How Do Captive Dolphins Die?
The following are some of the listed causes of death among dolphins in captivity:
Trauma
Killed in a fight
Euthanasia
Drowning
Kidney problems
Pneumonia
Gastritis, genic shock
Malnutrition and stress
Trauma
Stress related
Severe bronchopneumonia
Chlorine toxicity
Accidental drowning
Penetrated by stingray spine
Zinc poisoning
Suffocation
Bacterial septicemia
Internal bleeding
Shock during capture, drowning
Anorexia
Infection
Died of shock during treatment
Drowned, jaw caught in netting
Perforated ulcer
Inanition caused by stomach ulcer
Rupture of stomach ulcer
Heart attack
Capture mortality
Chronic esophageal ulcers
Ulcerative dermatitis
Emaciated
Accidental collision with pool
Capture shock
Failure to adapt
Chlorine
Back injury
Foreign object ingestion
Stress/malnutrition
Shock
Related to fractured jaw
Drowned, maternal trauma
Accidental death
Shock during movement
Neo-natal shock
Salmonella
By another animal
Died during strike , starvation
Died during strike, adrenal exhaustion
Died during strike, emaciation
Allergic reaction to vaccination
Malnutrition
Gastric ulceration
Pregnant, capture related stress
Inadequate nutrition intake
Possible malnutrition
Food poisoning
Killed by another dolphin
Jumped out of the tank
Stomach ulceration
Injured during a fight
Vaccine reaction
Fractured skull
Shock syndrome
Drug reaction
Animal attack
Death from shock
Killed by aggressive male
Capture stress
Foreign body (US Navy)
Capture related (US Navy)
Drowning (US Navy)
Failure to adapt (US Navy)
Related to jaw fracture (US Navy)
Possible toxic fish (US Navy)
During release (US Navy)
Spinal fracture (US Navy)
Toxic shock (US Navy)
Failure to thrive (US Navy)
During testing (US Navy)
Other causes of death are noted as:
Unspecified...
Under investigation...
Pending...
Undetermined...
Undeterminable...
Unknown...
To be continued....
Bad fish
Heavy metal poisoning
Drowning
Euthanasia
Neonatal drowning
Died under anesthetic
Maladaption
Starvation
Zinc toxicity
Gastric ulcers
Broken neck, accident
Possibly trauma
Drowned at birth
Swallowed coins in pool
Killed in a fight
Trauma
Killed by dam or bulls
Suffocation
Possible copper poisoning
Drowned, trauma
Died in transit to Memphis
Ulcerated stomach stress
Died in transit
Malnutrition, stress
Unknown trauma
Stress-related
Malnutrition/unknown
Heart attack
Thiamine deficiency
Animal attack
Anesthetic death during castration
Coin injestion
Cardiac arrest during anesthesia
Unknown, during construction
Poisoned by burglar
Foreign body stomach obstruction
Anesthetic death
Ingestion of foreign object
Vitamin E deficiency
Heat stroke
Fractured neck
Shock
During transport
Injured at capture
Stress in transport
Stress related
Heat exhaustion
Guard dog attack
Complications of euthanasia
Gastric ulcers
Internal injuries
Convulsion/drowning
Anesthesia related
Stones in stomach
Toxemia & anorexia
Injestion of 6-8 lbs. gravel
Skull fracture
Traumatic shock
Stress, transportation related
Stomach ulcer
Heat stroke
Stress reaction
Suffocation from water
Malnutrition
Suffocated on a plastic toy
Failed to breathe
Accidentally drowned
Trauma
Fell from Rockwork, fractured
Stopped breathing
During flight; pneumonia
Adverse reaction to valium
Post-operative complications
Euthanasia
Foreign body impaction
Mother stopped lactating
Killed
Salmonella
Hurricane related
Nonlactation of performing mother
Stress during transport
Shock
Anesthetic accident
Failed to recover from anesthesia
Capture shock
Cranial trauma
Animal attack
In transport to Mystic
Anorexia
Heat stress
Died in transit to Lisbon Zoo
Overheated during transport
Dead on arrival
Surgery related (US Navy)
Drowned (US Navy)
Drowning (US Navy)
Head injury (US Navy)
Stress, shock, gastric ulcer (US Navy)
Overheating in transport (US Navy)
Anesthetic death (US Navy)
Accidental
Sodium deficiency
Death due to head trauma
Post-surgical death
During eye surgery
Stress related
Heat stroke
Trauma received during typhoon
Foreign body
Shock
Died on route, never received
Anesthetic/restraint related
Drug response
Stress, inappetence, anorexia
Foreign bodies in stomach
Anestesia death
Traumatism of the cranium
Skull fracture
Heart injury
Death by blood loss
Insufficient nursing
Asphyxiation from drowning
Starvation
Arrived dead at Kennedy airport
Under anesthesia
Stomach congested with leaves
Salmonella
Swallowed foreign body
Fractured skull
Trauma injury/euthanasia
Endotoxic shock
Zinc toxicity
Thermal stress
Undernourished
Inadequate nutrient intake
Lack of caloric intake
Fatal anesthetic reaction
Trauma injury/euthanasia
Accidental drowning
Drug reaction
Stress induced shock
Heart attack
Unknown trauma
Broken neck, veinal tumor
Toad poisoning
Stress/malnutrition
Traumatic injury
Anesthetic death
Stress/malnutrition
Copper toxicity, kidney failure
Injuries due to fall
Emaciation, cause unknown
Gastric ulcer, emaciation
Surgery related
Sacrificed
Died
Unknown toxin
Euthanized, extremely aggressive
Trauma to skull
Self-inflicted trauma
Cranial trauma
Stress/trauma
Shock
Exhibit accident
Restriction of breathing
Stress ulcers
Heart attack
Post-operative shock
Head trauma, drowning
Accident, drowning
Chlorine intoxication
Traumatism by mother
Killed by male
Chocked on a wooden stick
Injured in fight
Too decomposed for post mortem
Behavioral/environmental
Trauma/accident
Gastric ulcer, obstruction
Capture related
Other causes of death are noted as:
Inconclusive...
Unknown...
Pending...
Unspecified...
Undetermined...
No diagnosis...
No records available...
To be continued...
Source: Marine Mammal Inventory Report (MMIR) 11/09/2000. You may obtain your own copy of the MMIR through the Freedom of Information Act.