Dear Marmam and ECS list subscribers,
The most recent issue of _Aquatic Mammals_ is by Laurence Couquiaud entitled "A survey of the environments of cetaceans in human care." The issue is available as a CD for $19 plus shipping. To place an order, contact Gina Colley (GR-Colley@wiu.edu).
_Aquatic Mammals_ is the journal of the European Association for Aquatic Mammals. The following information about this special issue is posted as a favor to the journal editor - Dr. Jeanette Thomas. For information on subscription rates or manuscript submissions, please contact Dr. Thomas at: Department of Biological Sciences, Western Illinois University-Quad Cities, 3561 60th Street, Moline, Illinois 61265, USA; J-Thomas@wiu-edu; Tel: 309-762-9481, Ext 311; FAX: 309-762-6989.
No abstracts were provided for the 8 chapters that make up the special issue. I've provided a brief summary of what the chapter covers. For any questions or comments about the contents of the issue, the reader can contact Laurence Couquiaud at: lcouquiaud@yahoo.com
Thank you for your continued interest in the postings of the _Aquatic Mammals_ contents.
Regards,
Dagmar Fertl Marine Mammal Biologist Geo-Marine, Inc. 550 East 15th Street Plano, Texas 75074 USA dfertl@geo-marine.com http://www.geo-marine.com ********************************************************************* I. Introduction. This section provides a bit of history behind captive display of cetaceans, and talks about the methodology behind the special issue. Specially, an extensive worldwide survey of existing cetacean facilities was prepared sent to various facilities. The project team visited 26 facilities.
2. Whales, dolphins, and porpoises: Presentation of the cetaceans. This chapter provided cetacean taxonomy and an overview of cetacean biology and behaviour, including anatomy, physiology, life history, the senses, cognition, social life and behaviour, and possible impact of controlled environment on behaviour. A Cetacean Species Information Table is also presented that provides information on all species that have been kept in captivity in the past or are presently displayed, as well as all species listed as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered by the IUCN. It does not take account all species briefly kept for rehabilitation from strandings. At the time of publication, there were 18 species of odontocetes kept in human care on a permanent basis.
3. Survey of international cetacean facilities. In 1996, the first survey of international cetacean facilities was launched to assess the status of existing facilities worldwide and to gather information on controlled environments to serve as a base for this guidebook. A 30-page questionnaire was designed to request detailed information on location, function of facility and staff, number of animals kept and species, architectural design of pools and enclosures, life support systems, husbandry practices, diet, and food storage and preparation. The survey attempted to understand successful design features and husbandry practices, as well as recurrent problems. The survey was sent by post with a letter of support by cetacean scientist, Mrs. Karen Pryor, to 157 facilities in 41 countries (9 facilities were not included because of no available contact information). Forty-four questionnaires from 22 countries were received during the following year - early 1997. This chapter presents the survey results. Although the main goal of this survey was to receive information on the above-mentioned topics, the statistical analysis gives a broader picture of cetacean facilities in terms of their similarities and differences, and it allows us to begin to understand the influence of geographical locations, culture, and types of environment on the creation of controlled environments for cetaceans. The survey resulted in the largest database to date on international cetacean facilities. In addition to the survey, the project team visited 26 institutions in Europe, America, and Asia.
4. Types and functions of pools and enclosures. This chapter presents definitions of the various types of habitat in which cetaceans are housed, as well as the function of these various types of pools, and the terms used to name them.
5. Architectural design of pools and enclosures. The aim of this chapter is to present the suggestions given in the survey questionnaire with the goal of enhancing the quality of dolphin and whale environments in human care. The design of different types of pools and enclosures is discussed in great detail.
6. Life support systems. The aim of this chapter to give an overview of various water systems (e.g., open ocean, open systems, semi-closed and closed systems. Water parameters such as temperature, salinity, pH, alkalinity, turbidity and visibility, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate, as well as bacteria and algae are discussed. This is followed by a discussion of various water purification systems.
7. Food and fish house. This chapter discusses different food types fed, and an emphasis is put on the quality of food selection and storage, as well as the importance of hygiene in preparing and handling the food and in feeding the animals.
8. Husbandry. The purpose of this chapter is to present a brief overview of the various aspects of husbandry, the necessities of medical training, and the importance of implementing a veterinary programme to maintain the physical and psychological health of cetaceans in human care.
Appendix. This is a list of cetacean facilities worldwide by country.