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aboli --_281840c6-d179-4648-bd6d-dada6ac02bd5_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi Randy and All=2C I don't have any expertise to offer but I have an off the wall suggestio= n. Could this have been a post mortem event caused by tides washing gravel = and small stones into an open mouth and down the throat?=20 I realize this would be exceedingly rare occurrence=3B if it's possible = at all=3B but under very odd circumstances (open mouth & just right body po= sition in just the right type of tidal zone) it might occur=3B providing th= e throat was open. I have a very thick skin so if I'm out to lunch on this feel free to moc= k. All the best. Fritz McEvoy Sunrise Valley=2C CB From: randy.lauff@gmail.com Date: Mon=2C 28 Mar 2011 12:47:40 -0300 Subject: Re: [NatureNS] seal eating rocks To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca Thanks James.=20 In general=2C carnivores don't use stones to grind food since meat is so ea= sily digestible - anything swallowed can be acidified and enzyme-treated fo= r digestion=3B bile helps with the prey's fats in the small intestine. I am= aware of the debate of the functions of gut stones in crocodiles...ballast= versus grinding (perhaps both...since crocs swallow bones)=2C but have nev= er heard of this in seals. However=2C the review article you supplied indic= ates that eared seals=2C but not earless seals (like the Harbour Seal)=2C h= ave them. Additionally=2C this animal had a *full* stomach of stone and gravel=2C and= the oesophagus was full=2C too=2C suggesting something out of the ordinary= . At the time=2C I glanced at the teeth and didn't notice anything unusual = - I'll look in more detail when I prep out the head. Randy_________________________________ RF Lauff Way in the boonies of Antigonish County=2C NS. On 28 March 2011 11:17=2C James Churchill <jameslchurchill@gmail.com> wrote= : hey Randy=2C=20 found some theories on stress (http://www.dem.ri.gov/news/2007/pr/0423071.h= tm)=2C consequence of eating snow/ice on beach (http://www.mysticaquarium.o= rg/animals-and-exhibits/species-of-the-month/706-harp-seal) ... Wikipedia also had some thoughts on Gastroliths... as a natural behaviour= =2C for food grinding or for ballast... And finally an article in Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B comparing these two theori= es of gastrolith function (grinding vs. ballast) in marine tetrapods=20 (http://www.jstor.org/pss/55808) Any other clues Randy=2C 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.=20 On Mon=2C Mar 28=2C 2011 at 10:13 AM=2C Helene Van Doninck <helene.birdvet@= gmail.com> wrote: Some animals can exhibit "pica"=2C or the ingestion of abnormal things if t= hey have metabolic issues or blood dyscrasias...just a thought Helene On 2011-03-28 8:54 AM=2C "Randy Lauff" <randy.lauff@gmail.com> wrote: The surprise animal at the end of this year's Comparative Vertebrate Anatom= y class was a Harbour Seal. The seal was found live in a "not good" conditi= on at Cribbons Point=2C Ant. Co.=2C last semester. Shortly thereafter=2C it= died and was graciously delivered to me by DFO.=20 Last week=2C 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 siz= e. Any ideas why a seal would eat rocks? My only guess was desperation...fo= r some reason=2C it could have been hungry=2C but couldn't catch any thing?= It had a decent layer of blubber=2C so I don't think it was starving. Noth= ing else seemed wrong with it=2C though I am no vet. Thoughts? Randy_________________________________ RF Lauff Way in the boonies of Antigonish County=2C NS. --=20 James Churchill Kentville=2C Nova Scotia jameslchurchill@gmail.com home: (902) 681-2374 = --_281840c6-d179-4648-bd6d-dada6ac02bd5_ Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <html> <head> <style><!-- .hmmessage P { margin:0px=3B padding:0px } body.hmmessage { font-size: 10pt=3B font-family:Tahoma } --></style> </head> <body class=3D'hmmessage'> Hi Randy and All=2C<BR> =3B =3B I don't have any expertise to offer= but I have an off the wall suggestion. =3BCould this =3Bhave been = a post mortem event caused by tides washing gravel and small stones into&nb= sp=3Ban open =3Bmouth =3Band down the throat? <BR>  =3B =3B I realize this would be exceedingly rare occurrence=3B if = it's =3Bpossible at all=3B but under very odd circumstances (open mouth= &=3B just right body position in just the right type of =3Btidal zo= ne) =3Bit might occur=3B providing the throat was open.<BR> =3B&nbs= p=3B =3BI have a very thick skin so if I'm out to lunch on this feel fr= ee to mock. All the best.<BR>  =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B&nb= sp=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B = =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B= Fritz McEvoy<BR>  =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B&nb= sp=3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B = =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B =3B=  =3B =3B Sunrise Valley=2C CB <HR id=3DstopSpelling> From: randy.lauff@gmail.com<BR>Date: Mon=2C 28 Mar 2011 12:47:40 -0300<BR>S= ubject: Re: [NatureNS] seal eating rocks<BR>To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca<BR>= <BR>Thanks James.=20 <DIV><BR></DIV> <DIV>In general=2C carnivores don't use stones to grind food since meat is = so easily digestible - anything swallowed can be acidified and enzyme-treat= ed for digestion=3B bile helps with the prey's fats in the small intestine.= I am aware of the debate of the functions of gut stones in crocodiles...ba= llast versus grinding (perhaps both...since crocs swallow bones)=2C but hav= e never heard of this in seals. However=2C the review article you su