How Do You Autopsy a Whale?
Michael Moore's Whale Necropsy Kit Michael Moore, a veterinarian and whale biologist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, displays the contents of his portable whale necropsy kit. The note on the box lid says "Dear TSA: This case contains equipment for examining dead whales for NOAA (Dept. of Commerce). Knives, hooks, sharpeners, sample containers, saw, tapes, face protection." Rebecca BoyleDetermining cause of death with the help of blubber knives Some unknown terrible person shot a defenseless pilot whale last month, leaving it to swim the Atlantic in agony for weeks before it finally beached itself on the New Jersey shore and died. Authorities are still looking for the shooter. The bullet wound caused a fulminant infection in the whale's jaw that prevented it from eating, so it basically starved to death. This was determined during a necropsy, an autopsy for animals. Along with sympathy for the poor creature, this debacle aroused...