How the life support system can affect pinniped eye health: a case study with long-nosed fur seal (Arctocephalus forsteri)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19227/jzar.v8i4.525Keywords:
pinniped, fur seal, eye health, life support system, disinfection by-products, trainingAbstract
Eye health issues have commonly been reported in captive pinnipeds. Excessive exposure to UV light, poor enclosure design features and suboptimal water quality have all been associated with eye pathology in pinnipeds. A long-nosed fur seal Arctocephalus forsteri developed corneal disease shortly after introduction into a new facility. Medical therapies provided some alleviation of symptoms, but long-term sustained improvements in eye health were only achieved after life support system modifications. These modifications centred on lowering the production of disinfection by-products by removing most of the organic matter before applying ozone to the system. The reduction in eye pain following improvements in water quality were also critical for the keepers to be able to train the fur seal to receive eye drops voluntarily.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).