Since mid-May, the killer whale stuck in the Seine has kept curious and animal friends in suspense.
His corpse was unfortunately found on Monday by teams from the NGO Sea Shepherd France while he was drifting on the river.
Until the arrival of the authorities, the association's boats surrounded the animal in order to protect it: “The body risked being destroyed by the passage of the ships, reports Lamya Essemlali, president of Sea Shepherd France.
This would have made any autopsy impossible.
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Deploring a “too late” rescue attempt, the manager wonders about the loss of the animal, lost far from its natural environment, the sea, potentially due to noise disturbances.
Sea Shepherd France is now awaiting answers: “The autopsy will provide important information on the reasons for his disorientation.
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VIDEO.
The orca in difficulty in the Seine found dead
The Seine-Maritime prefecture has announced that it will repatriate the body precisely in order to do so, as well as "sampling operations".
Objective for the experts: “Establish the causes of the wandering and death of this killer whale.
An examination whose implementation can be complex, the killer whale measuring nearly five meters and weighing more than a ton.
“With the heat, the organs degrade very quickly”
“The autopsy must be carried out as quickly as possible because, with the heat, the organs deteriorate very quickly”, underlines Agnès Benet, doctor in marine biology and founder of the Polynesian association Mata Tohora, which works for the protection of mammals. sailors.
"The analyzes of the organ samples will make it possible to verify the presence of viruses and bacteria", she continues.
Very weakened, the orca suffered from murcomycosis.
"It's a mycosis, a problem linked to a fungus that develops very quickly, further details Agnès Benet.
This disease can cause complications in certain organs.
The fresh and polluted water of the Seine may have contributed to aggravating the condition of this male accustomed to the seabed.
According to the specialist, it is also likely that the killer whale arrived in the Seine already infected: “When they are sick, animals are often rejected by their fellow creatures.
They also sometimes move away themselves, so as not to contaminate the other members of the group.
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