●​ Male - long tail; concave plastron

API — P1 ●​ Female - short tail; convex plastron

~ Feeding
Sea Turtle/Pawikan/Tortuga/Pawer/Ba-o/Bakoko/Pagong ●​ No teeth - have a beak
●​ Feeds on: crabs. Other shellfish, jelly fish, seagrasses, seaweeds
~ Oxygen
~ Marine Reptiles ●​ Use lungs to breathe air
●​ Marine Turtles ●​ Can dive for 2.5 hrs at rest
●​ Sea Snakes - Pacific and Indian Oceans ~ Movement
○​ 50 species ●​ Streamlined Carapace
○​ Mostly venomous ●​ Forelimbs for swimming
○​ Laterally flattened body ●​ Hindlimbs act as rudders
●​ Marine lizards - only Galapagos ~ Lifecycle
●​ Marine Iguana ●​ Spend most of life at sea
~ Anatomy ●​ Return to beach they were born to lay eggs every 2-4 yrs
●​ Internal and External Skeleton - for protection and support ●​ Mating is just offshore
●​ Plastron - ventral part of shell ●​ Internal fertilization
●​ Carapace - dorsal part of shell ●​ Females climb to upper beach at night
○​ Broadened, fused ribs, spine fused to it ●​ Excavates pit; lays 100-160 eggs in pit and covers
○​ Cannot withdraw into shells ●​ Eggs - leathery, look like ping pong balls
○​ Leatherback - exception w/ leathery skin over many small bones ●​ Drags herself back to water
(allows to dive to 3,000 feet) ●​ Can nest several times per season
●​ Scutes - firm, pliant plates covering carapace; helps distinguish species ●​ Eggs incubate for about 60 days
●​ Salt gland near eyes - removes excess salt gained from drinking sea water ●​ Cool temperatures = males; Warm temperature = females
(looks like tears) ●​ Hatch and dig to surface (few days to dig)
●​ No external ear ●​ Emerge at night and instinctively find way to water
●​ Good sense of smell

●​ Lost yrs - swim in sea for several yrs

●​ Then often return to adult feeding grounds
●​ Find way by sensing wave motion & earth’s magnetic field
●​ Reach maturity at 15 - 30 yrs old
●​ Lay eggs on beach they were born

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~ Threats
●​ Destruction of nesting habitat
○​ Development
○​ Beach erosion
○​ Compacting beach sediments - by cars
●​ Drowning in fishing nets, long lines
●​ TEDs (turtle exclusion devices) on shrimp trawls
●​ Choking on floatable debris (i.e., plastic bags)
●​ Artificial lighting - disorients hatching
●​ Hit by boats
●​ Shells for jewelry, etc.
~ Status
●​ All species of sea turtles are endangered or threatened
●​ Ex: Kemp’s Ridley - most endangered
○​ 42,000 in 1947: 400 - 500 today
○​ Nest only on few beaches in Mexico
~ Sea Turtles and Dinosaurs
●​ Sea turtles have remained unchanged for 150 million yrs

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 Name Notes Characteristic Vet Notes

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) ●​ Endangered worldwide ●​ Smooth oval carapace; “sunburst” ●​ Common presentations: entanglement
●​ Found in Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian pattern on scutes; often clean in injuries, boat-strike trauma, emaciation,
Oceans juveniles buoyance problems, suspected foreign
●​ Habitat - coastlines, bays, and seas ●​ Prefrontal scutes: 1 pair body ingestion and potentially
grass beds ●​ Coastal scutes: 4 pairs with first costal fibropapillomatosis.
●​ 400-600 pounds; 3-4 ft long not touching the nuchal ●​ Examination: full physical including
●​ Herbivore - sea grass & algae ●​ Small, rounded “C-shaped” head with a body condition score, shell and limb
●​ 115 eggs/pest short, rounded serrated beak and assessment, auscultation of lungs,
●​ Threats - food, eggs, by catch in relatively slender neck evaluation of salt gland discharge, and
shrimping ●​ One claw on each flipper. morphometrics for growth and release
●​ Diet: predominantly herbivorous planning.
(seagrass & algae) in coastal stages; ●​ Nutrition on rehab: Predominantly
gut microbiome & hindgut morphology herbivorous diet (seagrass and algae
adapt to ferment fibrous plant material analogues) with careful caloric control
●​ In the Philippines, greens are the most to prevent obesity and hepatic lipidosis.
frequently observed species in foraging ●​ Management: address respiratory
areas. complications of drowning, perform
surgical or medical management of
trauma and foreign bodies, and design
exercise for programs to restore
swimming abilities to release

Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) ●​ Endangered worldwide ●​ Carapace with overlapping, ●​ Common presentations: trauma from
●​ Most tropical turtle – found in “imbricated” scutes and serrated nets and boats, malnutrition linked to
Caribbean Sea, Atlantic, Pacific & posterolateral margins, particularly degraded reefs, ingestion of line or
Indian Oceans obvious in juveniles. hooks and shell or limb injuries from
●​ Habitat - estuaries, lagoons, & coastal ●​ Prefrontal scutes: 2 pairs; costal destructive fishing.
reefs scutes: 4 pairs with first costal not ●​ Examination: careful evaluation of the
●​ 100 – 200 pounds; 2-3 ft long touching the nuchal. head and beak for fractures or chronic
●​ Omnivore – sponges, anemones, ●​ Narrow head with a strongly hooked, damage; these are critical to their ability
shrimp, & squid pointed beak and slender neck. to feed efficiently on sponges.
●​ 160 eggs/ nest ●​ Two claws on each flipper. ●​ Nutrition on rehab: use invertebrate-rich
●​ Threats – harvested for beautiful shell diets that approximate natural prey;
●​ Diet is predominantly sponges avoid forcing highly herbivorous or
(spongivore 70-90% by volume), with extremely high-energy fish-based diets.

ⒸⓊⓇⒺ
 additional algae, tunicates, cnidarians ●​ Management: given high conservation
and other inverts; this diet is tightly value, intensive treatment may be
linked to reef health. justified for cases with reasonable
●​ Juveniles show bright mottles prognosis; long-term wound care,
tortoiseshell patterns, while older physiotherapy and close liaison with
individuals can appear duller, though authorities are essential
scute arrangement and beak shape
remain distinctive

Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivaceaf) ●​ Endangered ●​ Small to medium turtle with a rounded, ●​ Common presentations: entanglement
●​ Tropical waters worldwide heart-shaped carapace, dark grey to injuries, amputated flippers, emaciation
●​ Habitat – coastal bays, estuaries & olive and usually relatively uniform. and gut foreign bodies from fishing gear
forage off shore ●​ Costal scutes: 5-9 pairs, often and plastics.
●​ 2 - 2½ feet long / 75 – 100 lbs asymmetrical; first costal scute touches ●​ Examination: detailed evaluation for
●​ Omnivore – crustaceans, mollusks, & the nuchal constriction marks and hidden injuries
fish ●​ Head small with a modestly hooked under old net or line; imaging for hooks
●​ Nest arribadas – 110 eggs/nest “parrot-like” beak; body compact. and internal foreign bodies.
●​ Threats – harvest of adults & eggs, ●​ Typically 1-2 claws on each flipper. ●​ Nutrition on rehab: offer a balanced
commercial fishing, & habitat omnivorous marine diet (invertebrates
destruction and fish) and avoid overfeeding small
●​ Juveniles are often very dark, almost individuals.
black, becoming paler as they mature. ●​ Management: decision should carefully
●​ Diet is omnivorous and opportunistic, weigh prognosis and welfare, as
including pelagic invertebrates, severely maimed turtles may be
crustaceans, mollusks, tunicates, unlikely to forage effectively
jellyfish and some vegetation. post-release.

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 How Arribadas Work?
-​ Timing: Triggered by lunar cycles, usually near the last quarter or dark moon phases.
-​ Scale: Involves hundreds to hundreds of thousands of turtles on a single beach
-​ Duration: Lasts for about 3 to 7 days per event.

Why Do Turtles Do This?

-​ Predator Swamping: Millions of eggs hatch together so predators cannot eat them all.
-​ Safety in Numbers: Overwhelming local animals ensures more babies survive to reach the ocean.

Kemp’s Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) ●​ Critically Endangered

●​ Found in the Gulf of Mexico
●​ Habitat – Shallow sandy or muddy flats
●​ 85 –100 pounds; 2 – 2.5 feet long
●​ Carnivore – crabs, shrimp, fish, squid,
jellyfish, sea urchins, & clams
●​ Nest in “arribadas” 110 eggs/nest
●​ Threats – taking for meat and eggs &
shrimping industry

