Prevalence of External Injuries in Small Cetaceans in Aruban Waters, Southern Caribbean

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dc.contributor.authorLuksenburg, Jolanda A.
dc.date.accessioned2015-10-13T16:37:27Z
dc.date.available2015-10-13T16:37:27Z
dc.date.issued2014-02-19
dc.description.abstractAruba, located close to the coasts of Colombia and Venezuela, is one of the most densely populated islands in the Caribbean and supports a wide range of marine-related socio-economic activities. However, little is known about the impacts of human activities on the marine environment. Injuries in marine mammals can be used to examine interactions with human activities and identify potential threats to the survival of populations. The prevalence of external injuries and tooth rake marks were examined in Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) (n = 179), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) (n = 76) and false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) (n = 71) in Aruban waters using photo identification techniques. Eleven injury categories were defined and linked to either human-related activities or natural causes. All injury categories were observed. In total, 18.7% of all individuals had at least one injury. Almost half (41.7%) of the injuries could be attributed to human interactions, of which fishing gear was the most common cause (53.3%) followed by propeller hits (13.3%). Major disfigurements were observed in all three species and could be attributed to interactions with fishing gear. The results of this study indicate that fishing gear and propeller hits may pose threats to small and medium-sized cetaceans in Aruban waters. Thus, long-term monitoring of population trends is warranted. Shark-inflicted bite wounds were observed in Atlantic spotted dolphin and bottlenose dolphin. Bite wounds of cookie cutter sharks (Isistius sp.) were recorded in all three species, and include the first documented record of a cookie cutter shark bite in Atlantic spotted dolphin. This is one of the few studies which investigates the prevalence of injuries in cetaceans in the Caribbean. Further study is necessary to determine to which extent the injuries observed in Aruba affect the health and survival of local populations.
dc.description.sponsorshipFieldwork was supported by grants provided by Prins Bernhard Cultuurfonds, George Mason University, Cetacean Society International, Society for Marine Mammalogy, Lerner-Gray fund of the American Museum of Natural History, Humane Society International, Aruban Department of Agriculture, Husbandry and Fisheries, and K.M. Luksenburg-Bouwmeester. Publication of this article was funded in part by the George Mason University Libraries Open Access Publishing Fund.
dc.identifier.citationLuksenburg JA (2014) Prevalence of External Injuries in Small Cetaceans in Aruban Waters, Southern Caribbean. PLoS ONE 9(2): e88988. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0088988
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0088988
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1920/9941
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherPublic Library of Science
dc.rightsAttribution 3.0 United States
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/us/
dc.subjectDolphins
dc.subjectSharks
dc.subjectKiller whales
dc.subjectMarine mammals
dc.subjectBoats
dc.subjectLeading edges
dc.subjectCaribbean
dc.subjectFisheries
dc.titlePrevalence of External Injuries in Small Cetaceans in Aruban Waters, Southern Caribbean
dc.typeArticle

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