[NatureNS] seal eating rocks

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Date: Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:17:26 -0300
From: James Churchill <jameslchurchill@gmail.com>
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Cc: Helene Van Doninck <helene.birdvet@gmail.com>
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hey Randy,

found some theories on stress (
http://www.dem.ri.gov/news/2007/pr/0423071.htm), consequence of eating
snow/ice on beach (
http://www.mysticaquarium.org/animals-and-exhibits/species-of-the-month/706-harp-seal)
...

Wikipedia also had some thoughts on Gastroliths... as a natural behaviour,
for food grinding or for ballast...

And finally an article in Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B comparing these two
theories of gastrolith function (grinding vs. ballast) in marine tetrapods
(http://www.jstor.org/pss/55808)

Any other clues Randy, like condition of the seal's teeth or whether the
stones appeared to be recently ingested (local rocks) or worn/polished? (I
suppose full esophagus suggests recent...?)

Be interested to hear what you find out!!

Cheers

James.


On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 10:13 AM, Helene Van Doninck <
helene.birdvet@gmail.com> wrote:

> Some animals can exhibit "pica", or the ingestion of abnormal things if
> they have metabolic issues or blood dyscrasias...just a thought
> Helene
>
> On 2011-03-28 8:54 AM, "Randy Lauff" <randy.lauff@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> The surprise animal at the end of this year's Comparative Vertebrate
> Anatomy class was a Harbour Seal. The seal was found live in a "not good"
> condition at Cribbons Point, Ant. Co., last semester. Shortly thereafter, it
> died and was graciously delivered to me by DFO.
>
> Last week, my students and I opened it up and found that its stomach and
> oesophagus were both full of stones...up to a bit bigger than golf ball
> size. Any ideas why a seal would eat rocks? My only guess was
> desperation...for some reason, it could have been hungry, but couldn't catch
> any thing? It had a decent layer of blubber, so I don't think it was
> starving. Nothing else seemed wrong with it, though I am no vet.
>
> Thoughts?
> Randy
> _________________________________
> RF Lauff
> Way in the boonies of
> Antigonish County, NS.
>
>


-- 
James Churchill
Kentville, Nova Scotia
jameslchurchill@gmail.com
home: (902) 681-2374

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hey Randy, <br><br>found some theories on stress (<a href=3D"http://www.dem=
.ri.gov/news/2007/pr/0423071.htm">http://www.dem.ri.gov/news/2007/pr/042307=
1.htm</a>), consequence of eating snow/ice on beach (<a href=3D"http://www.=
mysticaquarium.org/animals-and-exhibits/species-of-the-month/706-harp-seal"=
>http://www.mysticaquarium.org/animals-and-exhibits/species-of-the-month/70=
6-harp-seal</a>) ...<br>
<br>Wikipedia also had some thoughts on Gastroliths... as a natural behavio=
ur, for food grinding or for ballast...<br><br>And finally an article in Ph=
il. Trans. R. Soc. B comparing these two theories of gastrolith function (g=
rinding vs. ballast) in marine tetrapods <br>
(<a href=3D"http://www.jstor.org/pss/55808">http://www.jstor.org/pss/55808<=
/a>)<br><br>Any other clues Randy, like condition of the seal&#39;s teeth o=
r whether the stones appeared to be recently ingested (local rocks) or worn=
/polished? (I suppose full esophagus suggests recent...?)<br>
<br>Be interested to hear what you find out!!<br><br>Cheers<br><br>James. <=
br><br><br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Mon, Mar 28, 2011 at 10:13 AM, Hel=
ene Van Doninck <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=3D"mailto:helene.birdvet@gmai=
l.com">helene.birdvet@gmail.com</a>&gt;</span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; borde=
r-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><p>Some animals c=
an exhibit &quot;pica&quot;, or the ingestion of abnormal things if they ha=
ve metabolic issues or blood dyscrasias...just a thought<br>
<font color=3D"#888888">
Helene</font></p><div><div></div><div class=3D"h5">
<p></p><blockquote type=3D"cite">On 2011-03-28 8:54 AM, &quot;Randy Lauff&q=
uot; &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:randy.lauff@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">randy.l=
auff@gmail.com</a>&gt; wrote:<br><br>The surprise animal at the end of this=
 year&#39;s Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy class was a Harbour Seal. The se=
al was found live in a &quot;not good&quot; condition at Cribbons Point, An=
t. Co., last semester. Shortly thereafter, it died and was graciously deliv=
ered to me by DFO.<div>



<br></div><div>Last week, my students and I opened it up and found that its=
 stomach and oesophagus were both full of stones...up to a bit bigger than =
golf ball size. Any ideas why a seal would eat rocks? My only guess was des=
peration...for some reason, it could have been hungry, but couldn&#39;t cat=
ch any thing? It had a decent layer of blubber, so I don&#39;t think it was=
 starving. Nothing else seemed wrong with it, though I am no vet.</div>



<div><br></div><div>Thoughts?</div><div>Randy<br clear=3D"all">____________=
_____________________<br>RF Lauff<br>Way in the boonies of<br>Antigonish Co=
unty, NS.<br>
</div>
</blockquote>
</div></div></blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br>James Churc=
hill<br>Kentville, Nova Scotia<br><a href=3D"mailto:jameslchurchill@gmail.c=
om">jameslchurchill@gmail.com</a><br>home: (902) 681-2374<br><br>

--20cf305b1218637692049f8b9a99--

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