Death of the killer whale <Emphasis Type="Italic">Orsinus orca</Emphasis> from bacterial pneumonia in 2003

A killer whale was captured in Avacha Gulf (Kamchatka) on September 26, 2003. It was transported to the Utrish Sea Station (Black Sea) on October 6. However, the animal died in 13 days. As a result of microbiological analysis of the internal organs of dead animal, a bacterial culture was isolated that was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The infection by this opportunistic pathogen caused abscessing pneumonia that resulted in the death of the killer whale.