Postmortem Pathology of a Cuvier's Beaked Whale: Evidence of Environmental and Traumatic Stress in a Deep-Diving Cetacean

Abstract

HistoryA female Cuvier's beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), approximately 6.4 meters long, was found stranded and subsequently deceased on Tanakeke Island, South Sulawesi, Indonesia.Necropsy was performed, and tissue samples from the muscle, liver, spleen, and intestine were collected for histopathological analysis.Microscopic evaluation revealed peripheral hemorrhages in muscle tissue, extensive hepatic autolysis with vacuolation, bacterial presence, and sinusoidal disruption in the liver.The spleen exhibited total red and white pulp loss, accompanied by heavy macrophage infiltration and bacterial colonization.Intestinal samples showed villi degradation and the presence of rod-shaped bacteria, which are likely to reflect systemic stress and microbial imbalance.These findings suggest that a combination of trauma, infection, and possible environmental or decompression-related stressors contributed to the whale's deterioration and stranding.This case highlights the value of histopathology in diagnosing health conditions in deep-diving cetaceans and underscores the importance of rapid response to marine mammal strandings for pathological evaluation.

Access to Document

Other files and links

• Link to publication in Scopus
• Open Access Version Available

Fingerprint