Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2440/5858
Type: Journal article
Title: Deaths of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in South Australia and implication of human interaction
Author: Gibbs, S.
Kemper, C.
Byard, R.
Long, M.
Citation: Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, 2004; 128(2):231-237
Publisher: Royal Soc South Australia Inc
Issue Date: 2004
ISSN: 0372-1426
Abstract: In November 1999 an adult female killer whale (Orcinus area) was seen dead and floating off Tumby Bay, Spencer Gulf, South Australia. The body was never recovered, despite searching. The next day a juvenile killer whale, possibly the offspring of the adult off Tumby Bay, stranded alive twice and returned itself to sea at Tulka, about 50 km south of the adult. The 3.72 m juvenile subsequently washed up in a decomposed state at Emu Bay, Kangaroo Island. Cause of death was not established for either animal. The juvenile's stomach contained more than 20 kg of food, all recognisable parts being dolphin remains. These included two intact flippers, one tail stock, sizeable pieces of skin and dermis from the head and other unknown parts of the body, smaller pieces of semi-digested flesh, and defleshed bones from various regions of the skeleton. Most dolphin parts were identified as the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops aduncus, but some bones were possibly from a short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis, and some were from an unknown species of dolphin. Remains from at least five individual dolphins were present in the stomach. Forensic examination concluded that most of the larger pieces of skin and dermis had been cut with a sharp-edged blade, and implicated human interaction with dead or live dolphins and possibly the juvenile killer whale. Such activities are illegal in South Australian waters. More information is needed on interactions between killer whales and humans in Australian waters.
Appears in Collections:Aurora harvest
Pathology publications

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