Population Health Assessment on Tursiops truncatus from Matagorda Bay, Texas, Following a Mortality Event, 1992
Jay C. Sweeney1, VMD; L. Rae Stone1, DVM; F. I.
Townsend2, DVM; D. Casper3, DVM; L. Hansen4, MS
During March and April of 1992, approximately 200 bottlenose dolphins,
Tursiops truncatus, were recovered from beaches in and around Matagorda Bay, Texas, a number
which far exceeds normal seasonal mortalities. In response, the U.S. National Marine Fisheries
Service called together a multi-disciplinary team of marine mammalogists representing the fields
of medicine, physiology, pathology, forensics, toxicology, cetacean capture, handling and
management, and population dynamics. In July, 1992, this team captured 36 dolphins representing
all age groups from within Matagorda Bay, and conducted complete bio-medical examinations on
them. This presentation will include a description of procedures, including acquisition of
morphometrics, hematology and blood chemistries, assessment of immune system function,
cultures/serology for bacteria, fungi, and viruses, age determination from tooth extraction,
toxicology from blubber biopsy, diagnostic ultrasound, diagnostic cytology, obstetrics
assessment and measurement of testis size, energetics studies, freeze branding, and attachment
of roto-tag or radio-telemetry tracking transmitters. A summary of results from these procedures
and a description of the overall population health assessment will be included.