Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration

The wild population of African penguins (Spheniscus demersus) is experiencing a dramatic decline.  The population was estimated to be 3 million birds in the 1930's.  The current estimated number is a mere 28,000 breeding pairs; down from 36,000 paris in 2006.  The Boulders Beach colony alone has fallen by 30 percent from a peak of nearly 4,000 birds in 2005.  Other island colonies have declined by 50 percent.  Some scientists predict that the species could vanish within a decade.  This species is truly in trouble.

Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration's Penguin Task Force (PTF) was formed in July 2008.  A Petition was presented to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to place 10 of the 17 species of penguins on the endangered species list.  Staff from the Aquarium's animal care, education and research departments joined forces to examine all the factors possibly affecting the penguins and developed a plan for the Aquaraium to assist in the conservation of the African penguin.  Our Mission Statement reads "To help save the African penguin through leadership and assistance with research, education and conservation efforts".

Animals produce vocalizations in many different situations including aggressive interactions, stressful conditions, social bonding, play, feeding, and reproduction. As such, vocalizations have the potential to serve as accurate monitors of animal behavior and important indicators of animal well-being in zoological settings and in wild habitats. Dolphins and whales, especially, rely heavily on sound production and hearing. In fact, the immense variety of vocalizations produced by beluga whales has earned them the nickname, “Canaries of the Sea.”

Knowledge of the effects of infectious diseases on both animal and human consumer populations is critical in order to assess potential health threats.  Marine brucellosis is an emerging infectious disease with apparent worldwide distribution and currently unknown potential for causing disease in both marine mammals and humans.  Since 1994, marine origin Brucella species have been isolated from numerous marine mammals worldwide.  In addition to the numerous species of marine mammals that have been infected with marine origin Brucella, there have been 4 confirmed cases of human infection with these strains.

Fecal and salivary cortisol determinations have been used in many species to monitor adrenal activity and the stress response. This study examines the feasibility of measuring cortisol in saliva and feces of belugas as an alternative to blood collection.  Multiple methods have been used to measure cortisol in the blood, saliva and feces.  We predict that a cortisol EIA kit designed for human serum will cross-react and measure cortisol in beluga serum, feces, and saliva. We hypothesize that cortisol levels in saliva reflect real-time blood levels of cortisol and can be used to detect acute stress whereas cortisol levels in feces reflect levels over a longer time frame and may be indicative of chronic stress.

Lutein belongs to a group of compounds called xanthophylls, which are oxygenated carotenoids related to beta-carotene.  In humans and many other species including non-human primates, quail, and frogs, lutein is highly concentrated in the macula, a small area of the retina responsible for central vision and high visual acuity. There is evidence suggesting that lutein may reduce the risk for developing cataracts and macular degeneration in humans and that it may slow the progression once disease is present.

Beluga whales live in an extreme environment, moving from deep water areas with heavy ice cover in the winter to shallow, relatively ice free estuaries in the summer.  Reproductive events coincide with these migrations; breeding occurs in the spring and calving occurs 15 months later in the following summer.  While this seasonal pattern of reproduction is well documented, very little information exists regarding male seasonality.

Brucella, a bacterial pathogen known for centuries for its devastating reproductive and general health effects in humans and livestock, is now recognized in marine mammals. Limited knowledge is available on its full physiologic effects in marine mammals. Though similar to terrestrial origin brucellosis, marine origin Brucella infection will likely act as a significant factor in low conception rates and increased spontaneous abortion and stillbirth rates in marine mammal populations. Marine origin Brucella is also zoonotic, thus poses a threat to humans who come into close contact with marine mammal body fluids and tissues, such as researchers, veterinarians, and animal care specialists.

Although much progress has made, there is still much information to be gained on the marine mammal immune system. Many of the reagents that are available to study the immune system of terrestrial mammals cannot be used to investigate the marine mammal immune system. Our research team has focused on studying the bottlenose dolphin and beluga whale immune systems. Our laboratory has developed dolphin and whale-specific tools and reagents to characterize the cetacean immune system. Recently, we have cloned the gene for dolphin CD8 which is an important immune molecule present on cells that suppress the immune response.

The Health and Risk Assessment (HERA) of Bottlenose Dolphin Populations project is a comprehensive study incorporating a variety of disciplines that focus on the health of Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus ). Led by Drs. Greg Bossart (Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute) and Patricia Fair (NOAA/National Ocean Service/Coastal Environmental Health & Biomolecular Research) this investigation is a major collaborative effort and involves a number of individuals and institutions, including Mystic Aquarium.