IFAW Marine Mammal Rescue EVENT REPORT

Transcription

1 Event/Field #: IFAW10-188Mn Report Completed by:_m. Niemeyer Type of Event: IFAW Marine Mammal Rescue EVENT REPORT! Mass Stranding! Herding! Milling! UME " Large Whale Necropsy! Single Stranded Social Cetacean! Other: Event Date(s): 9/9/2010-9/12/2010 Lat/Long: Event Location: Light House Beach, Chatham - Initial Floater Report from 9/9/2010: N W - Floater Report from 9/10/2010: N W - Initial Beached Location 9/11/2010 (google earth): N W - Final location 9/11/2010 (where it was towed to): N W # Animals Involved: 1 IFAW #s (if applicable): IFAW10-188Mn Time of Initial Report: 9/9/2010 ~1200 (initial call of animal floating off shore) 9/11/2010 ~0932 (when whale was beached) Time Staff on Scene: 9/11/2010 ~1100 Staff Involved: Initially: JMH, CTH Necropsy: CTH, SMS, MJM, KMTM, MEN Low Tide on 9/12/2010: ~10:30 Weather Conditions: 9/11 & 9/12 Temp: mid 60 s winds 10-15k, partly cloudy Event Description: - A dead humpback whale was initially reported as floating offshore near the SW corner of Stellwagen Bank on 9/9/2010, PCCS responded and documented the animal. The animal was resighted again off of Eastham on 9/10/ On the morning of 9/11/2010 the carcass was observed beached on a sand bar off of Light House Beach, Chatham. The Chatham harbor master, with permission from staff, towed the carcass to Lighthouse beach, landed and anchored the carcass on shore for further documentation and necropsy. - Crowd control was quite an issue as it was a busy crowded weekend in Chatham. A perimeter was set-up around the whale by the Chatham Harbor Master and IFAW staff. - A necropsy was set-up for the following day. The Harbor Master provided the heavy equipment (back hoe loader) for the necropsy and granted approval for burying the soft tissue on Site. - On 9/12/2010 a beach necropsy took place beginning at approximately 0800 and was completed by approximately 1300.

2 Total # Animals Rescued: NA Lessons Learned: Event/Field #: IFAW10-188Mn Report Completed by:_m. Niemeyer - The carcass was buried and all crew were off the beach by See the Necropsy Report Completed by MJM for further details and findings. - It was later confirmed (via PCCS Humpback whale Photo-ID Program) that this animal was identified as Sapling, a 3 year old male humpback whale. - There was a moderate amount of media interest and staff fielded several interviews on site and over the phone in the next few days. - One crew member did sustain a minor cut during the necropsy. The injury was treated on site, with no further medical care needed. An injury report was completed. - The beginning of the necropsy was a bit chaotic, as it was difficult to initiate the external exam, due to not having supplies handy, and not having a dedicated team/plan for the external exam. - External Human Interaction evidence was not well revealed to and communicated with MMRR staff. Findings need to be shared with entire external examination team and necropsy team leader and make sure everyone is informed of the findings and it can be discussed on site with the team before sampling or moving on. - We had some difficulty with labeling, keeping track of and photographing external lesions; need to explore better labeling methods. - It was useful to have a volunteer specifically for crowd control, could even use one or two more people for that role. - IFAW kits needed more of the following items: Rulers for photos, scalpel blade handles, bullet tubes, pens/pencils/markers, notebooks, arm covers. - Need to have very experienced people data recording and photographing. - It was very helpful to have a PR/Media staff person from IFAW on site. Protocol Changes: * need to be added to Large Whale Necropsy Protocols. - Have staff and NTL on scene at necropsy to set-up and do external examine before entire crew and heavy equipment are on scene. - Have an external exam kit ready with photo cards, data sheets, small sampling kit and labeling items for external lesions (laminated cards/labels, pins, laundry tags, dry erase markers, paint sticks, grease pens). - Only NTL and MMRR staff should conduct external exam and make HI observations/determinations. - For all large whales (except RW s) use standard IFAW necropsy report with speciesspecific addendum which includes specific morph sheets, external sketch sheets and any other additional sections required for that species. See if Scott Landry can provide us with external sketches for fin whales, minke whales and sperm whales. - Need a Photo Log sheet, for logging individual photos taken. - Need a blank sample log as well as the standard sample list, to account for additional samples taken. - Update large whale equipment checklist, and up date or add MJM briefing checklist to protocols as well.

