Health of Antarctic Wildlife provides a broad assessment of the health of Antarctica's and seals. It is set against the background of available scientific and environmental information and the political and administrative processes in place. 17 chapters are presented in two parts, including 'Wildlife Disease' – consists of reviews, case studies and health assessments; and "External Factors" – covers the environmental, administrative and legal aspects.
The term health is used in its widest sense to encompass the normal state and those factors which detract from it including both infectious and non-infectious causes. A must for veterinary and biological scientists, policy makers and administrators whose job it is to protect Antarctica's wildlife against the introduction or spread of diseases by human activities.
Health of Antarctic wildlife: an introduction. Kerry KR, Riddle MJ
Part 1. Wildlife disease - reviews, case studies and health assessments
1. Risk of marine mammal die-offs in the Southern Ocean. Geraci JR, Lounsbury VJ
2. Diseases of Antarctic seabirds. Woods R, Jones HI, Miller GD, Shellam GR
3. Diseases and parasites of Antarctic and sub-Antarctic seals. McFarlane RA, Norman RJ de B, Jones HI
4. Infectious bursal disease virus and Antarctic birds. Watts J.M, Miller GD, Shellam GR
5. An unusual mortality event among Adelie penguins in the vicinity of Mawson Station Antarctica. Kerry KR, Irvine L, Beggs A, Watts J
6. Investigation of the 1998 mass mortality event in New Zealand Sea Lions. Roe W
7. Health assessment of Weddell seals Leptonochotes weddelli in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Yochem PK, Stewart BS, Gelatt TS, Siniff DB
8. Health assessment and diseases of the Weddell seal, Leptonochotes weddelli, Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. McFarlane RA
9. Health assessment of the leopard seal, Hydruga leptonynx, in Prydz Bay, Eastern Antarctica and New South Wales, Australia. Gray RB, Rogers TL, Canfield PJ
Part 2. External factors - environmental, administrative and legal
10. Antarctic climate, weather and the health of Antarctic wildlife. Pook M
11. National Antarctic Programs and their impact on the environment. Jabour J
12. Antarctic tourism: an operator's perspective. Mortimer G, Prior E
13. Human mediated impacts on the health of Antarctic wildlife.Riddle MJ
14. Measuring stress in Antarctic seals. Hogg CJ, Rogers TL
15. Sewage disposal and wildlife health in Antarctica. Smith JJ, Riddle MJ
16. The international and legal framework for protecting the health of Antarctica wildlife. Rothwell D
17. The Antarctic Treaty System and wildlife health: awareness, prevention and response. Riddle MJ Appendices
Appendix 1. Protocols for collection of samples for pathological analysis in the event of disease being suspected among monitored species of birds (standard methods, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources)
Appendix 2. Protocols for collecting samples for toxicological analyses (standard methods, Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources)
Appendix 3. Recommendations arising from the Workshop on Diseases of Antarctic Wildlife, held in Hobart, Australia, on 25-28 August 1998
Appendix 4. Report on the Open-ended Intersessional Contact Group on Diseases of Antarctic Wildlife Report 1 -- Review and risk assessment (a report to the Committee for Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty)
Appendix 5. Report on the Open-ended Intersessional Contact Group on Diseases of Antarctic Wildlife Report 2 -- Practical measures to diminish risk (draft) (a report to the Committee for Environmental Protection, Antarctic Treaty)
Appendix 6. Unusual animal mortality response plan (produced by Australian Antarctic Division)
"The present one is to be greatly welcomed as fills an important gap in the knowledge of Antarctica. Health of Antarctic Wildlife is a volume with a wide scope [...] discusses this topic in the context of the complex policy and administration systems for the Antarctic continent. [...] The book will be very useful for all those interested in the environmental protection of Antarctica and specifically of its fauna. It provides a good starting point for researchers, managers or policy-makers involved in Antarctic work."
- Andres Barbosa, Antarctic Science, Vol. 22 (3), 2010
"This book and its many contributors – 28 in all – provide an up-to-date overview of the health of Antarctic birds and seals. For any practising biologist, ecologist or veterinarian interested in Antarctic biology this book is immensely valuable, not only because it brings together information from a wide range of fields and expertise, but [...] it describes exactly how suspicious die-offs should be treated to minimize the potential spread of disease, and to reduce the risk to the human researchers most likely to discover such events."
- Clive R. McMahon, Polar Research, Vol. 29 (3), 2010
"This book provides a useful and interesting introduction to the health and related issues of Antarctica's seabirds and seals. [...] This volume set out to provide an up-to-date overview for a broad audience. [...] this book does not disappoint and offers a comprehensive primer and source of reference for both scientists and policy advisers [...] . It brings together a comprehensive set of contributions and an important bibliography that I for one, will consult well into the future."
- P. Tratham, The Journal of Polar Record, Vol. 47, 2011
"'To provide information in a consolidated form to the Antarctic Treaty Parties who, through domestic legislation and regulation, are responsible for implementing the environmental protection regime in Antarctica. Further the book is intended for use by veterinary and biological scientists, policy makers and administrators whose job it is to protect the health of Antarctica's wildlife.' [...] a highly welcome solid base for further investigation and for further developments in policy. [...] it is clearly addressed to professional readers and institutional libraries."
- Horst Bornemann, Polar Biology, Vol. 34, 2011