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Scientists at UC Davis revealed Tuesday that the health of California's sea otter population is even more tenuous than previously thought -- and
almost certainly worsened by polluted ocean waters, including contamination from the feces of the ordinary house cat. The most common parasite besieging California sea otters is Toxoplasma gondii, a new study shows, and
the otters afflicted with it were four times more likely to die in shark attacks as uninfected animals. The cat is the only animal that sheds Toxoplasma cysts in its feces. "Just like any organism, sea otters can
get sick from their environment, and that's what's happening here," said Christine Kreuder, a veterinarian, graduate student of epidemiology at UC Davis and co-author of the groundbreaking study released Tuesday.
Unexpectedly, the study also found that -- aside from the parasites, sharks and whirling boat propellers plaguing them -- the otters are suffering from high levels of heart disease. read |
