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Marine mammals, one of the mostcharismaticgroupofanimalsonearth,comprisethepinnipeds(seals,sealions,walrus),cetaceans(whales, dolphins, porpoises), sirenians(manatees,dugongs),seaotterandpolarbear.InMalaysian seas, at least 26 species of cetaceansand one species of sirenian (dugong) has beenrecorded, either from live sighting or strandeddead animal records (1). These endothermic,air-breathingorganisms,astheirnamesuggests,spendmost,ifnottheirentirelivesinthemarineenvironment. Being mammals, they sit at thetop of the marine food web, feeding on fish,crustaceans, cephalopods (cuttlefish and squid),andeventheirownkind(e.g.,somepopulationsof killer whales prey on whales, porpoises, andseals).Duetotheirprimepositionwithinthefoodweb,marinemammalsthereforehavetheabilityto bioaccumulate pollutants and anthropogenictoxiccompoundsinthemarineenvironmentsuchas polybrominated diphenyl esthers (PBDEs)and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) throughaprocess calledbio-magnification. In summary,thesecompoundsprogressivelymovethroughthefoodchainandincreaseinamountseachtimetheyenteranewtrophiclevel,whichmeansthatbythetimetheyreachthetop(i.e.,inmarinemammals),theirconcentrationsaregenerallyquitehigh. Marine mammals, therefore, with theircommandingpositionatthetopofthefoodweb,long lifespansandunique fat reserves thathavehighabilitytostoretoxiccompoundsaredeemed

Editorial

asindicatorsofchangeinthemarineenvironmentandsentinelsforpublichealthandthehealthofouroceans(2).Studiesonthepresenceandlevelsof organic contaminants in marine mammalsessentiallyprovideuswithameanstoassessthepotential risksandexposures toour species (3).A recent ecotoxicological study on a species ofcoastaldolphininBrazilshowedthatoctocrylene(OCT),anultraviolet(UV)filteringagentfoundincommerciallymanufacturedsunscreenproducts,was detected in high concentrations in thedolphins’livers(4).Inthesoutheasternestuarinewaters of the United States of America, twodolphin populationswere found to carry a highload of chlorinated pesticides and polyaromatichydrocarbons (PAHs), amongst other organiccontaminants,atlevelsthathavereportedadverseeffects on wildlife and humans (5). In KualaSepetang, Perak, extensive exophytic cutaneouslesionsandcutaneousnoduleshavebeenobservedontheskinofcoastaldolphinsinhabitingthearea(6), some similar to the cases reported by VanBressemetal.(7,8).Sucharepossibleindicatorsof a compromised and degraded marineenvironment(7).Adeclineinfisheriesresourceshasalsohadanimpactoncertainmarinemammalpopulations. For example, in theMediterraneanSea, heavy human exploitation of prey speciessuchasanchoviesandsardinesalsosawa25-folddecreaseinthenumberofcommondolphinsthatwereencounteredoverasevenyearsperiod(9). Let’s take amoment to considerwhat such

Medics and Marine Mammals – An Unlikely but Important Connection for Humanity’s Survival

Louisa Shobhini PonnamPalam

Institute of Ocean and Earth Sciences, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Abstract Marinemammals,astoppredatorsinthemarinefoodweb,aresentinelsofchangesintheoceansandpublichealth.Pollution in the seaandoverfishingof seafood resourcesaffects theseorganismsjustasmuchasitaffectshumanbeings.Medics,especiallydoctors,haveaninfluentialreach to patients, and are in an ideal position to get better acquainted with ongoing marineenvironmentalissuesandsubsequentlydisseminatingsuchinformationtothem.Whileseeminglyanout-of-the-boxapproach,itisonethatcanhelpwithenvironmentalconservationandpreservationforthefutureofhumanity.

Keywords: conservation, environment, marine mammal, public health

Submitted:28Jan2014Accepted:1Feb2014

1Malays J Med Sci. Mar-Apr 2014; 21(2): 1-3

2

Malays J Med Sci. Mar-Apr 2014; 21(2): 1-3

results of these toxicological studies and preyresource depletion of marine mammals implyfor the human race. Marine mammals live inan environment so heavily utilised and sharedby humans. We put development in coastaland offshore areas, fish in all zones of the seas,discharge anthropogenic pollutants into thewaters,andconvertseaareasintoourrecreationalplaygrounds. In the simplest andmost essentialsense of public health and food security, ifcontaminants are showing up in the bodies ofmarine mammals, and various populations ofmarinemammalsaroundtheworldaredecliningasaresultofalackoffoodresources,then,surelyit cannot bodewell for our species’ viability. Inanagewhere thenotion“Youarewhatyoueat”is quite an obsession, we have to question thatif dolphins are accumulating toxic compoundsin their bodies, then, the fish they are eating,which for themost part is also the fish thatweeat, also contains the same toxins.According toinformationpresentedby theWorldWideFundforNatureinMalaysia(WWF-Malaysia)ontheir“SaveOurSeafood(SOS)”campaignwebsite(10),MalaysiansarefoundtobethetopconsumersofseafoodinSoutheastAsia,andwithinthetopfivein Asia. At the same time, WWF-Malaysia alsoreported in their SOS website that our fisheryresourceshavedeclinedby82%overthelast40years. How are these information presented here,relevantatalltoyouwhoareinthemedicalfield?IfIwereamedic,Iwouldprobablyfinditdifficulttomaketheconnectiontoo.IquoteThomasGoetz,an American public health practitioner, who onhis TEDMED talk titled “It’s time to redesignmedical data” stated that, “Better health is nota science problem, it’s an informationproblem”(11).Forthelackofinformationdisseminationtothegeneralpublicontheactualstateofourmarineenvironment and how it is ultimately linked toouroverallwelfare,onecannotexpectthegeneralpublic to be aware and want to care about theenvironment.Inthecontextofthisseeminglyoddand irrelevant editorial piece,medics, especiallydoctors could perhaps consider revamping thewaytheyencouragetheirpatientstoleadhealthierand more sustainable lifestyles. In my ownpersonalexperience,Ihavefoundthatmyfamilymembersandclosefriendstendedtotakeadvicebetterfromtheirdoctorsthanfromothersaroundthem who are not medical professionals. Whilemedics are usually extremely busy individuals,thereisnolossintakingsometimetoconsidertheimplicationsofongoingenvironmentalissuesonhumanity.Asimpleadviceabouttheenvironment

