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Health of Antarctic Wildlife pp 139–166Cite as

Health Assessment and Diseases of the Weddell seal, Leptonochotes weddelli, in Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica

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Abstract

The Weddell seal, Leptonochotes weddelli, is the most southerly breeding of the Antarctic seals. Small groups remain for extended periods over the summer months on the fast-ice of the inlets and shorelines of the Antarctic continent for parturition, lactation and moulting. Those breeding in areas close to Antarctic research stations are uniquely accessible for study, but this may bring them in close contact with human activity and pollution derived from human habitation. Antarctic Treaty nations have undertaken to prevent the accidental introduction of parasites and diseases (Article IX of the Agreed Measures 1964 and The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty, 1991) into Antarctica, but our understanding of existing diseases and their effects are limited. At two sites, the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica, and at McMurdo Sound, Ross Sea, Weddell seals have been tagged over many years for population and feeding ecology studies. This provides two unparalleled opportunities to investigate health and disease in well-described populations of Antarctic wildlife. Health assessment of the population at McMurdo is reported by Yochem et al. (this volume). It is the population of Weddell seals in the Vestfold Hills that is the subject of this chapter.

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Acknowledgements

This project was made possible by an Antarctic Science Advisory Committee grant, 1999 and 2000. The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of Martin Riddle, Harry Burton, Samantha Lake, Knowles Kerry, Trevor Bailey, Frank Tirendi and other ANARE personnel. The author also wishes to thank Iain Pick, Bushlink P/L, who provided technical and logistic support both in the field and subsequently; research project supervisors, Steve Walkeden-Brown and Zhanhai Gao, University of New England, for statistical advice; Albert Osterhaus and Byron Martina, Institute of Virology, Erasmus University, for their generosity in examining samples; Karrie Rose, Australian Registry of Wildlife Pathology, for histological examination of necropsy material; Dirk Pfifer, Dianne Pinch and Katie Reid for epidemiological discussion; Joanne Gallagher, UWA, and IDEXX laboratories, Advanced Anaesthetic Supplies and the NT Dept. of Agriculture and Fisheries who assisted with laboratory and field equipment.

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  1. National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, ACT, Canberra, Australia

    R. A. McFarlane

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  1. R. A. McFarlane
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Correspondence to R. A. McFarlane .

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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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McFarlane, R.A. (2009). Health Assessment and Diseases of the Weddell seal, Leptonochotes weddelli, in Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. In: Kerry, K.R., Riddle, M. (eds) Health of Antarctic Wildlife. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-93923-8_9

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