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Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) ●​ Threatened ●​ Robust turtle with a very large head ●​ Common presentations: stranded
●​ Found in temperate and tropical waters and thick neck relative to body size. subadults or adults with hook injuries,
around the world ●​ Coastal scutes: 5 pairs; first costal flipper entanglement, carapace trauma
●​ Habitat – Estuaries & bays scute touches the nuchal. and sometimes severe emaciation.
●​ 300 - 400 pounds; 2 - 3 feet long ●​ Prefrontal scutes: usually 4-5 (often ●​ Examination: focus on head and jaw;
●​ Omnivore – shellfish on ocean floor, remembered with the “5 and 5” rule). fractures or severe deformities may
crabs, shellfish, & mussels ●​ Carapace color reddish-orange in preclude effective feeding even if the
●​ 100 – 125 eggs/nest juveniles, becoming more muted turtle otherwise stabilizes.
●​ Threats – coastal development, habitat reddish-brown in adults, generally ●​ Nutrition on rehab: provide suitable
destruction, & shrimping without elaborate patterning. sized hard-shelled prey analogues
●​ Loggerheads are rare visitors in the ●​ Two claws per flipper where safe, alongside softer items, to
Philippines, so accurate morphological encourage normal jaw use; avoid
confirmation is crucial. exclusively soft diets for long-term
●​ Diet shifts from pelagic invertebrates cases.
and cnidarians in juveniles to ●​ Management: Due to their reproductive
hard-shelled benthic prey (crabs, value, subadults and adults with good
mollusks, horseshoe crabs and others) prognosis may justify prolonged
in adults, using powerful crushing jaws. rehabilitation efforts under close
collaboration with authorities.

Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) ●​ Endangered worldwide. ●​ Very large turtle with soft, leathery ●​ Common presentations: stranded,
●​ Most widely distributed turtle around carapace, lacking hard scutes and severely emaciated leatherbacks with
the world. From Alaska to Southern tip bearing 5 prominent dorsal ridges. suspected plastic ingestion or fishing
of Africa. ●​ Dorsal color mostly black with pale or gear injuries; these are rare but
●​ Habitat – pelagic open ocean, white spots, lighter underneath. high-profile cases.
migrating thousands of miles. ●​ Very long, pointed front flippers without ●​ Examination: rapid triage is vital,
●​ 700 – 2000 pounds. claws. assess overall viability, respiratory
●​ 5 - 9 feet long. ●​ Narrow, slightly hooked beak, mouth function, flipper integrity and presence
●​ Shell is made of tiny bone plates and esophagus lined with backward of foreign bodies using imaging where
covered by skin. pointing papillae to grip jellyfish. possible.
●​ Eat jellyfish. ●​ Nutrition on rehab: rehabilitation is
●​ 80 eggs/nest extremely challenging due to their
●​ Threats – long-line fishery, pollution, pelagic lifestyle and specialized diet;
and poaching eggs. attempts should only occur in
●​ Leatherbacks are unmistakable in size well-resourced, experienced facilities
and appearance. and under national authority guidance.

ⒸⓊⓇⒺ
 ●​ Diet consists primarily of gelatinous ●​ Management: dietary management
zooplankton (jellyfish, salps and similar must mimic the low-calorie,
prey) that are low in energy density, high-water-content gelatinous prey as
necessitating high intake and closely as feasible; feeding high-energy
near-continuous swimming fish-based diet is inappropriate.

Flatback (Natator depressus) ●​ Critically Endangered

●​ Northern Australia
●​ Habitat – inshore waters, bays, coastal
reefs, & grassy shallows
●​ 3 - 3½ feet long / 200 lbs
●​ Omnivore – sea cucumbers, jellyfish,
mollusks, inverts, & seaweed
●​ 55 eggs/nest – 4 nests/yr
●​ Threats – harvest of adults & eggs,
fishing, habitat loss, & ocean pollution

ⒸⓊⓇⒺ
~ 7 stages of nesting
1.​ Arrival - female turtle emerges from the ocean onto the beach

2.​ Nest Construction

a.​ Body pitting – removal of the top dry layer of sand. The turtle needs 3.​ Egg Deposition (Laying)
moist sand to dig its nest. a.​ Laying – Turtle slips into a trance and lays her eggs.

b.​ Digging – Nest is dug with rear flippers only. Each flipper alternates
digging. Turtle digs until it can no longer reach the bottom of the nest. 4.​ Tamping & Camouflaging
a.​ Tamping – Rear flippers bury the eggs and pack down the sand.
b.​ Camouflaging – Using the front flippers, the turtle throw sand around
the nest site to hide the nest from predators.

