Phocine distemper virus in seals, East Coast, United States, 2006

In 2006 and 2007, elevated numbers of deaths among seals, constituting an unusual mortality event, occurred off the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts, United States. We isolated a virus from seal tissue and confirmed it as phocine distemper virus (PDV). We compared the viral hemagglutinin, phosphoprotein, and fusion (F) and matrix (M) protein gene sequences with those of viruses from the 1988 and 2002 PDV epizootics. The virus showed highest similarity with a PDV 1988 Netherlands virus, which raises the possibility that the 2006 isolate from the United States might have emerged independently from 2002 PDVs and that multiple lineages of PDV might be circulating among enzootically infected North American seals. Evidence from comparison of sequences derived from different tissues suggested that mutations in the F and M genes occur in brain tissue that are not present in lung, liver, or blood, which suggests virus persistence in the central nervous system.

Demonstration of antibodies in archival sera from Canadian seals reactive with a European isolate of phocine distemper virus

Sera from seals infected during the 1988 European epizootic of phocine distemper virus and sera from Canadian seals collected since 1972 have been tested for the presence of antibodies to morbillivirus. Approximately one third of the Canadian sera have been shown to contain anti-morbillivirus antibodies; the possibility that these populations of seals provided a source of infection for European seals is discussed.

Personal Seals of Sir Isaac Brock

Two orange coloured seals containing the impression of the personal seal of Sir Isaac Brock. The seal depicts a crest containing a lion in the upper portion and an eagle with its wings spread in the lower portion, which represent strength, clarity of vision and courage. Below the crest is a banner with "Canada" written on it. Above the crest is an Indian on a battlement holding a tomahawk, which represents the alliance Brock had forged with the First Nations. The seals are in a John Sinclair tobacco tin.

Three Wax Seals

3 Wax seals including: 1 seal of the Woodruff crest and 2 seals of fide et fortitude (faith and fortitude), n.d.

Streptococcus halichoeri sp nov., isolated from grey seals (Halichoerus grypus)

Phenotypic and phylogenetic studies were performed on six unidentified, Gram-positive, catalase-negative, chain-forming Streptococcus-like organisms recovered from grey seals. Biochemically the six strains were highly related to each other, but they did not appear to correspond to any recognized species of the genus Streptococcus. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies confirmed that phylogenetically the strains were members of the genus Streptococcus, but sequence divergence values of greater than 3 % compared with reference streptococcal species demonstrated that the organisms from seals represent a novel species. SDS-PAGE analysis of whole-cell proteins confirmed the phenotypic distinctiveness of the seal organisms. Based on biochemical criteria and molecular chemical and genetic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown organism from seals be classified as a novel species, Streptococcus halichoeri sp. nov., the type strain of which is CCUG 48324(T) (=CIP 108195(T)).

Streptococcus marimammalium sp nov., isolated from seals

Two strains of an unidentified, Gram-positive, catalase-negative, chain-forming, coccus-shaped organism recovered from seals were characterized using phenotypic and molecular taxonomic methods. Based on morphological and biochemical criteria the strains were tentatively identified as streptococci but they did not appear to correspond to any recognized species of the genus Streptococcus. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequencing studies showed that the strains were closely related to each other and confirmed their placement in the genus Streptococcus. Sequence divergence values of > 5 % with reference streptococcal species demonstrated the organisms from seals represent a novel species. SDS-PAGE analysis of whole-cell proteins confirmed that the two organisms were closely related to each other but were different from all currently defined streptococcal species. Based on biochemical criteria, molecular chemical and molecular genetic evidence, it is proposed that the unknown isolates from seals be assigned to a novel species of the genus Streptococcus, Streptococcus marimammalium sp. nov. The type strain is M54/01/(T) (=CCUG 48494(T)=CIP 108309(T)).

