Necropsy Report

Killer Whale (Orcinus-orca) Canuck

Age 4 yrs SeaWorld of Florida
Name: Canuck (male) (aka- J24, J024) Species: Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Source: wild capture, 03-12-1972, Carr Inlet, WA, USA, age: est. 2 yrs Deceased: late afternoon, 12-01-1974, SeaWorld of Florida, age: est. 4 yrs Reported cause of death (per NMFS MMIR data): Candidiasis Necropsy info: Diagnosis- AFIP- G. Migaki, DVM (1974): 1. Candidiasis, severe, extensive, buccal mucosa, blowhole, Atlantic killer whale (Orcinus orca), Cetacea, due to Candida albicans, 2. Leukocytic aggregates, plasma cells and lymphocytes, portal areas, moderate, liver. Diagnosis- John G. Simpson, DVM (1974): Mycotic gastritis

Notes: Prior to reforms of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) in 1994, holders of marine mammals for public display were required to submit necropsy reports (animal autopsy reports) for deceased animals, making the documents available to the public and scientific community. Presently, marine mammal parks in the U.S. are only required to provide a cause of death to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) which maintains Marine Mammal Inventory Reports (MMIR). Details of marine mammal deaths are now a closely guarded secret at U.S. entertainment facilities. The Orca Project acquired the following documents from the National Marine Fisheries Service (U.S.A) via the Freedom of Information Act for deaths that occurred prior to implementation of the 1994 MMPA changes. For more information visit www.theorcaproject.com
Necropsy, Autopsy, Veterinarian, NOAA, NMFS, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, MMIR, Marine Mammal Inventory Report, MMPA, Marine Mammal Protection Act, Killer Whale, Orca, Shamu, Death, Die, SeaWorld, Orlando, Florida, Canuck

The Orca Project Corp

3/11/2012

www.theorcaproject.com

SEA WORLD, I N C . ORLANDO, FLORIDA NECROPSY REPORT PATH. N O - : SWF-001 A I A NAME: NM L

CfLNUCK
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: KW-27

DATE/TIME O DEATH : F DATE/TIME OF N E C R O P S Y : m e r CLINICAL HISTORY PRIOR T DEATH: O

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rn o 1, 1974, l a t e e v e n i n s had e x h i b i t e d entering and tongue externally. t h i s period

For a p p r o x i m a t e l y f o u r months p r i o r t o d e a t h , t h e animal s i g n s of w e i g h t l o s s , some g r a y i s h a r e a s around t h e a r e a t h e blowhole, g r a y i s h p a t c h e s on t h e i n s i d e of t h e mouth around t h e t e e t h , .and l e a d i n g toward t h e d i g e s t i v e t r a c t Animal's a t t i t u d e ranged from normal t o d e p r e s s e d d u r i n g o f t i m e , w i t h much v a r i a t i o n .

o t h e r t h a n a . c h r o n i c b u t improving anemia, t h e r e was no p a r t i c u l a r s i g n i f i c a n t change i n any b l o o d - r e l a t e d c h e m i s t r y o r examinaeion carried out.

GROSS NECROPSY FINDINGS: WEIGHT : LENGTH : GIRTH :

Skin: o ; ghi pr bl oci -o f Normal i tcy .l o r No s o mhe eareas eofn asll osug n sn g , Theo b au by ea s sa y ea t e d w i t h lack activ ot r ext r i . bl b r l r is reduced i n d e p t h a s a r e s u l t of l o s s of w e i g h t , b u t i s s t i l l s i g n i f i c a n t l y t h i c k enough t o p r o v i d e p r o t e c t i o n from c o l d w a t e r , r a n g i n g a p p r o x i m a t e l y 4 - 8 i n c h e s i n d e p t h , depending on t h e a r e a sampled. I n r e f l e c t i n g t h e s k i n t o t h e muscle l a y e r u n d e r n e a t h i n t h e t h o r a c i c a r e a , t h e r e i s some anemic e v i d e n c e i n t h e m u s c u l a r t i s s u e , i n t h a t it. i s p a l e r i n c o l o r t h a n normal. Upon e n t e r i n g t h e t h o r a c i c c a v i t y , t h e l u n g s a p p e a r t o be normal g r o s s l y , a l t h o u g h t h e down-side l u n g i s somewhat c o n g e s t e d a s a r e s u l t o f blood and f l u i d s e t t l i n g i n t h a t l u n g . A t t h e a n t e r i o r d o r s a l a s p e c t of t h e t h o r a c i c c a v i t y , t h e r e a r e two l a r g e a b s c e s s e s

