Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) are useful indicators of the health of their wild populations and marine ecosystems, yet their elusive nature makes studying them in their natural environment challenging. Stranded porpoises provide an excellent source of data to study the health and biology of these animals and identify causes of death, diseases and other threats. The aim of this study was to document pathology, and where possible, cause of death in porpoises from Swedish waters. Post-mortem examinations were performed on 128 stranded porpoises collected from 2006 to 2020. Overall, bycatch including definitive and probable cases was the most common cause of death (31.4%), followed by disease (21.3%), predominantly pneumonia. In adults, infectious disease was the most common cause of death. Bacteria with zoonotic potential such as Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and Brucella sp. were documented for the first time in porpoises from Swedish waters, as was the porpoise-adapted group B Salmonella enterica ST416/ST417. Three of four deaths from non-infectious diseases involved parturition complications. Four cases of suspected predation were documented, but further analyses are required to confirm these findings. Our results are consistent with those from other regions in Europe and serve as a reference for future monitoring for changing patterns of health and disease of porpoises and their environments.

The grey wolf (Canis lupus) persists in a variety of human-dominated landscapes and is subjected to various legal management regimes throughout Europe. Our aim was to assess the effects of intrinsic and methodological determinants on the hair cortisol concentration (HCC) of wolves from four European populations under different legal management. We determined HCC by an enzyme-linked immune assay in 259 hair samples of 133 wolves from the Iberian, Alpine, Dinaric-Balkan, and Scandinavian populations. The HCC showed significant differences between body regions. Mean HCC in lumbar guard hair was 11.6 ± 9.7 pg/mg (range 1.6–108.8 pg/mg). Wolves from the Dinaric-Balkan and Scandinavian populations showed significantly higher HCC than Iberian wolves, suggesting that harvest policies could reflected in the level of chronic stress. A significant negative relationship with body size was found. The seasonal, sex and age patterns are consistent with other studies, supporting HCC as a biomarker of chronic stress in wolves for a retrospective time frame of several weeks. Our results highlight the need for standardization of sampling and analytical techniques to ensure the value of HCC in informing management at a continental scale.

In contrast to sparse historical observational records, five Sowerby’s beaked whales (SBW) stranded and died in Swedish waters between 2015 and 2020. Here we summarize historical records of SBWs in the Skagerrak basin and adjacent waters. The three recent stranding events from Sweden are described, and the post-mortem findings, including diet analysis, from the five SBWs are presented. Of 30 historical records of SBWs observations since 1869, 13 (43%) were documented between 2010 and 2021, and records between July and November were the most frequent. The recent stranding events occurred in October 2015 (n = 1), August 2019 (n = 3) and July 2020 (n = 1). Four of the SBWs were examined through necropsy, and one was sampled in the field. They were all sub-adults and included a single female and four males. The causes of death were emaciation, euthanasia due to traumatic injury, and live stranding of undetermined cause. Two SBWs each had a focal bone lesion consistent with osteomyelitis. Other findings included pox-like dermatitis, trauma, focal granulomas in a lymph node and intestine, and ulceration of the stomach. CT scans were performed on the heads of two animals, with inconclusive results. Three SBWs had hard parts in the gastrointestinal tract that mainly consisted of otoliths from several fish species. An eDNA-analysis confirmed and supplemented the diet analysis, revealing 17 fish species in total, including species not previously described as prey for SBW, such as Pleuronectidae spp. The apparent increase in observational records since 2010 may indicate a shift in SBW distribution or changing threats to these animals. Our results support and expand theories on SBW movements and provide data on the biology and health of this poorly known species, which are valuable for conservation and legislation efforts.

On the basis of its biodiversity importance andthe range of threats facing marine life in thearea, Oceana proposes that Finland and Swedenestablish a transboundary MPA in the Quark subbasin.Critically, this MPA should be underpinnedby a joint management plan addressing the keyhabitats and species and the threats they face –which are very similar on both sides of the border.Such an area would be the most appropriate meansof protecting marine biodiversity in the Quark, andwould build on the strong foundation of crossbordercollaboration between the two countriesthat has already been developed in the region.