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 ○​ Fused ribs and vertebrae form the shell (carapace and plastron);
shell fractures are equivalent to
spinal fractures
○​ Cannot retract the head and
flippers into the shell
○​ Absence of diaphragm
○​ Large salt glands behind the
5.​ Return to the Ocean eyes help excrete excess salt.
a.​ Exiting – After laying and burying her eggs, the turtle returns to the ●​ Physiology
ocean. ○​ Ectothermic: body temperature,
metabolism, immunity and drug
metabolism depend on
environmental temperature
○​ Adapted for prolonged diving by
conserving Oxygen through the
cardiac shunt (bypass blood
flow)
○​ Buoyancy is regulated mainly by lung function; lung disease or
6.​ Hatching Process trauma can cause floating abnormalities
a.​ Eggs take 45 – 80 days to incubate & hatch ●​ Hematology
b.​ Use egg tooth to pip shell ○​ Nucleated RBCs and thrombocytes;
c.​ Hatchlings work together to emerge from nest (sand elevator). This manual blood smear evaluation is
can take several days important
d.​ Swim frenzy-swim for several days pass reef to sargassum mats ○​ Preferred blood collection site: external
e.​ 1 in 1,000 survives to adult jugular vein ( minimizes risk of
hemodilution )
○​ Main leukocytes include heterophils,
lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils and
basophils
○​ Blood parameters are influenced by
species, temperature, season and health
status
●​ Veterinary Significance
7.​ Emergence ○​ Require species-specific approaches to
anaesthesia, diagnostics, treatment and
rehabilitation.
○​ Temperature plays a critical role in recovery
and clinical outcomes.
~ Common Medical Emergencies
●​ Fishing Gear Entanglement
○​ Fishing nets, ropes, and monofilament lines
can become wrapped around the neck,
flippers or body of sea turtles
~ Why are sea turtles different?
●​ Anatomy

ⒸⓊⓇⒺ
 ○​ This can cause constriction injuries, impaired swimming, drowning
and severe soft tissue damage
○​ Severe cases like trawler fishing nets which often lead to DCS, lung
tears and even death of the animal
○​ Signs:
■​ External wounds and bruising
■​ Swollen or necrotic flippers (
sometimes amputated )
■​ Low BCS or debilitated condition
■​ Weakness and chronic starvation
○​ Management:
■​ Removal of entangling material by vet
experts
■​ Stabilization and fluid therapy
■​ Diagnostics - Blood & Radiography
■​ Medications ●​ Boat or Propeller Strike
■​ Wound cleaning and debridement ○​ Collisions with watercraft during feeding or migration
■​ Physiotherapy & laser therapy ○​ This can cause shell fractures, deep
■​ Surgical intervention (amputation in severe cases) lacerations, internal hemorrhage and
■​ Removal of entangling material by vet experts trauma to vital organs
■​ Stabilization and fluid therapy ○​ Signs:
■​ Diagnostics - Blood & Radiography ■​ Shell fractures
■​ Medications ■​ Severe soft tissue wounds
■​ Wound cleaning and debridement ■​ Hemorrhage
■​ Physiotherapy & laser therapy ■​ Neurological deficits
■​ Surgical intervention (amputation in severe cases) ■​ Coelomic cavity penetration
●​ Foreign Body Ingestion ○​ Management
○​ Sea turtles frequently ingest marine debris such as plastic bags, ■​ Stabilization and fluid therapy
fishing hooks, monofilament threads and other anthropogenic wastes ■​ Diagnostics - Blood &
○​ This leads to secondary complications like obstruction, gastric Radiography
infection or perforation ■​ Medications
○​ Signs: ■​ Surgical intervention (Carapace/Plastron fixation)
■​ • Anorexia ■​ Oxygen therapy
■​ Weight loss / low BCS
■​ Constipation or GI obstruction
■​ Abnormal buoyancy
■​ Toxicity in severe cases
■​ Cloacal Prolapse
○​ Management:
■​ Stabilization and fluid therapy
■​ Diagnostics - Blood, Radiography & CT scan
■​ Medications • Endoscopic retrieval when possible
■​ Surgical intervention ●​ Buoyancy Syndrome/ Gas Emboli
■​ Monitoring of gastrointestinal function

