Fears for health of killer whale lost in the river Seine

An orca in southern Indian Ocean near the Crozet islands in 2007. The animals are not often seen in the English Channel, and even more rarely in fresh water, like the one making its way up the Seine. © Marcel Mochet/AFP

A killer whale that has been making its way up the river Seine since the start of April is in poor health, having been exposed to too much fresh water. But authorities and marine scientists are hesitant to intervene.

The four-metre-long mammal, also called an orca, was first spotted at the start of April near the mouth of the Seine, a rare occurrence given the animals are only occasionally spotted in the English Channel.