an increase in social behavior. In Experiment 2, the use of choice resulted in negative unintended social consequences. These two experiments together demonstrate that the results of deploying enrichment may not be as clear-cut as previously presumed. In order to maintain positive benefits of enrichment, the results of this study suggest that unique forms of enrichment should be implemented on a variable schedule that is offered several times a year and consistently evaluated for effectiveness.

scholarly journals Object Manipulation and Play Behaviour in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under Human Care

2017 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabienne Delfour ◽  
Carly Faulkner ◽  
Toby Carter
Keyword(s):  
Bottlenose Dolphin ◽  
Tursiops Truncatus ◽  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Parts ◽  
Scientific Papers ◽  
Enrichment Program ◽  
Human Care ◽  
Head Area

Cetaceans are well-known to display various play activities: numerous scientific papers have documented this phenomenon in wild populations and for delphinids under human care. The present study describes analyses of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) interactions with man-made objects introduced to their habitat as part of an environmental enrichment program. At Parc Asterix Delphinarium (France), 9 bottlenose dolphins were presented with 21 different objects. During 17 hours and using object-focal follows, we studied the dolphins’ behaviors directed toward the objects, according to the objects physical properties (i.e. complexity and buoyancy). We also documented the body parts the animals used to manipulate the objects. The results show that young dolphins displayed more playful actions towards the introduced objects than their older conspecifics. In general, subjects preferred the objects classified as simple and floating, they displayed a larger variety of behaviours, they spent more time and were more creative with them than with other types of objects. Finally, there was significantly more contact and “manipulation” with the dolphin head area than with the fins, fluke or other body parts. By analyzing the dolphins’ behaviors and actions they directed towards the introduced objects, the present study discusses meanings dolphins might give to their surroundings and the relevance of play behavior to their welfare.

Microbiological Assessment of Some Culturable Microbiotafrom Clinically Healthy Bottlenose Dolphins(Tursiops truncatus) Under Human Care

2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 466-469
Author(s):  
Letizia Fiorucci ◽  
Francesco Grande ◽  
Filippo Nespola ◽  
Roberto Macrelli ◽  
Laura Menchetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tursiops Truncatus ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Human Care
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