ⒸⓊⓇⒺ
 ○​ Buoyancy syndrome occurs when turtles lose the ability to maintain a ■​ Long-term rehabilitation & care
normal underwater position ●​ Chronic Debilitation Syndrome
○​ Causes include gastrointestinal disorders, ○​ Chronic Debilitation Syndrome (CDS) is a multifactorial condition
trauma and gas embolism associated with commonly observed in stranded juvenile and sub-adult sea turtles
fisheries interactions ○​ It develops gradually due to prolonged
○​ Decompression sickness (DCS) malnutrition, chronic disease, parasitism,
■​ Extreme stress situation due to environmental stressors or impaired feeding
entanglement ability
■​ Rapid ascent leads to trapping of ○​ Debilitated turtles often present in poor body
Nitrogen in the bloodstreams condition and require intensive supportive care
■​ Accumulation of such bubbles in and long-term rehabilitation
different parts of the body affects ○​ Signs:
diving ability ■​ Marked weight loss and low BCS
○​ Signs: ■​ Sunken eyes
■​ Inability to dive ■​ Reduced swimming ability
■​ Uneven floating posture ■​ Anaemia & weakness (low PCV
■​ Abnormal swimming patterns count)
■​ Respiratory distress ■​ Epibiota overgrowth (barnacles,
■​ Reduced feeding activity algae, leeches)
○​ Management ■​ Hypoproteinemia and edema
■​ Diagnostics - Blood & ■​ Secondary infections
Radiography ■​ Reduced appetite or anorexia
■​ Hyperbaric oxygen chamber ○​ Management
therapy ■​ Fluid therapy
■​ Treatment of underlying disease ■​ Assisted feeding or O-tube placement in chronic conditions
■​ Targeted weight therapy ■​ Treatment of underlying infections Regular monitoring of
■​ Surgical removal of excess gas if body weight and blood parameters
possible ■​ Long-term rehabilitation
●​ Predator Attack ■​ Curable if detected at early stages
○​ Predator attacks by sharks, crocodiles and ~ Fibropapillomatosis (FP) Tumors
large predatory fish can result in extensive ●​ FP is a tumour-forming disease primarily affecting green sea turtles due to the
trauma Herpes virus
○​ Survivors often require prolonged veterinary ○​ Tumours mainly grow around the eyes and flippers, which can affect
care and rehabilitation vision, feeding, swimming and overall survival
○​ Signs: ○​ Relatively uncommon in Philippine coasts compared to global
■​ Bite wounds hotspots like Florida, Hawaii or Parts of the Caribbean ( as there is
■​ Missing portions of flippers very little ground for Green Sea Turtle nesting due to low foraging
■​ Shell damage ground )
■​ Secondary bacterial infection ○​ Histopathological confirmation needed
○​ Management ○​ No definitive treatment as of now
■​ Stabilization and fluid therapy
■​ Diagnostics - Blood & Radiography
■​ Medications
■​ Surgical intervention

ⒸⓊⓇⒺ
 ○​ Scientific evidence reveals that we are in the midst of and largely
responsible for the 6th and largest mass extinction in the earth’s
history.
●​ Endangered Species Act of 1973 – protects plants or animals that are listed by
the federal government as endangered or threatened.
○​ Provides a means to conserve the ecosystem upon which
endangered and threatened species depend, thus preventing
~ Cold Stunning extinction
●​ Cold-stunning is a hypothermic condition that occurs when sea turtles are ○​ Can not harm, kill, or harass any sea turtle, nests, eggs, or
exposed to prolonged periods of cold water temperatures, typically below hatchlings.
10-15°C, depending on the species. ○​ CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
●​ As ectothermic animals, sea turtles rely on environmental temperatures to Wild Fauna & Flora) – Regulates and prohibits international trade of
regulate their body functions. plant & animal species that are threatened or endangered.
●​ Exposure to cold water causes a significant reduction in metabolism, leading ○​ Can not transport, sell, or trade any endangered species product. (ex:
to weakness, impaired organ function and potentially death if untreated. turtle shells, meat, or eggs)
●​ Not common in the coasts of the Philippines, as it falls under a tropical region. ●​ Conservation Goals
~ Important Diagnostics ○​ Enforce laws against illegal poaching of sea turtles and their eggs
●​ Blood Profile Analysis (POC) ○​ Protect nesting beaches from armoring, artificial lighting, and
○​ PCV (20-30%) development through establishment of parks and refuges
○​ DLC (H:L~ 1 :1) ○​ Eliminate illegal international trade of sea turtles and their products
○​ Uric Acid (< 2 mg/dL ) ○​ Reduce turtle deaths from commercial fishing and shrimping
○​ Haemoglobin (6-12 g/dL) ○​ Enforce local, national, and international laws to reduce dumping of
○​ Glucose (60-140 mg/dL) pollution, solid waste and toxins into the ocean and sensitive sea
○​ Total Solids (3-5.5 mg/dL) turtle habitats
●​ Radiography ○​ Increase education and public awareness about sea turtle
○​ Dorsoventral conservation efforts and how the community can get involved.
○​ Anterio-posterior ○​ Continued and increased research of sea turtle populations, their
○​ Lateral habitats (nesting beach and in water migrations) and their behavior.
●​ Endoscopy ●​ Ways you can help sea turtles
●​ Ultrasonography & CT Scan ○​ Pick up trash at the beach and place in garbage can
●​ ABST (Antibiotic Sensitivity Testing / Antibiotic Sensitivity Test) ○​ Volunteer for beach cleanups
~ What Does Endangered Mean? ○​ Buy turtle safe shrimp
●​ Critically endangered – Facing an extremely high risk of extinction from the ○​ Hold onto your balloons
wild in the immediate future. ○​ Build sand castles near the water as they may obstruct nesting
●​ Endangered species – An animal or plant species in danger of extinction attempts or disorient hatchlings emerging from the nest.
throughout all or a significant portion of its range. ●​ What to do if you see a turtle nesting
●​ Threatened species – An animal or plant species likely to become endangered ○​ Stay clear of and out of the sight of the turtle. Your movement could
within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range. disturb the turtle and scare it back into the sea.
~ What Is Extinction & Why Is It Bad? ○​ Do not shine your light at the turtle.
●​ Extinction – the last individual of a species dies and there are no more of that ○​ Do not take pictures with flashes as this will disorient the turtle and
species on earth. cause it to abort the nest.
○​ Each species of animal has its place and a specific role in the ○​ Do not approach, touch, or ride the turtle. This is for your safety as
ecosystem. well as the turtle’s.
○​ Extinction of a species results in an imbalance in the ecosystem. ○​ Do not touch, take or handle turtle eggs.

