Port Townsend Marine Science Center
description
Transcript of Port Townsend Marine Science Center
Port Townsend Marine Science Center
Orca Project
History
Photo by Kelly Balcom-Bartok
In 2002, the body of a female orca (CA189) was found stranded
near Dungeness Spit.
There were no obvious signs of why the orca
died.
It was discovered that the female's body carried one of the
highest loads of toxic chemicals ever tested.
History
Photo by Kelly Balcom-Bartok
A necropsy was done, tissue samples were
taken, the blubber and flesh were removed
from the body.
The remaining skeleton was covered with manure in a cow
pasture in Sequim.
The Orca skeleton lay there, undisturbed by humans, for six years.
HistoryIn 2008, a visitor to the PTMSC casually mentioned the skeleton, wondering whether anyone had claimed it. Questions, emails and correspondence with NOAA bounced back and forth until the PTMSC were given a long term loan of the skeleton for use in education.
In May, 2008, PTMSC staff and an AmeriCorps team joined a group of scientists and volunteers on the Sequim farm. The skeleton lay inside a bright orange net, covered with a thick growth of nettles and lush grass. The skeleton was carefully uncovered, the bones labeled and tagged and then loaded on a truck bound for the NOAA lab in Seattle. There the bones were cataloged, soaked and cleaned of the cartilage and dried tissue that still remained.
HistoryIn March, 2009, the PTMSC received the bones, and the real work began.
Bone Atlas
Dimensioning
Dimensioning
Dimensioning – CAT Scan of “Hand”
Assembly based on CAT Scan
Skull without teeth
Skull with dentures
Lower jaw with dentures
Parts
Parts
Rib cage and part of lower spine
Rib cage and part of lower spine
Lower spine with armature
“cartilage” close up
Base of spine
Sternum and ribs
Sternum, no “cartilage” yet
Guess this in one try, it’s easy!(hint: look at the pelt)