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Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland
Zatrak, Michal Brittain, Sam Himmelreich, Lauren Lovick-Earle, Susie Pizzi, Romain Shaw, Kirsty J. Grant, Robyn A. Geary, Matthew
Zatrak, Michal
Brittain, Sam
Himmelreich, Lauren
Lovick-Earle, Susie
Pizzi, Romain
Shaw, Kirsty J.
Grant, Robyn A.
Geary, Matthew
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Other Contributors
EPub Date
Publication Date
2022-10-14
Submitted Date
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Abstract
The UK shores are home to approximately 40% of the world's population of gray seals (Halichoerus grypus) and 40% of Europe's harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Stranded juvenile seals of both species are frequently rescued and admitted for rehabilitation. This study investigates the causes of P. vitulina and H. grypus admittance to rehabilitation centers in the UK and Ireland and identifies factors that can affect juvenile seal survival. Rehabilitation records for 1,435 P. vitulina and 2,691 H. grypus were used from five rehabilitation centers from 1988 through 2020. The most common nonexclusive reasons for seal admission to rehabilitation centers included malnourishment (37%), injuries (37%), maternal abandonment (15%), lethargy (12%), and parasite infections (8%). A mixed effects logistic regression model showed that H. grypus had 4.55 times higher survival odds than P. vitulina and that the odds of survival to release multiplied by 1.07 for every kilogram over their age-predicted weight. This weight-dependent survival could be attributed to the importance of fat in thermoregulation, hydration, and buoyancy during foraging. We recommend that seal rehabilitators pay special attention to the weight of admitted juvenile seals during triage and treatment to enhance their odds of survival and consequent release to the wild
Citation
Zatrak, M., Brittain, S., Himmelreich, L., Lovick‐Earle, S., Pizzi, R., Shaw, K. J., Grant, R. A. & Geary, M. (2023). Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland. Marine Mammal Science, 39(2), 462-480. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12983
Publisher
Wiley
Journal
Marine Mammal Science
Research Unit
DOI
10.1111/mms.12983
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Type
Article
Language
Description
This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: [Zatrak, M., Brittain, S., Himmelreich, L., Lovick‐Earle, S., Pizzi, R., Shaw, K. J., Grant, R. A. & Geary, M. (2023). Factors affecting the survival of harbor (Phoca vitulina) and gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) juveniles admitted for rehabilitation in the UK and Ireland. Marine Mammal Science, 39(2), 462-480], which has been published in final form at [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mms.12983]. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
Series/Report no.
ISSN
0824-0469
EISSN
1748-7692