NZ and Tasmanian cetacean strandings (Part I)

Not too sure about that Melissa ... interesting thought. I'm looking forward to getting the data from these stomach contents that we're amassing here.

I've just a few other pics that I'll post - mainly because there aren't that many different pics of strandings out there for people to use (sure, there are many of masses, but few close ups; they're mostly press shots). I hope I'm not boring anyone with countless shots of death.

I have a good reason for taking so many pics (and video) of these stranded specimens, but this will not become apparent for a year or so (a long-term project that is about to get off the ground).

At this point (following pic) the whale is being pulled out of a depression in the sand, left after the tide receded. It is completely intact, although it has been dead for some 36hrs; the water in the depression is largely blood, and has probably come from a ruptured tongue (protruding from the throat). For reasons that will become apparent in a year-or-so, this is a major concern
download.php


In this shot the unusual dorsal ridge system towards the posterior of the whale is most pronounced. As you get older you forget a few things (and get wrinkles), but I don't recollect having seen this so pronounced in the past; I must check the archive images.
download.php


The blubber layer is extremely thick on this bull, and the tools available rather inadequate to handle the size of the specimen. The grader was called in to assist in removing the blubber layer so that DOC staff could remove the lower jaw for local Maori/iwi (as is customary). It might look barbaric, and the job is not for the faint of heart, but it is something that they are obliged to do.
download.php
 
Finally

You can quite clearly see the difficulty the grader is having moving this goliath to the high-water mark (so that it can be buried). The grader is making faster progress moving backwards than the whale is making moving forwards. Three wires broke during this exercise; it had to be abandoned for the night.
download.php


This image is just a variant of that in an earlier post
download.php


As is this...
download.php
 
OK, just one more ....

I'm not sure how many images like this have made it online, and I'm not about to do a Google search (at work) to find out (for fear of being dismissed). From what I understand it does not naturally protrude, but does when the pressure inside the dead whale basically pushes it out (and there's a lot of explosive pressure inside one of these animals!!!!).
download.php
 
Here are a few more...

This is of the beaks in situ. Before the stomach was removed and collection resumed at um, a safer distance.


download.php




This is the haul of beaks:



beaks-and-parasites.jpg




This the removal of the jaw:


jaw-removed.jpg
 
Another whale has stranded, so I'll be back on the beach again tomorrow ....
 
You're on; probably leaving ~ 1pm. Sounds strange for TPOTH and O to arrange a time online, rather than face-to-face, but the way things have been these past few weeks we don't see each other that often (except for this eve, when he told me I'd had a drink)
 
Ja, Matt, you beat me to it, and got the better pics this time - I had the backlight on of all things. Ja, smell something horrid again!!.

Interesting haul of beaks from this one; I've got to drop everything else and get to work on these.

Here's my contribution:

download.php


download.php


download.php
 

Shop Amazon

Shop Amazon
Shop Amazon; support TONMO!
Shop Amazon
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon and affiliated sites.
Back
Top