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Thames whale died of dehydration

Human activity not to blame for wayward whale's death.

Researchers have begun to answer the question of how and why a whale died after swimming up the River Thames last week — a rare event that captivated the world's media.

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Posted by Michael Hopkin on January 25, 2006 06:00 PM |

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It is very sad that there is not enough research for the ocean population..it just seems as if it is just an afterthought..maybe this whale passing away will show the world to have an appreciation for ocean life and the ocean itself.

Posted by: zincink | January 26, 2006 05:12 AM

How can a whale become dehydrated when it has strayed into fresh water? Its skin and mucous membranes are exposed to a hypotonic medium, and probably it cannot avoid drinking too. Evidence of water intoxication and plasma dilution would be predicted.

What is the expected serum sodium in a healthy whale? - and what value was found in the dead whale?

Posted by: Alan Knell | January 26, 2006 03:00 PM

Good question - I am reliably informed by the researchers who carried out the autopsy that these whales gain their hydration from food, and the dehydration was due to the unsurprising scarcity of squid in the Thames. The whale also spent its final few hours in air, having beached itself on the river bank and then being hauled onto the rescue barge, although it was doused with water during the process (the watering can has since become the subject of furious eBay activity, with one bid allegedly made for £115,000!)

Not sure about the issue of water intoxication due to the fresh water, according to the preliminary postmortem results it doesn't seem to have occurred. Afraid I also don't know the typical serum sodium concentration of a healthy northern bottlenose whale - if there are any marine mammal physiologists out there, please do enlighten us!

Posted by: michael hopkin | January 26, 2006 03:23 PM

I HAVE A QUESTION FOR THE RESCUERS OF THE WHALE .TO
HYDERATE A DEHYDRRATED WHALE
A INTRAVENOUS SALINE INFUSION WITH A REGULATED PUMP THROUGH A DORSAL FIN VEIN IS A COMMON PRACTICE OR NOT ? IF NOT WHY NOT?
THANKS
ASKARI

Posted by: ASKARI | January 26, 2006 05:30 PM

i think it was an unfortunate event that occured, but has made our awarness of the whale's welfare.

Posted by: ellie clancy | January 28, 2006 10:27 AM

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