We invite everyone to join us for a webinar on Cancer in Wild California Sea Lions on March 11, 2021 from 12:30-1:30pm EST hosted by the NOAA Library.

Register for the webinar is here: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/5102268728787699984

Speakers: Dr. Frances Gulland, University of California, Davis; Dr. Alissa Deming, Pacific Marine Mammal Center, California; Prof. Ailsa Hall, University of St Andrews, Scotland; Dr. Irvin Schultz, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA Abstract: The prevalence of cancer in wild California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) is one of the highest in mammals, with 18–23% of adult animals examined post-mortem over the past 40 years having urogenital carcinoma. Multiple factors have been identified in association with this carcinoma: sea lion genetics, infections and organochlorine pollutants. Two recent publications this year (Gulland et al. and Deming et al.) demonstrate that genital herpesvirus infection plays an integral role in carcinogenesis and the importance of persistent organochlorines combined with OtHV1 infection in cancer occurrence in wild sea lions. These sea lion studies provide evidence that herpesvirus infection (OtHV1) is critical to the likelihood of carcinoma occurrence, however the higher the animals’ blubber contaminant concentrations, the higher the odds of cancer.

The webinar will also be recorded and available for later viewing on the NOAA Library YouTube site.

Sarah Wilkin, M.S. (she/her)

Coordinator, Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program

National Marine Mammal Stranding and Emergency Response Coordinator

Office of Protected Resources

NOAA Fisheries | U.S. Department of Commerce

Office: 301-427-8470

sarah.wilkin@noaa.gov