ⒸⓊⓇⒺ
 ○​ Do not destroy the tracks left by the turtle as they are important for
researchers to help locate and protect the nest.
○​ Do enjoy the experience
~ BCS
●​ BCI = Weight (kg) / SCL^3 (cm) x 10,000; SCL = Straight Carapace Length

ⒸⓊⓇⒺ
 ●​Some live in the Arctic (Polar Bears)
MARINE MAMMALS ●​Some live along the Pacific coast (Sea otters)
●​Some live in the West Indies (Dugongs)
Evolution of Cetaceans (Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises)
●​Evolved from terrestrial hoofed animals (Artiodactyls) during the Eocene Epoch How do they Survive?
(56-33.9 MYA) ●​Thermoregulation - adapt to changing water temperatures
●​Best documented evolutionary transitions in vertebrate history ●​Blubber - special thick layer of fat for energy storage
●​Fur traps - layer of air next to the skin to keep it dry (like wetsuits)
Timeline of Cetacean Evolution ●​Vasodilation - controls body temperature by controlling blood flow

Pakicetus (~56-53 MYA) Main Categories of Marine Mammals

●​Fully terrestrial; wolf-sized; ears beginning to adapt for underwater hearing ●​Carnivora
Ambulocetus (~49-47 MYA) ○​Mustelidae (Sea Otters)
●​"Walking whale"; amphibious; powerful swimmer using hind limbs ○​Ursidae (Polar Bears)
Rodhocetus (~47-43 MYA) ○​Pinnipeds
●​Mostly aquatic; shorter hind limbs; nostrils beginning to migrate backward ■​ Phocidae (True Seals)
Basilosaurus (~41-34 MYA) ■​ Otariidae (Eared Seals)
●​Fully aquatic; tiny non-functional hind limbs; elongated body ■​ Odobenidae (Walruses)
Dorudon (~40-33 MYA) ●​Sirenians
●​Modern whale-like body; tail flukes; powerful swimming ○​Manatees
○​Dugongs
As Cetaceans evolved, their noses slowly moved up their head to eventually become ●​Cetaceans
the blowhole. ○​Toothed Whales (Odontocetes)
○​Baleen Whales (Mysticetes)
Whale evolution transformed land-dwelling, four-legged mammals into fully aquatic
ocean swimmers, causing hind legs to shrink, detach from the spine, and eventually CARNIVORA
disappear externally. Front limbs turned into flippers, while hind limbs reduced into tiny, ●​Order Carnivora
hidden vestigial structures ●​Prominent canine teeth
●​Pinnipeds - large skin covered
Marine Mammals flippers
●​Land-dwelling ancestors
●​Have mammary glands for milk
●​Have all 3 ear bones
●​Bear live young
●​Warm-blooded
●​Breathe air
●​Have hair/fur
●​Most of them have different kinds of teeth
●​4 chambered hearts
●​Highly developed brains

Where do they live?

