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THANK YOU LETTERS |
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Email this page to a friend Related pagesAMERICAN CETACEAN SOCIETY FACT SHEET: fin whale Dead fin whale in the San Juan Islands NECROPSY: |
"Finnegan's" wake a great success!Dear Editor, posted 11/09/02
The Whale Museum, along with the Marine Ecosystem Health Program, and the National Marine Fisheries Service’s Office Of Protected Resources maintain a new Marine Mammal Pathology Lab at FHL where the necropsy was performed. Lots of wonderful people worked hard to spot, retrieve, photograph, perform the necropsy, and tow away the Fin whale nicknamed "Finnegan". The FHL staff, scientists and students were fantastic in offering up the use of the beach and facilities at the labs. Extra thanks to Dr. David Duggins, Dr. Claudia Mills, Don English and the maintenance and custodial staffs as well as the caretakers, researchers and students who had to deal with the lingering eau de whale! Ken Balcomb, Dave Ellifrit, Adam Ü and Megan of the Center for Whale Research dove right in along with Whale Museum staff and regional scientists Steve Jeffries of WDFW, John Calambokidis of Cascadia Research, Joe Gaydos of the Marine Ecosystem Health Program and Steve Raverty the veterinary pathologist from BC. Final reports indicate that this whale died from a ship-strike as there was massive hemorrhaging, symmetrical fractures and a displaced spine indicative of blunt trauma. Several others pitched in to help: Kimberly Guenther, a FHL student in the apprenticeship program; Eric Eisenhardt; Molly Jacobs; Farhad Ghatan; Erin O’Connell and countless others helped to make things run smoothly. The Army Corps of Engineers; Washington Department of Natural Resources; Orca Network; The Whale Watch Operators Association Northwest; Brent Norberg, Stephanie Norman and Brad Hanson of NMFS; and Craig Smith of the University of Hawaii’s Whale-Fall Program all worked behind the scenes on logistics. And finally, without the help of Whale Museum Board Member Bob Benton and his plane we would still be out searching; and without Nick Nash and his boat Turn Point we would still be out towing! The fin whale was towed off the beach to a mooring where it will eventually be sunk and the decay process will be documented by The Whale Museum and the FHL using their ROV in a study called Whale-fall that will continue to provide scientific and educational possibilities for our community.The numerous photographs, stories, bones and baleen that the museum was able to collect will allow this beautiful animal’s story to be known and shared at the museum. Thank You! The Whale Museum’s Stranding Network and Staff |
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