3 IFAW Photos? NO / YES IFAW Video? NO / YES Event/Field #: IFAW10-188Mn Report Completed by:_m. Niemeyer Location: IFAW Digital Image Library Location: Need to follow up with Rich Moos Collaborating/Assisting Organizations: Organization Involvement Thank You Sent? Chatham Harbor Master Office & Towing whale, providing heavy Needs to be done Chatham Life Guards equipment for necropsy, crowd control (Stuart, Bill, Vince, Chris) PCCS Providing volunteers for necropsy NA Other Comments: Other than the initial start of the necropsy and external exam going slowly and being a bit confusing to begin with, the remainder of the necropsy went very smoothly, the Chatham Harbor Master was extremely helpful with landing the animal, disposal of the carcass and crowd control on the beach. Necropsy Team: WHOI: M.J. Moore, Eden Maloney (guest student) IFAW MMRR Staff: Katie T. Moore, Sarah Sharp, Misty Niemeyer, CT Harry IFAW MMRR Volunteers: Betty Lentell, Cally Harper, Maya Yamato, Peter Holster, Joe Fellows, Holly Kuhn, Kevin Voorhis (crowd control) Additional IFAW Staff: Rich Moos (media) MA DFW: Tom French, Peter French (son) PCCS: Jenn Tackaberry (PCCS), Laura Ganley (PCCS), Gaby Silva (PCCS Intern) NOAA Fisheries: Tracy Bowen (NOAA NERO)

4 Large Whale Necropsy Report Cape Cod Stranding Network, Inc. Field Number:IFAW10-188Mn Date of Necropsy: Sept Location:, Lighthouse Beach, Chatham Latitude / Longitude: N W Species:Megaptera novaeangliae Sex:M Length: 820 Weight:CBD Age:CBD Condition Code: Dead 3. Moderate decomposition Human Interaction (HI): CBD Prosectors: Necropsy Team Leader: Michael Moore On-Site Coordinator: Misty Niemeyer Recorder:Laura Ganley Photographer:Jen Tackaberry Brief History: Date and Time of Death: not known Date Carcass was Discovered: Reported by a fisherman on the SW corner of Stelwagen Bank to WDCS on Thursday Sept 9th. Examined at sea by PCCS that day. Washed ashore at Nauset Inlet Sept 11th, towed by Chatham Harbormaster to Lighthouse Beach Chatham, MA and anchored using three lines around the tailstock. Whale identified by Jooke Robbins (PCCS) as 'Sapling'. Baleen Baleen racks intact peeled out of upper jaw and collected for Samantha Young, Berta Lab. Frozen in WHOI MRF walkin -20. mjm! 9/23/10 4:18 PM Comment [1]: Do we have a lat long? I can insert a map with that and the necropsy site if we do External Examination General Condition: See Figures 1 through 24 and associated legends below for a great diversity of epithelial lesions of varied degrees of chronicity. There were multiple healed scars, some of which had the appearance of possible old entanglements. Fig15 (lesion D) and Fig 16 (lesion D2) are suggestive of a more recent entanglement. Condition Code:3 Mildly bloated: more in chest on Sept 11 and more in abdomen on Sept 12. Skin coverage present: 65% Scavenger Damage: two large shark bites anterior to left eye. Many small oval bites in superficial blubber in places where epithelium has fallen away from decomposition. Images of these bites were examined by Greg Skomal, MA DMF who concurred with the interpretation. Primary Incision Blubber color and consistency was off white and oozing oil on cut surface, nothing abnormal. Subdermal sheath green -? decomposition. PARASITES: (External and Internal) A few cyamids evident in photographs from Sept 11. None present at necropsy on Sept 12th. A few gastric nematodes. MUSCULOSKELETAL Muscle: subdermal muscle bruising in left scapula and axilla region (Figures 25, 28, 29, 30) and from just anterior to genital slit going caudally for 190cm, and adjacent to vertebra on left flank (Figure 26).

