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INTRODUCTION In recent years, there has been an increase in concern over the incidence of marine mammal mass mortalities throughout the world (Harwood and Hall 1990). The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus), one of the most endangered species in the world (IUCN 1996), suffered a two month mass mortality episode in 1997, in the species' largest world-wide aggregation site, that of the Cabo Blanco Peninsula (MorroccoMauritania). The mortality episode, attributed most likely to intoxication through the consumption of prey items contaminated with paralytic shellfish poison saxitoxins (PSPs) (Hernandez et al 1998 ; Reyero et al 1999), reduced the size of the colony, estimated at 317 individuals (CV = 0.16; 95 %, CI: 237 to 447) before the event, to 109 individuals (CV = 0.14; 95 % ; CI: 86 to 145) afterwards (Forcada et al. 1999). This mainly affected the adult population, resulting in a severe change in the age composition of the colony. As consequence, was hypothesised that this change is likely to : 1) reduce the reproductive potential of the colony due to the reduction of the number of reproductively active individuals and the increased contribution of young, recently matured individuals to reproductive tasks (Forcada et
Mammalia - International Journal of the Systematics, Biology and Ecology of Mammals – de Gruyter
Published: Jan 1, 2002
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