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)