The orca suffers from a fungal infestation, which can cause him a lot of suffering. Drone photos of the killer whale show tumors and skin rashes, and the disease can also affect the brain. This may explain why the animal is disoriented. In addition, other weakened mammals in the Seine can also become infected.
The orca was first sighted in the mouth of the Seine, between La Havre and Honfleur, on May 16, according to the newspaper La Voix du Nord. The animal has also appeared a few times off the French north coast. He has now landed about 60 kilometers from the ocean.
Whale Sounds
On Saturday, French experts and rescue services tried to lure him back to sea with whale sounds. However, the orca was not guided by the sounds, but only swam back and forth. In order not to cause the animal even more stress, it was decided on Sunday to stop the rescue operation.
Orcas are commonly found along the coasts of Scotland, Iceland and Norway and further south in the Atlantic Ocean. It is not clear how the animal ended up in the Seine. He may have wandered into the Channel earlier.