Evidence of a genetic bottleneck in an El Nino affected population of South American fur seals, Arctocephalus australis

The South American fur seal, Arctocephalus australis, was one of the earliest otariid seals to be exploited by humans: at least 6000 years ago on the Atlantic coast and 4000 on the Pacific coast of South America. More than 750,000 fur seals were killed in Uruguay until 1991. However, a climatological phenomenon-the severe 1997-1998 El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-was responsible for the decline of 72% Of the Peruvian fur seal population due to starvation as a consequence of warming of sea-surface temperatures and primary productivity reduction. Currently, there is no precise information on global population size or on the species` conservation status. The present study includes the first bottleneck test for the Pacific and Atlantic populations of A. australis based on the analysis of seven microsatellite loci. Genetic bottleneck compromises the evolutionary potential of a population to respond to environmental changes. The perspective becomes even more alarming due to current global warming models that predict stronger and more frequent ENSO events in the future. Our analysis found moderate support for deviation from neutrality-equilibrium for the Pacific population of fur seals and none for the Atlantic population. This difference among population reflects different demographic histories, and is consistent with a greater reduction in population size in the Pacific. Such an event could be a result of the synergic effects of recurrent ENSO events and the anthropogenic impact (sealing and prey overfishing) on this population.

Multiple origins of vagrant Subantarctic fur seals: A long journey to the Brazilian coast detected by molecular markers

In this study, we present the first data about putative source populations of the vagrant Subantarctic fur seal, Arctocephalus tropicalis, found on the Brazilian coast, through the comparison of their mitochondrial DNA control sequences to exclusive haplotypes from the main breeding colonies of the species. The results indicated that, despite the majority of the vagrant individuals are from Gough Island (the closest breeding site to the Brazilian coast), they also come from other reproductive colonies, such as Crozet Island, a distance around 16,500 km from the Brazilian coast. Furthermore, the molecular data identified three possible management units: (1) Gough, (2) Amsterdam, and (3) Marion, Macquarie and Crozet. This significant genetic subdivision must be taken into account in any future management plan for the species conservation, including rehabilitation and even reintroduction of vagrant fur seals.

Stability in The Proportion of Harbor Seals Hauled Out Under Locally Ideal Conditions

We monitored the haul-out behavior of 68 radio-tagged harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) during the molt season at two Alaskan haul-out sites (Grand Island, August-September 1994; Nanvak Bay, August-September 2000). For each site, we created a statistical model of the proportion of seals hauled out as a function of date, time of day, tide, and weather covariates. Using these models, we identified the conditions that would result in the greatest proportion of seals hauled out. Although those “ideal conditions” differed between sites, the proportion of seals predicted to be hauled out under those conditions was very similar (81.3% for Grand Island and 85.7% for Nanvak Bay). The similar estimates for both sites suggest that haul-out proportions under locally ideal conditions may be constant between years and geographic regions, at least during the molt season.

The Abundance of Harbor Seals in the Gulf of Alaska

The abundance of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii) has declined in recent decades at several Alaska locations. The causes of these declines are unknown, but there is concern about the status of the populations, especially in the Gulf of Alaska. To assess the status of harbor seals in the Gulf of Alaska, we conducted aerial surveys of seals on their haul-out sites in August-September 1996. Many factors influence the propensity of seals to haul out, including tides, weather, time of day, and time of year. Because these “covariates” cannot simultaneously be controlled through survey design, we used a regression model to adjust the counts to an estimate of the number of seals that would have been ashore during a hypothetical survey conducted under ideal conditions for hauling out. The regression, a generalized additive model, not only provided an adjustment for the covariates, but also confirmed the nature and shape of the covariate effects on haul-out behavior. The number of seals hauled out was greatest at the beginning of the surveys (mid-August). There was a broad daily peak from about 1100-1400 local solar time. The greatest numbers were hauled out at low tide on terrestrial sites. Tidal state made little difference in the numbers hauled out on glacial ice, where the area available to seals did not fluctuate with the tide. Adjusting the survey counts to the ideal state for each covariate produced an estimate of 30,035 seals, about 1.8 times the total of the unadjusted counts (16,355 seals). To the adjusted count, we applied a correction factor of 1.198 from a separate study of two haul-out sites elsewhere in Alaska, to produce a total abundance estimate of 35,981 (SE 1,833). This estimate accounts both for the effect of covariates on survey counts and for the proportion of seals that remained in the water even under ideal conditions for hauling out.