Decreased heart rates, increased levels of hemoglobin, blood oriented to the major organs, and collapsing of the lungs are vital physiological processes that occur in marine mammals to avoid decompression sickness (Kooyman, 1998). Even though these adaptations are present, mammals, before stranding, have shown a severe build-up of gas in their tissues and the formation of gas lesions indicating that decompression sickness was present prior to death and occurred during active dives (Hooker, 2012). This nitrogen buildup exhibited a repetitive state, demonstrating that mammals are not immune to decompression sickness as previously thought and it can build up over a long period of time, gradually causing increased injury (Moore, 2004).
Exposure
Exposure