Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share with you our latest publication:
de Lima, R. C., Estima, S. C., Canabarro, P. L., Groch, K., da Conceição, F. P., Botta, S., ... & de Oliveira, L. R. (2025). Births and abortions in wild pinnipeds along the southern Brazilian coast. *Regional Studies in Marine Science*, 104526. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352485525005171?via%3Dihub Abstract: Pinnipeds exhibit diverse reproductive strategies influenced by ecological and environmental factors. Most species breed in well-established colonies that offer sheltered habitats, stable substrates, and reliable prey availability. However, rare reproductive events beyond range can provide insights into population dynamics, including shifts in distribution and emerging threats, such as habitat disturbance and disease transmission. Here, we document the first records of pinniped births and abortions on the Brazilian coast between 1979 and 2024. These events were documented as part of systematic marine mammal stranding programs conducted year-round in the states of Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina. Four births were recorded, two southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) and two South American fur seals (SAFS) (Arctocephalus australis). In addition, 11 abortion events were recorded—two confirmed (one subantarctic fur seal, A. tropicalis, and one South American sea lion (SASL), Otaria flavescens) and nine inferred cases involving SASLs and SAFSs, and unidentified fur seals. We speculate that live births in Brazil resulted from young females’ inexperience, including limited prior reproductive activity and poorly developed site fidelity, as well as possible disorientation. However, given their rarity and the unsuitability of the sites where they occurred, such events are unlikely to indicate broader shifts in distribution. Abortions may have occurred as an attempt to reallocate resources for survival and/or as a direct response to stress, reflecting underlying life-history trade-offs influenced by individual condition and external pressures. While the number of reproductive events recorded is low and insufficient to draw population-level conclusions, these rare cases offer unique insights. Continued monitoring and interdisciplinary investigation are essential to understand their causes and broader conservation implications. Please feel free to email me if you are unable to access the article. Sincerely, Renan -- *Renan C. de Lima, PhD* Postdoctoral fellow Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter & Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha - EcoMega Instituto de Oceanografia Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG) *E-mail*: [email protected] *RG:* www.researchgate.net/profile/Renan-Lima-2 *ORCID*: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9311-7085
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