March 23rd through March 29th
Suiting up for the whale necropsy! Photo by Madelyn Eisenbeiz.
Well, this was one of the best weeks of my whole life.
Growing up close to the Oregon and Washington coasts, I grew used to seeing beached whales and, if I was so lucky, the teams of scientists who made their way down to the animals to necropsy them and make discoveries for the scientific community. I've dissected more squid than I can count, along with a pig, a shark, and many other marine vertebrates and invertebrates to learn more about the physiology and lives of these critters.
Never in a million years did I dream I'd have the privilege of documenting and assisting with a 47-foot fin whale necropsy in Alaska.
From left to right, Madelyn Eisenbeiz, Olivia Holdaway, Megan Bell, and Aleyna Harris prepare themselves for the hours of grueling work to come.
The massive female first washed up along the Coastal trail in Anchorage back in November. A local museum which had interest in displaying an articulated (a clean and assembled) skeleton reached out to Natalie Rouse and the rest of the AVPS crew, asking what needed to be done. After all, you can't just fly a 20-ton animal to Wasilla and hang it up for all to see. So, after assembling a crew which included the SBB cohort and many other UAA/AVPS volunteers, the paperwork began to certify and register this marine mammal so the real work could begin.
Once the tides were right (low enough that we could access the whale with time to work) and the weather was clear (not freezing, where a necropsy would be difficult, nor too warm, where the mudflats might melt and put volunteers in danger), we got notice to begin training, register as Marine Mammal Stranding Responders, and make the five hour drive to Anchorage.
Museum volunteers chat by the drinks ATV, with a beautiful skyline.
Sara Wilhelm, Javin Schroder, and other SBB en route to the necropsy, which began around 10AM.
**WARNING: From here, I'm going to insert some photos from the whale necropsy day. If dissections, animal parts, blood, knives, open wounds, etc. make you uncomfortable, please scroll back up to the top of the page and continue to week 12!***
SBB students Olivia Holdaway (left) and Cory Johnson (right) collaborating to dawn personal protective equiptment (PPE).
My friends made fun of me for taking so many 'food shots' of the whale meat... but look how incredibly well-preserved it is!!!
Once the chunks of blubber and meat are separated from bone, they are carted off and disposed of in the incoming tide.
Natalie Rouse, Alaska Vetrinary Pathology Service leader, coordinated the whale necropsy and provided a full day of training to the SBB crew in order to prepare us for the ordeal.
Walking away from this experience has left me with profound appreciation for every
Natalie Rouse surveying the spectacle. Students in the background visited from numerous middle and high schools.
UAA volunteers, Sara Wilhelm, and Natalie Rouse standing behind the head of the fin whale. The arch shape is the mouth, lined with baleen to filter-feed on plankton.
SBB students Siobhan Duffy (left) and Madelyn Eisenbeiz (right) work to remove a challenging bit of blubber.
Read the Anchorage Daily News story below!