Pygmy Sperm Whale Exhumed for Research

Earlier this month, students, staff, and volunteers with the Bonehenge Whale Center, NC Maritime Museum, NC Aquariums, NC Division of Marine Fisheries, and NC State CMAST carefully exhumed the skeletal remains of an adult male pygmy sperm whale that stranded on the beach of Nags Head, NC on November 3, 2021. 

Staff from the NC Wildlife Resources and Jennette’s Pier responded and notified the NC Marine Mammal Stranding Network of the stranded sperm whale. The whale was transported to and necropsied at CMAST on November 5th by NCSU Veterinarians Drs. Craig Harms, Alissa Monnes, and Megan Cabot, along with NC Division of Marine Fisheries Marine Mammal Stranding team members Jill Sullivan, and Dr. Vicky Thayer, and Duke University Marine Lab students. Post-necropsy, the remains were buried in a well-organized and protected shallow sandy grave to remove the soft tissues.

After 27 months in the grave, on Saturday, February 10, 2024, students, staff, and volunteers with the Bonehenge Whale Center, NC Maritime Museum, NC Aquariums, NC Division of Marine Fisheries, and NCSU CMAST carefully exhumed the skeletal remains. In the coming months, the bones will undergo detergent and hydrogen peroxide soaks, air-drying, then painting with diluted bookbinding glue to preserve the skeleton for study, reference, and possibly an educational display.