Page 5 - CDSP
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On December 3, 2004 Professor Kelly
was notified that a dolphin had been
found floating, dead, in lower Newport
Bay.  With the help of Newport Harbor
Patrol and several students, Kelly was
able to get the dolphin removed from
the harbor and transported to O.C.C.
When the dolphin arrive (see photo at
  right) it was meansured, weighed and
  ultimately put into storage in the
  Anatomy and Physiology Cadaver Room.
  Kelly and the students who had been
  studying the two dolphins and their
  behavior in Newport Harbor recognized
  this dolphin as the smaller of the two
  that had been in the harbor since July.
  Plans were made for a necropsy.

On December 10, 2004, the dolphin was
  removed from the Cadaver Room and
  moved to the yard outside the O.C.C.
  Plastination lab.  Twelve students
  assembled and assisted in the many
  preparations for the beginning of the
  necropsy on the dolphin and the intent
  to obtain tissue samples of brain, liver,
  kidney, muscle, and blubber.  The
  objective was to determine through
  necropsy what had caused the death of
  this dolphin.  Also, the tissue samples
  obtained would ultimately be sent to
  a marine laboratory for chemical multi-
  chemical analysis. (see photo left)
  At right, Dr. Richard Evans
   (Veterinarian) of the Pacific
   Wildlife Care Center begins
   explanation, to assembled
   students, of the procedures and
   equipment that would be used
   in the necrospy.  In addition
   to this Dr. Evans collected
   data for an official necrospy
   report, ultimately to be sent
   to the National Marine
   Fisheries Service.  Dr. Evans
   also extracted two teeth from
   the dolphin that could be used
   for age determination.  Cause
   of death was determined to be
   the result of starvation and
   a combination of hypothermia
   due to the extreme loss of
   insulating blubber.  No other
   significant injuries, infestations,
   or infections were discovered.
At right, Dr. Evans opens and
  examines the heart of the dolphin
  and finds no abnormalities. 
 
  After the necropsy was complete,
  Professor Kelly and four other
  students removed the dolphin to
  Upper Newport Bay Ecological
  Reserved - and buried it next to
  the companion or parent that
  died in September.

  On February 7, 2005, Professor
  Kelly delivered the tissue samples
  obtained during the necrospy to
  CRG Marine Laboratories in
  Torrance, Calif.  There these
   tissues will undergo chemical
   analysis.
Tissue Analysis results come back from CRG Laboratories -
  March 30, 2005.  The results were "stunning" in the words
  of the technician who reported them to Professor Kelly. 
  This young dolphin had terrifically high levels (100's
  of parts per million) of various pollutants (DDE, PCB,
  Mercury, and Tributyltin) in all of its tissues.  This
  dolphin's body constituted "toxic waste" due to the 
  extremely high levels of pollutants accumulated within it!
  Story is continued on page 6 - Click here!
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