5 Skeletal: no fractures observed except unfused epiphyseal plates in anterior thoracic region were mainly shattered into multiple fragments, suggestive of post mortem rolling in surf. Head of right first rib was eroded (Figure 33). Blowhole: no discharge RESPIRATORY Larynx: no obvious hemorrhages Trachea / Bronchi: mucosa red/tan Lungs: uniformly dark red and moist Figure 31 Cranial Sinuses: not examined CIRCULATORY Heart: Autolyzed.. Nodules on bicuspid valve (Figure 34). Great vessels: aorta and subclavian present. Walls thick, elastic and nothing abnormal. Spleen: not found LYMPHATIC Lymph nodes: not found Thymus: not found R. Adrenal: not found ENDOCRINE L. Adrenal: not found Thyroid: not found Pituitary: not found URINARY R. Kidney: autolyzed. No nematodes observed L. Kidney: same as right. Bladder: autolyzed Esophagus: DIGESTIVE Stomach: gas filled in thoracic cavity, some mucosal autolysis Stomach contents: ~30ml white contents? partially digested krill. Some nematodes. Intestines: no visible lesions

6 Fecal exam: brown green pasty (Figure 35) Liver: autolyzed Pancreas / Pancreatic ducts: not found R. testis: 14.0x6.5x4 cm REPRODUCTIVE L. Gonad: 17.3x5.6x2 cm Figure 32 Penis: small nodule near posterior area of penis Reproductive condition: immature Eyes: decomposed and scavenged NERVOUS / SENSORY Spinal Cord: not found Brain: not found Ears / Ear plugs: ear bones in place and not fractured. No wax plugs found Ear sinuses: (Parasites) not examined Carcass disposition: soft tissue buried on beach. bones to Tom French, MA Wildlife SUMMARY AND CAUSE OF DEATH FROM GROSS EXAMINATION: There is no obvious cause of death from the gross observations. The recent axillary line impressions and the widespread skeletal muscle edema and bruising, along with the saturated lungs could be suggestive of a rapidly fatal entanglement in heavy mobile gear, but given the state of decomposition of the epithelium and the internal organs it is not possible to offer a definitive diagnosis as to proximate or ultimate cause of death. It is however, possible to say with reasonable certainty, that the animal did not die from propeller or blunt vessel trauma. The former would have shown superficial repeated incisions, and the latter some evidence of skeletal fracture.

7 I2 E2 J2 G2 H2 C D D2 F2 Tow and anchor rope trauma A B 2 large shark bites Note: figure numbers are shown bottom right 1

8 Ventral view 2

9 Lines used to anchor the whale carcass overnight 3

10 Ventral aspect of both flukes 4

11 Loss of skin, tow/anchor rope trauma and small oval scavenge marks 5

12 Leading edge of right fluke blade old scars. 6

13 Location of two large shark bites on right lower lip and throat region 7

14 Two shark bites antero ventral to left flipper 8

15 Left flank 9

16 Left flipper and flank 10

17 Right flank 11

18 Lesion A white intersecting linear marks mid lateral on left flank caudal to flipper. Insert shows section across this lesion note absence of penetrating scar tissue 12

19 Lesion B anterior to lesion A 13

20 14 Lesion C Two parallel black discolorations on ventral aspect of right flipper

21 Lesion D - Linear marks in right axilla appear recent. Width 1.2cm 15

22 Lesion D2 anterior to right axilla 16

23 1E1 1E2 1E3 Lesion 1E right flank at termination of ventral grooves 17

24 Lesion E2 Laceration dorsal to right flipper 18

25 Lesion F2 right aspect of chin 19

26 Lesion G2 left peduncle 20

27 Lesion H2 left abdomen 21

28 Lesion I2 left lumbar 22

29 Lesion J2 Left peduncle: old scars 23

30 WHERE IS THIS????? 24

31 Subdermal discoloration over left ventral aspect of throat and neck 25

32 Normal blubber in at the root of the penis, but note bruising in the muscle below the subdermal sheath 26

33 Subdermal sheath to left of genital slit 27

34 Bruised muscle in left axilla region caudal to left scapula 28

35 Brusing and edema cranial to left scapula 29

36 Edematous hemorrhagic muscle by left axilla 30

37 Right lung note uniform dark red coloration 31

38 Left testicle 32

39 Eroded head of first right rib 33

40 Left atrioventricular valve Nodules on right AV valve 34

41 Feces 35