What areas
might they affect?
Wildlife
Unlike the situation for humans, the evidence for endocrine
disruption occurring in some wildlife species is much more
compelling. This may reflect a greater level of exposure for
some wildlife populations or it may be due to differences
in susceptibility between humans and animals.
Some well established examples of adverse effects in wildlife
include:
- Historically, egg-thinning with resultant poor
reproductive success was noted in some bird species exposed
to high levels of DDT. Disturbed nesting behaviour and
beak and skeletal abnormalities have also been noted in
other species exposed to high levels of environmental
chemicals
- Imposex (male genitalia in female) in marine
molluscs; known to be due to exposure to antifouling paints
on ships that contain organotin compounds
- Feminisation (development of female gonadal tissue
and production of an egg yolk protein, vitellogenin) in
male fresh water fish in rivers or lakes exposed to treated
sewage effluents, in many parts of Europe ; similar changes
also being noted in estuaries.
- Impaired reproductive development, and abnormalities
of the reproductive system in alligators in a polluted
lake in Florida USA, and in turtles in the Great Lakes,
USA.
Other adverse changes in wildlife species that have been
suggested, but not proven, to relate to exposure to pollutants,
include:
- Reproductive impairment or abnormalities in whales, seals
and polar bears.
- Impaired immune function in seals.
- Skeletal deformities in frogs.
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