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- - d d l i n g t h e v e r t e b r a l column, one a b s c e s s approximately 6 " x 911, o t h e r a b o u t 12" x 9 " . They a r e on t h e l e v e l of a b o u t t h e 4 t h , -1, and 6 t h t h o r a c i c v e r t e b r a e . They a r e o u t s i d e t h e p l e u r a l c a v i t y v e n t r a l t o t h e v e r t e b r a l column, p r o b a b l y t h e r e s u l t of lymph node abscession. C u t t i n g i n t o t h e a b s c e s s e s , we f i n d cheesey e x u d a t e s ; these are cultured. The c a r d i o v a s c u l a r system a p p e a r s t o be normal. The h e a r t s t o p p e d i n s y s t o l e and t h e r e were no a b n o r m a l i t i e s seen. Grossly-, t h e g a s t r o i n t e s t i n a l t r a c t i n t e r n a l l y a p p e a r s t o be u l c e r a t e d throughout with l i g h t plaques i n t h e c e n t e r s of t h e u l c e r a t i o n s . I t would a p p e a r ' " 9 r o s s l y a s though t h e r e i s a mycotic t y p e o f i n f e c t i o n i n t h e i n t e s t i n a l t r a c t based on p a s t e x p e r i e n c e . The stomach and i n t e s t i n e s show t h i s throughout. There i s s e v e r e e x f o l i a t i o n througho u t t h e esophagus and stomach, w i t h s e v e r e s l o u g h i n g of t h e e p i t h e l i a l l i n i n g t h r o u g h o u t . The s m a l l i n t e s t i n e w a l l seems t o be t h i c k e n e d , w i t h a r e a s of p e t e c h i a l hemorrhage t h r o u g h o u t , and some g r o s s hemorrhage w i t h c l o t t i n g blood on t h e s u r f a c e t h r o u g h o u t t h e e n t i r e i n t e s t i n a l t r a c t , along w i t h t h e w h i t e p l a q u e s t h a t would appear t o be f u n g a l i n origin. The l i v e r a p p e a r s somewhat anemic, p o s s i b l y w i t h t h i c k e n e d b o r d e r s and a p o s s i b l y t h i c k e n e d c a p s u l e . W e w i l l r e l y on h i s t o p a t h o l o g y for this. There i s no e v i d e n c e o f p a r a s i t e s i n t h e l i v e r . "be s p l e e n a p p e a r s normal, a l t h o u g h somewhat engorged w i t h b l o o d .
,

~ i a s t i n a llymph nodes' a p p e a r t o : b e s l i g h t l y e n l a r g e d . were samples f o r c u l t u r e and h i s t o p a t h o l o g y .

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The p a n c r e a s a p p e a r s normal. The m e s e n t e r i c lymph nodes a p p e a r normal, w i t h a milky o r creamy s u b s t a n c e t h a t i s v e r y l i k e l y an e a r l y a b s c e s s i o n . Kidneys a p p e a r t o be normal, w i t h some s m a l l a r e a s o f hemorrhage which a r e p r o b a b l y agonal. H i s t o p a t h o l o g y sample was t a k e n . Adrenal g l a n d s a p p e a r t o be normal. Histopath taken.

G e n i t o u r i n a r y t r a c t o t h e r t h a n t h e k i d n e y s a p p e a r s t o be normal. There a r e no l e s i o n s anywhere i n t h e u r i n a r y t r a c t . P e r i t o n e a l c a v i t y i s normal. The e y e s a p p e a r t o be normal upon removal. The a i r s a c s when examined were f u l l o f a s l o u g h i n g e x u d a t e from t h e s u r f a c e of t h e l i n i n g o f t h e a i r s a c s . T h i s i n c l u d e d t h e l i n i n g of t h e blowhole, a g a i n reminding u s o f m y c o t i c p l a q u e s . r e were no l e s i o n s s e e n i n t h e b r a i n .