●​All over the ocean Harem - social grouping where a dominant
●​Migrate based on seasons, breeding, and feeding cycles male (alpha or beachmaster) controls a

ⒸⓊⓇⒺ
territory of numerous females during the breeding season ●​Manatees
○​Found in coastal areas of tropical Atlantic Ocean
Common in species like elephant seals, fur seals, and sea lions. ●​Dugongs
○​Found in coastal areas of Indian and Western Pacific Ocean
○​Now confined to small and fragmented populations due to rapid decline caused
by:
■​ Boat strikes
■​ Destructive fishing practices
■​ Loss of seagrass meadows
○​Key habitats include:
●​Rabies has been detected in Cape fur seals, marking a significant wildlife and public ■​ Palawan
health concern. ■​ Guimaras Strait
●​Since 2024, more than 100 confirmed rabies cases have been reported in Cape fur ■​ Parts of Mindanao
seals in South Africa and Namibia.
●​Evidence suggests that rabies transmission within the seal population began CETACEA
several years before it was first detected, indicating sustained spread. ●​Order Cetacea
●​The outbreak is believed to have started from a single spillover event in which a ●​Includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises
dog-related rabies virus variant, maintained by black-backed jackals in southern ●​Stream-lined bodies and specialized skin structure for fast swimming
Africa, infected Cape fur seals. ●​Adapted for deep diving
●​The virus is now being transmitted between seals, representing the first known ●​Use oxygen efficiently
establishment of rabies in a free-ranging marine mammal population. ○​Absorb 90% of oxygen inhaled (lots of capillaries)
●​Infected seals have shown neurological signs, including: ○​Store large quantities of oxygen (lots of hemoglobin)
○​Abnormal aggression toward humans and other animals ●​Muscles insensitive to carbon dioxide buildup
○​Behavioral changes consistent with rabies infection ●​Collapsible lungs
●​As of May 2026, more than 145 human exposure incidents associated with rabid ●​Swim with strong tail and flukes
seals had been reported, emphasizing the need for:
○​Prompt public health interventions Key facts (differ between species)
○​Appropriate post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) Average life span: 10 to 50 years
●​The outbreak threatens wildlife conservation, as Cape fur seals: Gestation: 10 to 17 months
○​Occur along the coasts of South Africa and Namibia Calving: can occur every 2 to 5 years, one calf at a time
○​Travel long distances, increasing the risk of spreading the virus to other marine Size: "typical" dolphins are about two m long and weigh 100 kg
mammal species
●​The emergence of rabies in Cape fur seals demonstrates that pathogens can adapt -All dolphins are whales, but not all whales are dolphins-
to new host species.
●​The outbreak highlights the importance of a One Health approach, integrating SUBORDER Mysticetes (Baleen whales)
surveillance and collaboration among: ●​Fibrous plates of baleen sieve prey items
○​Wildlife health ●​Eat lower on food chain, krill,, zooplankton
○​Domestic animal health ●​Vocalized sounds for various purposes, low frequency communications, travel large
○​Human public health sectors (50 km) distances
●​Blue whale, Finback whale, Humpback whale, Gray whale, Right whale

SIRENIA SUBORDER Odontocetes (Toothed whales)

●​Elephant-like ancestors ●​Dolphins, porpoises, Orcas (killer whales), sperm whale
●​Herbivores ●​Echolocation to determine distance and direction and size of objects

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Dolphins
●​Teeth are cone shaped, and top and bottom teeth interlock
●​Melon-shaped head with a beak
●​Have dorsal fins
●​There are 36 species of dolphin, including bottlenose dolphin, Risso's dolphin, false
killer whale, Pacific whitesided dolphin, orca (killer whale), longfinned pilot whale,
shortfinned pilot whale, and Irrawaddy dolphin

Porpoises
●​Have blunt heads and small spade-shaped teeth
●​No beak and melon-shaped foreheads
●​Usually smaller than dolphin
●​Porpoise species include the Harbor, Gulf of California, Burmeister's, Spectacled,
Finless and Dall's porpoises

Whale Behavior
●​Sperm whales surrounding an injured member of a pod
●​Spying behavior of Killer Whales
Dolphin Behavior
●​Dolphins seen carrying an injured Dolphin to the surface to breathe

Whales and Dolphins found in the Philippines

●​Mysticetes (Baleen Whales) (5)
○​Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus)
○​Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)
○​Bryde's Whale (Balaenoptera edeni)
○​Omura's Whale (Balaenoptera omurai)
○​Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
●​Odontocetes (Toothed Whales) (22)
○​Sperm Whales
■​ Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus)
■​ Pygmy Sperm Whale (Kogia breviceps)
■​ Dwarf Sperm Whale (Kogia sima)
○​Beaked Whales
■​ Cuvier’s (Ziphius cavirostris)
■​ Blainville’s (Mesoplodon densirostris)
■​ Ginkgo-toothed (Mesoplodon ginkgodens)
■​ Deraniyagala’s (Mesoplodon hotaula)
■​ Longman’s (Indopacetus pacificus)
○​Dolphins and Oceanic Whales
■​ Pantropical Spotted Dolphin (Stenella attenuate)

