The French local government said on Sunday that the animal is probably in a lot of pain and terminally ill. Scientists discovered from photos that the killer whale suffers from black mold (mucormycosis), a disease that has not been seen before in whales in Europe.
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In mucormycosis, the fungus infects the skin. The infection can spread to the heart, lungs, and brain. According to a French government official, that explains the disoriented behavior of the orca. He added that in this case the disease is already at an advanced stage and is likely to cause a lot of suffering.
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A group of experts therefore believe that euthanasia is the best option to put the orca out of its misery. This is followed by further research into the animal and its clinical picture.
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On Saturday, a rescue operation was launched in which orca sounds had to entice the sick animal to swim back to the sea. But the orca reacted confused and erratic. To avoid more stress, the action has been canceled in the evening.
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The 4-meter-long orca, a male, was first spotted on May 16 in the mouth of the Seine between the port of Le Havre and the town of Honfleur in Normandy. Then the animal swam tens of kilometers upstream to the city of Rouen.
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