Halichoerus grypus: Bowen, D.

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keyword(s):  
Halichoerus Grypus

Exposure of the Gulf of St. Lawrence grey seal Halichoerus grypus population to potentially zoonotic infectious agents

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 105-118
Author(s):  
CC Sauvé ◽  
A Hernández-Ortiz ◽  
E Jenkins ◽  
F Mavrot ◽  
A Schneider ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meat Products ◽  
Halichoerus Grypus ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Infectious Agents ◽  
Erysipelothrix Rhusiopathiae ◽  
Public Health Significance ◽  
Domestic Livestock ◽  
Health Significance ◽  
Commercial Source ◽  
Polymerase Chain

The population of grey seals Halichoerus grypus in Canadian waters is currently used as a commercial source of meat for human consumption. As with domestic livestock, it is important to understand the occurrence in these seals of infectious agents that may be of public health significance and thus ensure appropriate measures are in place to avoid zoonotic transmission. This study examined the prevalence of antibodies against Brucella spp., Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, 6 serovars of Leptospira interrogans, and Toxoplasma gondii in 59 grey seals and determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) the presence of these potentially zoonotic agents in specific organs and tissues of seropositive animals. The presence of encysted Trichinella spp. larvae was also investigated by digestion of tongue, diaphragm and other muscle samples, but none were detected. Seroprevalence against Brucella spp. and E. rhusiopathiae was low (5 and 3%, respectively). All 59 seals tested had antibodies against L. interrogans, but no carrier of this bacterium was detected by PCR. Seroprevalence against T. gondii was 53%, and DNA of this protozoan was detected by PCR in 11/30 (37%) seropositive animals. Standard sanitary measures mandatory for commercialization of meat products for human consumption should greatly reduce the potential for exposure to these infectious agents. However, special consideration should be given to freezing seal meat for at least 3 d to ensure destruction of tissue cysts of T. gondii.

Utilizing next-generation sequencing to identify prey DNA in western North Atlantic grey seal Halichoerus grypus diet

2020 ◽  
Vol 655 ◽  
pp. 227-240
Author(s):  
KR Flanders ◽  
ZH Olson ◽  
KA Ono
Keyword(s):  
Next Generation Sequencing ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Atlantic Menhaden ◽  
Halichoerus Grypus ◽  
Frequency Of Occurrence ◽  
Grey Seal ◽  
Next Generation ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Generation Sequencing ◽  
Seal Diet

Increasing grey seal Halichoerus grypus abundance in coastal New England is leading to social, political, economic, and ecological controversies. Central to these issues is the foraging ecology and diet composition of the seals. We studied grey seal feeding habits through next-generation sequencing of prey DNA using 16S amplicons from seal scat (n = 74) collected from a breeding colony on Monomoy Island in Massachusetts, USA, and report frequency of occurrence and relative read abundance. We also assigned seal sex to scat samples using a revised PCR assay. In contrast to current understanding of grey seal diet from hard parts and fatty acid analysis, we found no significant difference between male and female diet measured by alpha and beta diversity. Overall, we detected 24 prey groups, 18 of which resolved to species. Sand lance Ammodytes spp. were the most frequently consumed prey group, with a frequency of occurrence (FO) of 97.3%, consistent with previous studies, but Atlantic menhaden Brevoortia tyrannus, the second most frequently consumed species (FO = 60.8%), has not previously been documented in US grey seal diet. Our results suggest that a metabarcoding approach to seal food habits can yield important new ecological insights, but that traditional hard parts analysis does not underestimate consumption of Atlantic cod Gadus morhua (FO = 6.7%, Gadidae spp.) and salmon Salmo salar (FO = 0%), 2 particularly valuable species of concern.

Short Note: Predation of Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) by Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) in Wales

2015 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Stringell ◽  
Dave Hill ◽  
Dafydd Rees ◽  
Ffion Rees ◽  
Padrig Rees ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Short Note ◽  
Halichoerus Grypus ◽  
Phocoena Phocoena

Salmonellainfection in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), a marine mammal sentinel species: pathogenicity and molecular typing ofSalmonellastrains compared with human and livestock isolates

2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 1078-1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna L. Baily ◽  
Geoffrey Foster ◽  
Derek Brown ◽  
Nicholas J. Davison ◽  
John E. Coia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Molecular Typing ◽  
Sentinel Species ◽  
Halichoerus Grypus

Predation by Sharks on the Grey Seal (Halichoerus grypus) in Eastern Canada

1983 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Brodie ◽  
Brian Beck
Keyword(s):  
Key Words ◽  
Population Size ◽  
Halichoerus Grypus ◽  
Longline Fishery ◽  
Grey Seal ◽  
Eastern Canada ◽  
The Past ◽  
Harbour Seals ◽  
Commercially Important ◽  
Important Fish

The increase in population size of the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) off eastern Canada over the past 20 yr may be attributed to a decrease in shark stocks, their supposed predators. Reduction of the shark population is presumed to have resulted from a directed longline fishery and, of greater significance, from a change in the fishery for swordfish (Xiphias gladius) from selective harpooning to pelagic longlining, which has produced a large bycatch of sharks. The resulting enhanced survival of grey seals is reflected in greater infestation of commercially important fish species by the codworm (Phocanema decipiens).Key words: grey seals, harbour seals, sharks, swordfish, codworm, predation, fisheries

scholarly journals Bite Injuries of Grey Seals (Halichoerus grypus) on Harbour Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena)

PLoS ONE ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. e108993 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thierry Jauniaux ◽  
Mutien-Marie Garigliany ◽  
Pauline Loos ◽  
Jean-Luc Bourgain ◽  
Thibaut Bouveroux ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Halichoerus Grypus ◽  
Phocoena Phocoena ◽  
Bite Injuries

Normoxic and hypoxic breathing pattern in newborn grey seals

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 483-487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacopo P. Mortola ◽  
Clement Lanthier
Keyword(s):  
Tidal Volume ◽  
Breathing Pattern ◽  
Halichoerus Grypus ◽  
Breathing Rate ◽  
Allometric Relationships ◽  
Breathing Patterns ◽  
Hypoxic Conditions ◽  
Regulation Of Breathing ◽  
Expiratory Flow

We studied the breathing patterns of three newborn grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) at 2 – 3 days of age under normoxic and hypoxic conditions with the barometric technique, which does not require the animal to be restrained. Normoxic tidal volume was deeper and breathing rate slower than expected for newborns of this size on the basis of previously published allometric relationships. In addition, two characteristics were readily apparent: (i) occasional sudden long apneas, often exceeding 30 s in duration, and (ii) consistent brief interruptions of expiratory flow. Neither aspect is common in terrestrial newborns of this age, but both have been previously observed in adult seals. During hypoxia (10 min of 15% O2 and 10 min of 10% O2), ventilation increased markedly and steadily, at variance with what occurs in newborns of other species, indicating a precocial development of the regulation of breathing. This latter result also suggests that the blunted response to hypoxia previously reported in adult seals may be acquired postnatally with diving experience.

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