frommedical doctors to their patients can go along way for its conservation and preservation.Itcouldbeassimpleasencouraging thepatientto consume more fish over red meats, but thattheyshouldbemoreattentivetothesourcefromwhichthefishcomes,and inwhichcategorythefish belongs (e.g., code red means the speciesis overfished and not sustainable, therefore toavoid eating it at present (10)). Subsequently,informingpatientsabouthowpollutionintheseahas effects on our seafood resources, thereforeaffectingoverallhumanhealthandsusceptibilitytodiseasescanopenanewdimensiononpublicawarenessformarineconservation. Safeguarding our marine resources andocean health is not the sole responsibility ofconservationists or marine biologists. It is, infact,everyone’sresponsibilityascitizensofEarth.Medics,aspractitionersforhealthcareandhealing,areinadvertentlyinthepositiontohelphealtheenvironmentthroughtheproperdisseminationofenvironmental information to those whom theycomeintocontactattheworkplace.

Correspondence

DrLouisaShobhiniPonnampalamBA Hons (University of Hawaii), PhD (University ofLondon)InstituteofOceanandEarthSciencesC308,IPSBuildingUniversityofMalaya50603KualaLumpur,MalaysiaTel:+60379674640Fax:+60379676994Email:louisa@um.edu.my

References

1. Ponnampalam LS. Opportunistic observations onthedistributionofcetaceansintheMalaysianSouthChina, Sulu and Sulawesi Seas and an updatedchecklistofmarinemammals inMalaysia.Raffles B Zool.2012;60(1):221–231.

2. Bossart G.Marinemammals as sentinel species foroceans and human health. Vet Pathol. 2011;46(3):676–690.doi:10.1177/0300985810388525.

3. HoekstraPF,O’HaraTM,FiskAT,BorgåK,SolomonKR, Muir DCG. Trophic transfer of persistentorganochlorinecontaminants (OCs)withinanarcticmarinefoodwebfromthesouthernBeaufort-ChukchiSeas. Environ Pollut. 2003;124(3):509–522. doi:dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0269-7491(02)00482-7.

4. Gago-Ferrero P, Alonso MB, Bertozzi CP, MarigoJ, Barbosa L, Cremer M, et al. First determinationof UV filters in marine mammals. Octocrylenelevels in Franciscana dolphins. Environ Sci Tech. 2013;47(11)5619–5625. doi: dx.doi.org/10.1021/es400675y.

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5. Fair PA, Adams J,MitchumG,Hulsey TC,Reif JS,Houde M, et al. Contaminant blubber burdens inAtlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)from two southeastern US estuarine areas:Concentrations and patterns of PCBs, pesticides,PBDEs, PFCs, and PAHs. Sci Tot Env.2010;408(7):1577–1597. doi: dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.12.021.

6. PonnampalamLS,KuitSH,ChongVC.Ecologyandconservation of coastal cetaceans in the Matangmangroveforestreserveandadjacentcoastalwaters,Perak, Peninsular Malaysia, with references to theIndo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis)and Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris).Mid-term report to the Ocean Park ConservationFoundationHongKong(Unpublishedwork);2014.p.23.

7. VanBressemM-F,SantosMCDO,OshimaJEDF.SkindiseasesinGuianadolphins(Sotalia guainensis)fromtheParanaguáestuary,Brazil:Apossibleindicatorofa compromised and degradedmarine environment.Mar Environ Res.2009;67(2):63–68.doi:10.1016/j.marenvres.2008.11.002.

8. Van Bressen M-F, Minton G, Sutaria D, Kelkar N,Peter C, ZulkarnaenM, et al. Cutaneous nodules inIrrawaddydolphins:anemergingdiseaseinvulnerablepopulations. Dis Aquat Organ. 2014;107(3):181–189.doi:10.3354/dao02689.

9. Bearzi G, Politi E, Agazzi S, Azzellino A. Preydepletion caused by overfishing and the decline ofmarine megafauna in eastern Ionian Sea coastalwaters (central Mediterranean). Biol Conserv. 2006;127(4):373–382.doi:dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2005.08.017.

10. World Wide Fund for Nature Malaysia (WWF-Malaysia). Malaysia (MY): SOS WWF; 2014 [cited2014 Jan25].Available from:www.saveourseafood.my.

11. Goetz T. It’s time to redesign medical data. NewYork(NY);TEDMEDTalk;2010[cited2014Jan25].Available from: http://www.ted.com/talks/thomas_goetz_it_s_time_to_redesign_medical_data.html.