I had an amazing experience the other day.  Our mammalogy class had the privilege of a tour of the NHM’s research warehouse for whales and other marine mammals.  The leading whale expert gave us a tour and told us all about his work.  The warehouse stores thousands of tissue samples, bones, organs, fetuses etc.. all for research purposes and their museum collections on display.  Most of the research is centered on conservation.  They are the first to be called any time a whale is killed/washed ashore, they go and collect the body and bring it in for study.  The huge warehouse was like a whale graveyard.  Spooky, sad but beautiful.  Quite an experience and I was honored to see how they work.  Well, I have a ton of photos to share but I will only be able to post the coolest right now- I have 2 tests next week!  Here is a Great Blue Whale skull collected 30 years ago after it had an accident with a ship and was killed instantly.  As you probably know, these incredible creatures are the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth.. bigger than any known dinosaur.   Also, another interesting fact-  see that shellac like substance?  That’s grease and fat.  Whale bones are so greasy they can ooze it for many years after death.  This one for 30 years!

I had an amazing experience the other day.  Our mammalogy class had the privilege of a tour of the NHM’s research warehouse for whales and other marine mammals.  The leading whale expert gave us a tour and told us all about his work.  The warehouse stores thousands of tissue samples, bones, organs, fetuses etc.. all for research purposes and their museum collections on display.  Most of the research is centered on conservation.  They are the first to be called any time a whale is killed/washed ashore, they go and collect the body and bring it in for study.  The huge warehouse was like a whale graveyard.  Spooky, sad but beautiful.  Quite an experience and I was honored to see how they work.  Well, I have a ton of photos to share but I will only be able to post the coolest right now- I have 2 tests next week!  Here is a Great Blue Whale skull collected 30 years ago after it had an accident with a ship and was killed instantly.  As you probably know, these incredible creatures are the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth.. bigger than any known dinosaur.   Also, another interesting fact-  see that shellac like substance?  That’s grease and fat.  Whale bones are so greasy they can ooze it for many years after death.  This one for 30 years!

  1. there-ain-t-no-grave reblogged this from buggirl
  2. austindwebb reblogged this from buggirl
  3. brazilian-orca reblogged this from scetaceans
  4. tearsandguns reblogged this from scetaceans
  5. mar-i-uxi-mar reblogged this from scetaceans
  6. scetaceans reblogged this from buggirl and added:
    Neat-o! :D Glad you enjoyed the trip!
  7. pufii-gin reblogged this from buggirl
  8. pickupthecan reblogged this from buggirl
  9. heelsandswords reblogged this from lobotomyp0p
  10. renekratz reblogged this from buggirl
  11. mystietex said: Thanks for sharing! Its amazingly huge!
  12. bunker reblogged this from buggirl
  13. helenmcrofl said: Awesome :)
  14. battered-sausage reblogged this from buggirl and added:
    Amazing
  15. sparklesandscars said: That’s fucking nuts!!
  16. the-fauxtographs reblogged this from buggirl