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Sperm Whale Lesions and Wounds

Wounds

Healed Scars

Photo Credit: Dominica Sperm Whale Health Initiative - Capt Wendall Ettienne

Fig. 25 in Hanninger, E. M., Selling, J., Heyer, K., & BURKHARDTHOLM, P. (2023). Skin conditions, epizoa, ectoparasites and emaciation in cetaceans in the Strait of Gibraltar: An update for the period 2016-2020. Journal of Cetacean Research & Management, 24.

Parasites/Remora

Photo Credit: Nature picture library (naturepl.com)

By NOAA Photo Library - https://www.flickr.com/photos/noaaphotolib/5019926801/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=14659567

By Aleria Jensen, NOAA/NMFS/AKFSC. - NOAA Photo Library: anim1032, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17968016

Entanglements

Photo credit: Dominica Sperm Whale Health Initiative - Capt. Wendall Ettienne

Lesions

Fig 3. Van Bressem, M., Minton, G., Sutaria, D., Kelkar, N., Peter, C., Zulkarnaen, M., Mansur, R.M., Porter, L., Vargas, L.F., & Rajamani, L. (2014). Cutaneous nodules in Irrawaddy dolphins: an emerging disease in vulnerable populations. Diseases of aquatic organisms,107 3, 181-9 .

Photo Credit: ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ HBOI Stranding Team

Fig 4 Van Bressem, M. F., Van Waerebeek, K., & Duignan, P. J. (2022). Tattoo skin disease in Cetacea: a review, with new cases for the northeast pacific. Animals, 12(24), 3581.

Fig 8 in Hanninger, E. M., Selling, J., Heyer, K., & BURKHARDTHOLM, P. (2023). Skin conditions, epizoa, ectoparasites and emaciation in cetaceans in the Strait of Gibraltar: An update for the period 2016-2020. Journal of Cetacean Research & Management, 24.

Photo credit: Dominica Sperm Whale Health Initiative

Emaciation/Body Condition

• Dip behind the head
• Ribs visible
• Concavity on either side of the dorsal fin

Photo Credit: ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ HBOI Stranding Team and bbc.com/news/uk-wales-65601546

Normal Sperm Whale Features

• Wrinkled Skin
• White Pigment around the mouth
• Occasional white pigmented areas on the ventral side or belly
• Small pectoral flippers that tuck close to the body
• Thick Tail Stock
• Slightly protruding bony area around the eye

Photo Credit: Dominica Sperm Whale Health Initiative - Capt. Wendall Ettienne and ¹ú²ú×ÔÅÄ HBOI Stranding Team

Fig. 1 in Hanninger, E. M., Selling, J., Heyer, K., & BURKHARDTHOLM, P. (2023). Skin conditions, epizoa, ectoparasites and emaciation in cetaceans in the Strait of Gibraltar: An update for the period 2016-2020. Journal of Cetacean Research & Management, 24.