Southern Right Whale Point Bolingbroke, South Australia 2013
(This is a summary of the information collected)
First seen washed up: 30 July 2013
Reported: 30 July 2013 by Nathanial Staniford, Department of Environment, Water and
Natural Resources, South Australia
Location: Point Bolingbroke, South Australia. Precise locality is 2.7 km NNE Point
Bolingbroke, SA. 34º 31' 18.1" S, 136 º 06' 00.5" E
Collected: 2–8 August 2013 by David Stemmer, Ikuko Tomo, Mara Buss, Tania Cann, Garrie
Rees, Sue and Robert Lawrie.
SA Museum temporary accession number: 13.057
Collected specimens: Full skeleton, two testes, left side of baleen, two ear plugs (formalin),
kidney (formalin), cyamids (formalin), series of tissues fixed for pathology (liver, kidney,
lung, skin wounds), series of tissues frozen for genetics, series of tissues frozen for toxic
contaminants.
State of decomposition: probably Geraci 2 when first washed up but deteriorated to Geraci 3
by the time of necropsy.
Biological details
Total length: 11.2 m
Sex: male
Age: Juvenile (skeleton physically immature, testes small, ~30 cm long)
Callosity pattern: It was not possible to photograph the callosities until the carcass was pulled
out of the water (numerous white pointer sharks around the carcass in the water!). The
photos taken may not be adequate for individual identification because the skin/callosities
were damaged.
Circumstance of death: Other Unintentional (vessel collision), according to SA Museum
system for categorising circumstance of death for cetaceans. The circumstance of death was
assigned based on the severe, deep sub-dermal haemorrhaging (blunt trauma) and deep
parallel injuries possibly consistent with propeller wounds.
Pathology details
A detailed pathology report has been prepared by Ikuko Tomo (attached). This includes
gross pathology findings and evidence for cause of death.
Post Mortem Examination
Southern right whale
(
Eubalaena australis)
(SA Museum accession number 13.057)
Reported: 30 July 2013 by Nat Staniford (DEWNR)
Dissected: 3 -8 Aug 2013
Place: Point Bolingbroke
Juvenile male, 11.2 m body length
Gross Macroscopic findings
General body condition
This juvenile male Southern right whale was in relatively good body condition. The blubber
thickness on the dorsal surface was 15cm and 18cm on the ventral surface. Skin (epidermis)
had started to peel off.
There were multiple linear lacerations on the ventral posterior surface and left ventral anterior
surface. Width of posterior ventral lacerations were around 30- 60cm, depth around 25 -40
cm. Width of anterior ventral lacerations were around 30cm, depth around 40-50cm.Those
lacerations were almost parallel.
There are multiple shark bites on the body. Sharks were around and an increase of bite marks
had been observed by local people since the whale stranded on the beach.
Lateral view with ventral side uppermost, showing multiple linear lacerations at posterior
Lateral view with ventral side uppermost showing posterior area, four yellow linear
lacerations. Parts of these wounds were probably caused by sharks.
Posterior view with ventral side up
Left lateral view with dorsal side up, showing two linear lacerations on the left ventral head
anterior to the flipper, and several wounds on the left side of the caudal peduncle
(arrow:lacerations)
Sub dermal and musculoskeletal system
The muscles had started to softened and a small amount of gas had accumulated.
The extensive subdermal haemorrhaging was found in the following places:
1. Centre of right mandible and maxilla (locally deep and severe) and from the occipital
bone to anterior side of flipper (extensive and severe)
2. Left corner of mouth to blowhole (locally severe)
3. Dorsal side from posterior of the blowhole to near tail flukes (severe at anterior, mild
towards posterior)
4. Left lateral side, from posterior of the flipper to near anus (extensive and moderate)
Some of the haemorrhaging extended as deep as bone
1. Centre of right maxilla (locally severe)
2. Centre of right mandible
3. Right side of occipital bone
Dorsal middle of the body, part of blubber shows the sign of redness with muscle that had
begun decomposing.
Right mandible showing redness on the bone surface (arrows: focal haemorrhaging)
Right occipital posterior view, showing redness on the right ventral occipital bone surface
(arrow: focal haemorrhaging)
Body cavities
Organ positions appeared normal.
The amount of fluid in the body cavities could not be determined because of seawater inflows.
Liver
No significant findings
Stomach and intestines
No significant findings
No stomach contents were found. The intestine contained small amounts of yellow slimy
material.
Kidney
No significant findings
Lobular structure was good. Medulla cortex borders were defined. Interstitial connective
tissues between lobes were slightly loose.
Testes
No significant findings
Parenchyma was slightly soft.
Trachea
Mucous membrane was red.
Lung
Generally lung parenchyma was sunken and dark red. There was no exudative fluid from
parenchyma, and the lungs contained a small amount of air. There was no froth in the bronchi.
Heart
No significant findings
There was no blood in the heart.
Pancreas, Spleen, Adrenal, Thyroid and Brain
Not examined
Gross Macroscopic Diagnosis
1. Centre of right mandible and rostrum: locally severe subdermal haemorrhaging
extended to the bone surface
2. Right occipital process to anterior side of flipper: locally extensive severe subdermal
haemorrhaging
3. Left maxillaries at the corner of mouth and near blowhole : locally extensive severe
subdermal haemorrhaging
4. Dorsal side of the body between blowhole and tail flukes: extensive mild to severe
haemorrhaging, severe on anteriorly and mild on posteriorly
5. Left lateral body: moderate to severe subdermal haemorrhaging
Comment
Based on the reproductive organ size (Moore et al. 2004) and skeletal development, this
animal is classified as juvenile.
Multiple linear lacerations were found on the ventral posterior surface and left ventral
anterior surface. Most of the laceration surfaces were scavenged and lost original shapes and
size. The lacerations on the left neck area were associated with locally extensive subdermal
haemorrhaging, indicating they may have occurred prior to death.
Blunt trauma on the mandible, dorsal to left lateral trunk, appeared to have occurred prior to
death. Because of the decomposition of this animal, acute inflammatory reaction urged
muscle break down quickly. Additionally it should be noted that strong force applied by
front-end loader to place the whale on the beach prior to dissection, which may have caused
further breakdown of the soft tissues.
The nature of this trauma is not evident, however a very strong impact including vessel
collision should be considered a distinct possibility. Northern right whales were reported their
mortality and serious injury were often caused by human activities, particularly commercial
fishing and shipping (Knowlton and Kraus 2001).
Generally all organs I examined appeared to have no significant change. No infectious or
inflammatory conditions were identified.
Selective tissues will be examined by histopathology.
Cause of death
Extensive severe blunt trauma
Ikuko Tomo B.V.Sc, M.V.Sc (Pathology)
Literature cited
Moore, M.J., Knowlton, A.M., Kraus, S.D., McLellan, W.A. and Bonde, R.K. (2004),
Morphometry, gross morphology and available histopathology in North Atlantic right whale
(
Eubalaena glacialis) mortalities (1970 – 2002), Journal of Cetacean research Management
6(3), p 199-214
Knowlton, A.R. and Kraus, S.D (2001), Mortality and serious injury of northern right
whales(
Eubalaena glacialis) in the western North Atlantic Ocean, Journal of Cetacean
research Management 2, p193-20
