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| Starting the cut: have to start somewhere. | Starting the cut: many of the tools used in the necropsy are the same type used by whalers after killing whales. |
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| Removing blubber: the (normally thicker) white layer under the skin. | Removing blubber: the strong smell of a whale necropsy can turn your head (and stomach). |
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| Removing blubber: blubber serves many functions, including a source of calories during times of fasting for weeks on end. | Removing blubber: it also provides a layer of thermal protection in cold waters (remember, whales are warm blooded). |
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| Skull/blowhole: Like all baleen whales, there are two nostrils. | Intestines: note the ribs still attached between the two people. |
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| Lung: organ sizes are very impressive in great whales, even juveniles. | Lung: the large opening is the main bronchial passage. Whale lungs operate 'more efficiently' than ours. |
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| Intestines: these work hard as adult humpbacks can eat a ton of food in a day. | Baleen: Over 200 plates of protein surround upper palette, creating a feeding filter. |
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| Tail stock: backbone (tops of some vertebrate seen on right) ends just before the tail (flukes). | Head to tail: nearly complete. |
Keep in mind that this was an emaciated, juvenile humpback whale. It is fairly small and very lightweight compared to an adult female. And try to imagine an animal three times as long...the length of an adult female blue whale, the largest whale on earth. It was buried on site after completion of the necropsy. In many cases, in addition to tissue samples for analysis, some body parts are kept for future educational use. | |