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Health Assessment of the Leopard Seal, Hydrurga leptonyx, in Prydz Bay, Eastern Antarctica and NSW, Australia

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Health of Antarctic Wildlife

Abstract

The leopard seal Hydrurga leptonyx is the most widely distributed of the Antarctic pinnipeds, ranging from the Antarctic coastline to the sub-Antarctic (Bonner 1994) and less frequently, temperate and sub-tropical areas, including the Australian coast. The main population of leopard seals remains within the circumpolar pack-ice (Bonner 1994) however, there is some north–south movement of individuals, the majority of which are immature, non-breeding seals (Gwynn 1953; Brown 1957; Csordas 1963; King 1983; Rounsevell and Eberhard 1980; Rounsevell 1988; Walker et al. 1998). A periodicity in peak abundance has been observed for this northward dispersal and it is suggested that this could be related to cyclic climatic variation within the region (Harris et al. 1988; Testa et al. 1991; Croxall 1992).

As a large-bodied and long-lived upper trophic species, the leopard seal is considered a useful indicator of change within the Antarctic ecosystem. As such, baseline information on health status for the detection of disease, population dynamics, spatial distribution and foraging behaviour of the leopard seal can be vital to understanding the status of the ecosystem they inhabit.

Developing baseline data and reference intervals for health parameters such as body condition, haematology and serum biochemistry are essential prerequisites for monitoring the impact of disease on a wild population and enables determination of the effects of natural fluctuations and anthropogenic influences on the population within the ecosystem they inhabit.

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Acknowledgements

The Animal Care and Ethics Committees of the Australian Antarctic Division and The University of Sydney approved the activities undertaken for this research. This project was funded by the Antarctic Science Advisory Committee, Australian Research Council, Scott Foundation, National Geographic, Sea World Research and Rescue Foundation and the Zoological Parks Board of NSW. This work was conducted under Antarctic Scientific Advisory Committee Project # 1144.

Many thanks to all members of the leopard seal team Sophie Hall-Aspland, Damien Higgins, Andrew Irvine, Julie Barnes, Sophie Constable, Claire Holland and Birgit Buhleier, as well as members of the Australian National Research Expeditions (ANARE) 1996–2002 for their assistance and support in sample collection, particularly Bob Jones, Brett Hill, Brendan Hill, Ben Patrick, Glenn Robertson and Michael Terkildsen. The authors wish to thank the Veterinary and Quarantine Centre especially Larry Vogelnest, Dr Karrie Rose and Kaye Humpreys, the Marine Mammal Department, and the Records Department of Taronga Zoo, Zoological Parks Board of NSW and the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NSW), NSW Department of Environment and Conservation, particularly Geoff Ross, for collection of samples and archive data of leopard seals in NSW and the Atlas of New South Wales Wildlife Database as of October 2006. Thanks also to Dr Peter Thomson, Reprogen, Faculty of Veterinary Science who provided advice for statistical analysis, Ian Beveriage, School of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne who provided assistance in parasite identification, David Griffin, George Tsoukalas, Elaine Chew, Karen Barnes and Patricia Martin at the Veterinary Pathology Diagnostic Services, Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney and Robyn Collee at IDEXX Veterinary Pathology Services for assistance with blood analysis, Colin Southwell of the Australian Antarctic Division and Currumbin Sanctuary, Queensland, for use of their equipment. Thanks also to M. Terkildsen who provided assistance with the manuscript and to those who provided comments on the manuscript. Records of leopard seals stranding in South Australia were obtained from the South Australian Museum, Adelaide.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Veterinary Science, The University of Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia

    R. B. Gray

  2. Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    T. L. Rogers

  3. Australian Marine Mammal Research Centre, Zoological Parks Board of NSW, Mosman, NSW, 2088, Australia

    P. J. Canfield

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  1. R. B. Gray
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Correspondence to R. B. Gray .

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  1. Dept. Environment, Tourism and, Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, 7050, Australia

    Knowles R. Kerry

  2. Australian Antarctic Division, Channel Highway, Kingston, 7050, Australia

    Martin Riddle

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Gray, R.B., Rogers, T.L., Canfield, P.J. (2009). Health Assessment of the Leopard Seal, Hydrurga leptonyx, in Prydz Bay, Eastern Antarctica and NSW, Australia. In: Kerry, K.R., Riddle, M. (eds) Health of Antarctic Wildlife. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-93923-8_10

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