The Orca Project Corp 3/11/2012 www.theorcaproject.com

Necropsy Report Killer Whale (Orcinus-orca) Nootka

Age 28 yrs — SeaWorld of California Name: Nootka (female) (aka- Knootka, T5, T005) Species: Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Source: wild capture, March 1970, Pedder Bay, British Columbia, Canada, age: est. 2 yrs Deceased: 03-13-1990, SeaWorld of California, age: est. 28 yrs Reported cause of death (per NMFS MMIR data): Pyogranulomatous; Pneumonia Necropsy info: Tentative Diagnosis- Jim McBain, DVM (1990): In this case, death may have been due to the chronic, pneumonia. The apparent encephalitis may or may not have been important at the time of death. Histology may be enlightening in this regard. Conclusions- Jim McBain, DVM (1990): (after histology & clinical pathology review) The cause of death appears to have been the result of a pyogranulomatous pneumonia with histologic evidence suggesting that Nocardia sp., and Aspergillus sp. were the etiologic agents. This finding is in keeping with the clinical assessment prior to death. Immunosuppression is often the essential ingredient in allowing Nocardia sp. and especially Asperqillus sp. to become established in the host. Chronic immunosuppression was apparent in this animal for several months prior to the onset of symptoms that ultimately lead to its death 7 months later. The immunosuppression was evidenced by very low total lymphocyte counts and circulating "T"-lymphocytic populations that were dominated by suppressor cells. This is often the case with immunosuppression in the aged individual.

The Orca Project Corp 3/11/2012 www.theorcaproject.com

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, San Diego, California, Nootka

SEA WORLD G R O S S N E C R O P S Y R E P O R T

. . F A C I L I T Y : Sea World of C a l i f o r n i a . PROSECTOR: J i m M c B a i n , D .V .M.

G E N U S / S P E C I E S : O r c i n u s orca

I D NUMBER: S W C - 0 0 - 8 6 2 8 / S W 9 0 0 1 4 AGE : a d u l t S E X : f e m a l e

D A T E O F D E A T H : 3 / 1 3 / 9 0 DATE O F N E C R O P S Y : 3 / 1 3 / 9 0

EXTERNAL MORPHOMETRICS : ( m e t r i c o n l y )

W E I G H T : 3 8 1 0 kg

T O T A L L E N G T H : 6 2 0 c m G I R T H A T A X I L L A : 3 6 6 c m

G I R T H A T A N U S : 2 4 9 c m FLUKE WIDTH: 1 5 0 c m

G I R T H A T U M B I L I C U S : 3 9 6 c m DORSAL F I N H E I G H T : 6 1 c m

H I S T O R Y : T h i s a n i m a l experi'enced a c h r o n i c i l l n e s s w h i c h f i r s t b e c a m e apparent i n l a t e A u g u s t 1 9 8 9 . She w a s m a i n t a i n e d on a n t i b i o t i c t h e r a p y u n t i l e a r l y D e c e m b e r 1 9 8 9 . I n D e c e m b e r a deep m y c o s e s s e r u m p a n e l as w e l l a s t h e appearance of a m y c o t i c g lossa l l e s i o n m a d e u s a w a r e t h a t t h e a n i m a l w a s s u f f e r i n g f r o m a c o m b i n e d f u n g u s and y e a s t i n f e c t i o n . T r e a t m e n t w a s begun w i t h I t r aconzo le ( J a n s s e n P h a r m e c e u t i c a ) i n combination w i t h a n t i b i o t i c s . I t r a c o n z z o l e blood '

l eve l s w e r e m o n i t o r e d t o m a i n t a i n t h e r a p e u t i c l e v e l s . A spec ia l - l y m p h o c y t e s t u d y w a s done t h a t revealed a very h i g h c o n c e n t r a t i o n o f

T - s u p p r e s s o r c e l l s , w h i c h i s c o n s i s t e n t w i t h a s t a t e of i m m u n o - s u p p r e s s i o n . T h i s c o n d i t i o n i s though t t o have been of severe1 m o n t h s ' d u r a t i o n a n d probably a n age- re la ted p h e n o m e n o n . D u r i n g t h e l a s t w e e k of h e r l i f e , i m r n u n o m o d u l a t i ~ g m e d i c a t i o n s w e r e u t i l i z e d i n a s s o c i a t i o n w i t h t h e a n t i m i c r o b i a l t r e a t m e n t s . T h e a n i m a l d i ed q u i e t l y on M a r c h 1 3 , 1 9 9 0 , 4 5 m i n u t e s a f t e r her l a s t m e a l .

