Case Report: Ambergris coprolite and septicemia in a male sperm whale stranded in La Palma (Canary Islands)

On the 21st of May 2023, a dead adult male sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) of 13 m in length and estimated weight of around 18,000 kg was reportedly stranded at Playa Los Nogales, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. A necropsy was performed 48hpm. A 50 cm diameter and 9.5 kg coprolite was found ob...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Main Authors: Antonio Fernández, Cristian Suárez-Santana, Paula Alonso-Almorox, Francesco Achille Consoli, Zuleima Suárez González, Ignacio Molpeceres-Diego, Claudia Iglesias González, Marta Lorente Hernández, Amaranta Hugo Pérez, José Luis Martín-Barrasa, Laura Iglesias Llorente, Félix M. Medina, Raiden Grandía Guzmán, Diego Llinás Rueda, Manuel Arbelo, Eva Sierra
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2024
Subjects:
Ambergris
sperm whale
stranding
septicemia
pathology
Veterinary medicine
SF600-1100
Physeter macrocephalus
Sperm whale
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1388276
https://doaj.org/article/b650b188dbf4433cb777ef8c8f53becf
Description
Summary:On the 21st of May 2023, a dead adult male sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) of 13 m in length and estimated weight of around 18,000 kg was reportedly stranded at Playa Los Nogales, La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain. A necropsy was performed 48hpm. A 50 cm diameter and 9.5 kg coprolite was found obstructing the caudal colon-rectal lumen. Necro-hemorrhagic lesions were found in heart muscles and three different bacteria of intestinal origin were isolated and identified (Edwarsiella tarda, Hathewaya limosa and Clostridium perfringens). It is reported a lethal septicemia of intestinal origin associated with ambergris coprolite as cause of death in this sperm whale.

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