During the past few months, more than half of the total population of about 300 highly endangered Mediterranean monk seals (Monachus monachus) on the western Saharan coast of Africa, died in a mysterious disease outbreak. Epizootiological and postmortem findings were reminiscent of similar outbreaks amongst pinniped and cetacean species in recent years, which were caused by an infection with newly discovered morbilliviruses (for review see osterhaus et al.). Virological, as well as toxicological, analysis performed on tissue samples collected from relatively fresh carcasses during the outbreak indicate that infection with a virus closely related to dolphin morbillivirus (DMV), possibly originating from affected dolphins in the same area, was the primary cause of the outbreak. Therefore it is concluded that vaccination with a safe and effective non-replicating vaccine should be considered as a management tool in the conservation of Mediterranean monk seals.
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Correction: Citizen science in eDNA monitoring for Mediterranean monk seal conservation.
BMC Ecol Evol
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Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Citizen science in eDNA monitoring for mediterranean monk seal conservation.
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Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Background: Citizen Science (CS) offers a promising approach to enhance data collection and engage communities in conservation efforts. This study evaluates the use of CS in environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring for Mediterranean monk seal conservation. We validated CS by assessing the effectiveness of a newly developed CS-friendly filtration system called "WET" (Water eDNA Trap) in eDNA detection, addressing technical challenges, and analysing volunteer faults.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntentional harm in marine mammals stranded dead in the Adriatic Sea, Croatia, 1990-2023.
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Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia.
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University of Milano-Bicocca, Milano, Italy University of Milano-Bicocca Milano Italy.
The monk seal is the most endangered pinniped in the world and the only one found in the Mediterranean, where its distribution and abundance have suffered a drastic decline in the last few decades. Data on its status are scattered due to both its rarity and evasiveness and records are biased towards occasional, mostly coastal encounters. Nowadays, molecular techniques allow us to detect and quantify minute amounts of DNA traces released into the environment (eDNA) by any organism.
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