C o d e , ic p a r e n t h e s e s , f o r s a m p l e s t a k e n :

C = c u l t u r e ; V = v i ro logy ; M = m e t a l s ; P = p e s t i c i d e s ; E = e l e c t r o n m i c r o s c o p e s a m p l e s

GENERAL, E X T E R N A L A P P E A R A N C E : ( o r a l c a v i t y , ex ternal n a r e s , s k i n , eyes) T h e s k i n o f t h e d o r s a l f i n i s r o u g h and cracked, p robab ly t h e r e s u l t o f d r y i n g . T h e r e i s one s m a l l c rack i n t h e s k i n on t h e l a t e r a l aspect o f t h e b l o w h o l e . T h e s k i n i s g e n e r a l l y n o r m a l and f r e e of l e s i o n s . G i n g i v a around t h e t e e t h has a p a p i l l i f o m appearance.

PAGE 2

SUEDEE'& CSITDZTIOIU': ( b l u b b e r , m u s c l e s , lymph nodes ) The b l u b b e r ~ h i c k n e s s i s good w i t h a d e p t h o f 7 cm measured on t h e v e n t r a l abdomina l m i d l i n e . Muscle m a s s a p p e a r s normal . A p r e s c a p u l a r lymph node c o n t a i n s m u l t i p l e firm foci.

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: ( b r a i n , p i t u i t a r y , s p i n a l c o r d ) T h e r e i s a n a r e a of a p p a r e n t hemorrhage o r hyperemia i n v o l v i n g t h e l e f t c e r e b e l l a r hemisphe re .

LOWER RESPIRATORY SYSTEM: ( t r a c h e a , b r o n c h i , l u n g s , lymph n o d e s ) M u l t i p l e f i n n i r r e g u l a r nodules- i n v o l v e b o t h r i g h t and l e f t l u n g l o b e s . These n o d u l e s r ange i n s i z e f rom l e s s t h a n 0 . 5 cm t o o v e r 2 0 'cm i n d i u n e t e r , Many n o d u l e s a p p e a r t o have c o a l e s c e d . The n o d u l e s on z u t s x t i o r have? a ho rnoge~zous c o n s i s t e n c y and a g r a y / w n i t e c o l o r .

CARDIOVASCULAR. SYSTEM: ( h e a r t , a o r t a , ma jo r v e s s e l s ) T h e r e i s a modera t e amount of c o r o n a r y a d i p o s e .

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM: ( e sophagus , s tomach , i n t e s t i n e , r ec t a ! . , cecum, lymph nodes)

T h e r e i s a s m a l l m i n e r a l i z e d c o n c r e t i o n on t h e muscu la r s u r f z c e of t h e e s o p h a g u s . The s tomachs a r e normal and c o n t a i n a s i z e a b l e amount ,of f i s h i n v a r y i n g s t a g e s of d i g e s t i o n .

LIVER: ( b i l i a r y s y s t e m ) 4

T h e r e i s " c l o u d y s w e l l i n g " w i t h t h e e d g e s of. t h e i o b e s b e i n g s l i g h t l y rounded .. The parenchyma l o o k s g r o s s 1 y no rma l .

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: ( t e s t i c l e s , o v a r i e s ) The r i g h t o v a r y c o n t a i n s a l a r g e c o r p u s l u t e u n a b o u t 7 . 5 cm x 5 . 0 cm x

THYROID: The t h y r o i d i s v e r y l a r g e b u t normal i n a p p e a r a n c e .

PAXASITE SLDPlAFCY: N o p a r a s i t e s a r e f o u c i .

MICROBIOLOGY: Noc?rd iz a s t e r o i d e s i s o l a t e d from z lung n o d u l e and b l o o d c u l t u r e . P - s ~ e r q i l l u s s p . i s o l a t e d f,ror, s t o o l . S t r ~ p t o c o c c u s s a n g u i s I I i s o l a t e d f r e n b r z i n and p r e s c a p u f a r ly-i~.ph code .

GROSS SUMMARY : 1. Pneunonia . 2 . C e r e S e l l a r hemorrhage . 3 . Corpus luteurn, p o s s i b l y p e r s i s k e n t . 4 . Thyro id h y p e r p l a s i a .

PAGE 3 I.D. NO, SMC-00-8628/SW 90014

TENTATIVE DIAGNOSIS: In this case, death may have been due to the chronic% pneumonia. The apparent encephalitis may or may not have been important at the time of death. Histology may be enlightening in this regard.

CONCLUSIONS: (after histology & clinical pathology review) '

The cause of death appears to have been the result of a pyogranulomatous pneumonia with histologic evidence suggesting that Nocardia sp., and Aspergillus sp. were the etiologic agents. This finding is in kee2ing with the c1,inical assessment prior to death.

(Conclusion at bottom) /

Immunosuppression is often the essential ingredient in allowing Nocardia sp. and especially Asperqillus sp. to become established in the host. Chronic immunosuppression was apparent in this animal for several months prior to the onset of symptoms that ultimately lead to its death 7 months later. The im~unosuppression was evidenced by very low total ly~?hocyte counts and circulating "T"-lymphocytic populations that were dorrilnated by suppressor cells. This is often the case with imrn~nosuppress~on ln the aged individual.