Abstract：
Alabama (AL) is a hotspot in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) for human interaction-related cetacean strandings, including harassment, vessel strikes, and fisheries interactions. We examined four bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) stranded dead along the AL coast during 2012-2017 with severed peduncles suspected to be related to human interaction (HI). Evidence from each case, including photographs, gross necropsy results, and histopathologic findings when available, was reviewed to determine the mode of severance and whether it contributed to death. In each case, the severance site had smooth, clean edges on at least one side, indicating the use of a sharp instrument to remove the caudal peduncle and flukes. Three cases also had evidence of fisheries interactions, including linear impressions around the rostrum, fins and/or flukes, indicating that these animals may have been entangled in fisheries gear prior to death. Histopathology in one of these cases revealed that the severance occurred perimortem; speculatively, the caudal peduncle and flukes may have been cut off to facilitate removing the dolphin from its entanglement. Although cases of amputation and mutilation are not uncommon globally among stranding reports, few cases have been described and analyzed in the literature. This paper is the first to document and compare multiple cases of severed peduncles with evidence of HI, including fisheries, in the GoM. This case series enhances our understanding of the types of HI occurring in bottlenose dolphins and highlights the need for continued public education, policy, and management to address cases like these.
摘要：
阿拉巴马州（AL）是墨西哥湾（GoM）与人类互动相关的鲸类搁浅的热点，包括骚扰,船只罢工，和渔业互动。我们检查了2012-2017年期间在AL海岸搁浅的四只宽吻海豚（Tursiopstruncatus），它们被怀疑与人类互动（HI）有关。每个案件的证据，包括照片,大体尸检结果,和组织病理学发现，进行了审查，以确定遣散的方式以及它是否导致死亡。在每种情况下，遣散地点很顺利，清洁至少一侧的边缘，指示使用锋利的工具来去除尾脚和绒毛。三个案例也有渔业相互作用的证据，包括讲台周围的线性印象，鳍和/或吸虫，表明这些动物可能在死亡前被卷入渔具中。其中一例的组织病理学表明，割断发生在死前；推测性地，尾梗和吸虫可能已经被切断，以方便将海豚从纠缠中移除。尽管截肢和残割的病例在全球搁浅报告中并不少见，文献中很少描述和分析案例。本文首次记录并比较了多例断肢与HI的证据，包括渔业,在GoM。这个案例系列加深了我们对宽吻海豚发生的HI类型的理解，并强调了继续接受公共教育的必要性，政策,和管理层来处理这样的案件。
