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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment
Robin McKie

Seal’s mystery ability to tolerate toxic metal could aid medical research, say scientists

Juan Fernández fur seals.
Juan Fernández fur seals. The species was hunted to the brink of extinction. Photograph: Eduardo Sorensen/Oceana

A creature that humans came very close to obliterating now offers hope that we may be able to find ways to tackle one of the most pernicious environmental poisons, say scientists.

Their research has revealed that one of the world’s most isolated aquatic mammals, Arctocephalus philippii, can tolerate high levels of cadmium, as well as other metallic pollutants, without suffering ill effects.

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