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Cand%df s i s , acvcre, ex tenaive, bticcal mucosa, hPo:~hole, a A t l a n t i c k i l l e r wksls ( 0 r c i . l : ~orca), Cctacen, due to ~ Ccndida z?b:lc,rn.s. Lcxkocytic rsErcgritcs, ; ~ l c z ~ a cells end lyit~b~cptrs, portal. c?rcc;s, z:o.iera~e, l i v a - .

fu r?lb: ~ wcrc zasilj' foand 51 ~omcc.ncr;: 1imet.0~8 n g a l c r s o n i 6 h ; C n ~ 7 d 1 2------- L ~ a i ~ , t i superZir:ial port?on ol the mucozs of t h e a ~ i l t h ~ ~ a:rd blo:.:hole. The orgsniszs %rere Lcrjt dc,~or-.strctcd in the ~ c c : - i u i l sss:-ll?-:e:! :itch the PAS techuique: In ocitlFtion to t ! ~ c uu'lin?-ntoxy r;sd Ic::c::cr'ac:Prc chosigcs f u the mucosn, l a r g e ac::clauietioas of l>lii~;c?c e i l s 2nd l y r q n o c y t e a ;.:er.c fou;:ii i n t h c ou!lerficial yrortj.or? of t.1:~ dcrui9. i h e o t h e r ~ ' l ? : i ? i t t ~ d orer?ns w e r e r 1asir.a cells nnd P p p h o c y t c 3 essen tr a l l y non:~le ~ r c e p ?or i b c l i v c r t xcrz foil~lci in n c r l y c.11 of t k t portal oreas t ~ th l i t t l e or notcl(:~cner.;:tivc i I cllsrt;e.~ in the h i p s t o c y t e s . Such I l c i ~ n t f cIcllons arc? r c l a r i v e l y comaoli ir? microocopic f f n:jingn in ce::cc2n u c i t c a l s i n cur cxpcriezce. Perhaps w i t h the i n - # e s t i g s t i o z ~ nore cascu, k e \:ill bc a b l e to dellenailre t h e i r sfzof

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J O H N G . SI!yIPSON, DVM
A N I M A L P/ITC.IOLOGY

SERVICES

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REPORT O F FINDINGS
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Orcinus orca Necropsy t i s s u e s

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Case Record No.Report Date

12-74: 1950

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12-20-74

E,D. Asper

Address

Sea 'Xorld, F l o r i d a
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T h e r e i s a p l n s n o c y t o s i t r , most e v i d e n t i n l i v e r s i n u s o i d s , lymph nodes, sp.leen, g a s t r i c subnucosa, and t o some e x t e n t , w i t h i n lung interntitiurn.

The most n i p , n i f i c a n t f i n d i n ? i s t h e p r e s e n c e of budding hy-phnc (PAS s t 3 i n ) i n t h e u l c e r a t e d mucosa of what' appeal-s t o be - fore:;";omnck. Tbou,~hc i l l t u r e i s r e q u i r e d t o i d . e n t i f y t h e f u n g u s , Candida ( l ~ o n i l i a ) s a d i s t i n c t p o s s i b i l i t y . i
The plasma c e l l s nay be a r e a c t i v e p r o c e s s sec0ndar.y t o the
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The n o s t l i k e l y d i a , r : n o s i s h e r e is mycotic ~ s s t r i t i s . I n d i s e a s e . --o f t h i s s o r t , a b s o l u t e c o n f i r m a t i o n of t h e fungus ds a p r i m a r y a g e n t ' i s u n c e ~ t a i n . Tills i s because Candicla and o t h e r f u n g i a r e s o a e t i m e s o p p o r t u n i s t s which invade p r e v i o ~ ~ : ; l weakened tissue. y