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 ■​ Spinner Dolphin (Stenella longirostris) ●​Histamine Toxicity (Scombroid Poisoning, Mackerel Poisoning)
■​ Risso’s Dolphin (Grampus griseus) Bacterial Diseases
■​ Fraser’s Dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) ●​Actinomycetes
■​ Rough-toothed Dolphin (Steno bredanensis) ●​Brucellosis
■​ Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncates) ●​Clostridial Myositis
■​ Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) ●​Pneumonia
■​ Irrawaddy Dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) ●​Erysipelas (Diamond skin disease)
■​ Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin (Sousa chinensis) ●​Leptospirosis
■​ False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens) ●​Streptothricosis (Dolphin Pseudopox, Cutaneous Dermatophilosis)
■​ Melon-headed Whale (Peponocephala electra) ●​Mycobacteriosis
■​ Pygmy Killer Whale (Feresa attenuate) ●​Mycoplasmosis
■​ Short-finned Pilot Whale Mycotic Diseases
(Globicephala macrorhynchus) ●​Aspergillosis
■​ Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) ●​Candidiasis
●​Sirenians (Sirenia) (1) ●​Dermatophytosis
○​Dugong (Dugong dugon) ●​Lobomycosis
●​Systemic Mycoses
Top 5 Marine Mammal Species that strand ●​Zygomycetes
in the Philippines Parasitic Diseases
1.​ Spinner Dolphin (Stenella ●​Acanthocephalans
longirostris) ●​Acariasis
2.​ Dugong (Dugong dugon) ●​Lungworm
3.​ Fraser’s Dolphin (Lagenodelphis ●​Heartworm
hosei) ●​Nematodiasis
4.​ ●​Cestodiasis
5.​ Risso’s Dolphin (Grampus ●​Trematodiasis
griseus) ●​Coccidiosis
6.​ Melon-headed Whale ●​Sarcocystis
(Реропосеphala electra) ●​Toxoplasmosis
Viral Diseases
●​Adenovirus
●​Calicivirus (San Miguel Sea Lion)
Environmental Diseases ●​Herpesvirus
●​Corneal Edema ●​Influenza Virus
●​Corneal ulcers ●​Morbillivirus
●​Foreign bodies ●​Poxvirus
●​Gastrointestinal ulcers Neoplastic Diseases
●​Trauma ●​Tumors
●​Oil Exposure
Natural Diseases In marine mammal veterinary management, the 5 Rs are a practical framework used
●​Neonatal nutrition during strandings, rescue, rehabilitation, and release to guide veterinary
●​Thiamine deficiency decision-making.
●​Vitamin E deficiency (Steatitis, white fat disease)
●​Hyponatremia (Salt deficiency, Addison disease) The 5 Rs of Marine Mammal Veterinary Management

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 ■​ Genetics
1.​ Rescue ■​ Tagging and satellite telemetry
○​Safely recover the stranded, entangled, or injured marine mammal. ■​ Population health monitoring
○​Ensure the safety of both responders and the animal. ■​ Necropsy findings from animals that do not survive
○​Perform an initial assessment (species, age class, body condition, injuries, ■​ Research improves future conservation and veterinary management
behavior). strategies.
○​Veterinary role:
■​ Primary triage
■​ Stabilization
5Rs Goal Veterinary Focus
■​ Minimize stress
■​ Maintain airway and thermoregulation
2.​ Resuscitation Rescue Safe retrieval Triage, stabilization, responder safety
○​Stabilize life-threatening conditions
○​Restore normal physiological function Resuscitation Stabilize patient Airway, fluids, shock, analgesia
■​ Maintaining a patent airway
■​ Hydration (oral, subcutaneous, or intravenous fluids when appropriate) Rehabilitation Recovery Medical treatment, nutrition, diagnostics
■​ Oxygen therapy if indicated
■​ Treatment of shock Release Return to the wild Fitness assessment, release criteria
■​ Pain management
■​ Wound care Research Improve Data collection, disease surveillance,
■​ Thermal support conservation necropsy
3.​ Rehabilitation
○​Provide comprehensive medical and supportive care until the animal can survive
independently
■​ Diagnostics (CBC, chemistry, imaging, microbiology)
■​ Nutrition and assisted feeding
■​ Physical therapy
■​ Infection control
■​ Monitoring weight and body condition
■​ Behavioral conditioning to maintain natural behaviors
4.​ Release
○​Return the animal to its natural habitat once it meets release criteria
○​Release criteria:
■​ Clinically healthy
■​ Able to swim and dive normally
■​ Feeding independently
■​ Normal hematology and biochemistry
■​ Appropriate body condition
■​ Suitable environmental conditions
5.​ Research
○​Every rescue provides valuable scientific information
■​ Health assessments
■​ Disease surveillance
■​ Toxicology

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