Boileau Anik, Blais Jonathan, Van Bressem Marie-Françoise, Hunt Kathleen E, Ahloy-Dallaire Jamie
Faculté des Sciences Animales, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada.
Centre d'Éducation et de Recherche de Sept-Îles, Sept-Îles, QC G4R 2Y8, Canada.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Dec 5;14(23):3519. doi: 10.3390/ani14233519.
Anthropogenic activities impacting marine environments are internationally recognized as welfare issues for wild cetaceans. This study validates a first evidence-based physical indicator for the welfare assessment protocol of humpback (n = 50) and fin whales (n = 50) living in a highly anthropized environment. Visual assessments of body condition, skin health, prevalence of injuries and parasite/epibiont loads were performed using a species-specific multi-scale measuring tool. A total of 6403 images were analyzed (fin, n = 3152; humpback, n = 3251) and results were validated through reliability and positive discrimination statistical tests. Based on physical measures, welfare assessment results showed that 60% of humpback whales were considered in a good welfare state compared to only 46% of fin whales. Significant relationships were observed in both species, between environmental parameters like dissolved oxygen levels, and prevalence of cutaneous lesions like pale skin patch syndrome. Furthermore, animals with injuries due to anthropogenic activities were more likely to be in poorer body condition, suggesting chronic stress affecting welfare.
影响海洋环境的人为活动在国际上被公认为是野生鲸类的福利问题。本研究验证了首个基于证据的身体指标，用于评估生活在高度人为化环境中的座头鲸（n = 50）和长须鲸（n = 50）的福利状况。使用特定物种的多尺度测量工具对身体状况、皮肤健康、受伤患病率以及寄生虫/附着生物负荷进行视觉评估。共分析了6403张图像（长须鲸，n = 3152；座头鲸，n = 3251），并通过可靠性和阳性判别统计检验对结果进行了验证。基于身体测量，福利评估结果显示，60%的座头鲸被认为处于良好的福利状态，而长须鲸只有46%。在这两个物种中，都观察到了环境参数（如溶解氧水平）与皮肤病变患病率（如苍白皮肤斑块综合征）之间的显著关系。此外，因人为活动而受伤的动物身体状况更有可能较差，这表明慢性应激会影响福利。
