Comments on: Can whales get rabies?

Question: Can whales get rabies?

respond — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 02:17:28 -0800

Can whales get rabies? Are there any documented cases of whales catching rabies? This seems like a good premise for a bad horror movie.

By: chrisbucks

chrisbucks — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 02:31:09 -0800

Seems to be a popular question. Putting "whales rabies" into google had the very question in the first few results.

Can whales get rabies?

There has never been a case of rabies reported in a whale. This doesn't mean that they are not susceptible to catching it. In fact, all mammals are susceptible to rabies. However, it is very unlikely that a whale could naturally get rabies. It would have to be bitten by a bat, a skunk, a fox, a dog or a human (!) carrier. One case of rabies has already been documented in a ringed seal from the Arctic (Svalbard, Norway). The disease was likely transmitted to the seal by the bite of a rabid arctic fox or a domestic dog. This is a very rare occurrence.

From the link (might not be obvious how to find the question in the list, since it's using some really really annoying frameset)

By: Inspector.Gadget

Inspector.Gadget — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 07:49:11 -0800

Rabies also makes animals hydrophobic, so it would probably mean a quick end to the whale before it could cause much damage.

By: iknowizbirfmark

iknowizbirfmark — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 08:06:56 -0800

Sounds like hydrophobia is a great element of respond's premise, if the whales are working their way into/onto boats to get out of the water

By: nprigoda

nprigoda — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 11:49:39 -0800

My sister suggested a similar premise for a horror movie:
What if a zombie bit a whale?

By: Gucky

Gucky — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 18:44:29 -0800

On the great premise for a movie tact: FOAMY THE RABID DOLPHIN was the fake horror movie Bobcat Goldthwait's character is working on in the John Cusack/Demi Moore vehicle, ONE CRAZY SUMMER. It's the second funniest joke in the film (beyond "dog from mars!").

By: jrishel

jrishel — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 19:05:03 -0800

Gucky, you beat me to Foamy the Rabid Dolphin reference.
I think the funniest joke in ONE CRAZY SUMMER was the elaborate setup for the Godzilla attack.