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The objective of this paper is to report on the demography and pathology of 131 Pacific walruses ( Odobenus rosmarus divergens), primarily calves, found dead on the northwest coast of Alaska in September 2009. The walrus carcasses extended over approximately 120 km, but most were found where walruses had hauled out for several days on the beach at Icy Cape. The remote location and severe weather made access to the site difficult and limited the number and extent of necropsies. A total of 71 carcasses were examined: nine were necropsied, and 62 were classified externally for age, gender, blubber depth, and other parameters. The most likely causes of death were crushing trauma, particularly of the upper thorax, neck and head, or asphyxiation due to being trampled by larger animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel poxviruses were identified in skin lesions of several species of cetaceans and pinnipeds using polymerase chain reaction targeting DNA polymerase and DNA topoisomerase I genes of members of the subfamily Chordopoxvirinae. With the exception of parapoxviruses, no molecular data of marine mammal poxviruses were available to infer genetic and evolutionary relatedness to terrestrial vertebrate poxviruses. Viruses were assigned to a cetacean poxvirus 1 (CPV-1) group based on nucleotide and amino acid identities of gene fragments amplified from skin lesions of Asian bottlenose ( Tursiops aduncus), Atlantic bottlenose ( Tursiops truncatus), rough-toothed ( Steno bredanensis), and striped ( Stenella coeruleoalba) dolphins. A different poxvirus was detected in skin lesions of a bowhead whale ( Balaena mysticetus) and provisionally assigned to a CPV-2 group. These viruses showed highest identity to terrestrial poxviruses of the genera Orthopoxvirus and Suipoxvirus. A novel species-specific poxvirus was also identified in skin lesions of Steller sea lions ( Eumetopias jubatus). None of these poxviruses were found to have amplifiable hemagglutinin gene sequences. Novel parapoxviruses were also identified in skin lesions of Steller sea lions and spotted seals ( Phoca largha). A significant degree of divergence was observed in sequences of Steller sea lion parapoxviruses, while those of spotted seals and harbor seals ( Phoca vitulina) were highly conserved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]