Comments on: Pygmy right whale

By: Youngmin Lim

Youngmin Lim — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:51:38 +0000

Hi!
Here is Korea, and I have never seen photos like in this site.

As a vet I thank you for posting precious photos. ㅋ

By: tepapamuseum

tepapamuseum — Tue, 06 May 2008 21:03:11 +0000

I’ve updated the post yesterday to add links. I sent a bad mailing pointing to this page instead of the whole blog, sorry about that! You can see all the updates on http://blog.tepapa.govt.nz/

In fact, this whale is only 2 meters long

Florence

By: Mark Smitheman

Mark Smitheman — Tue, 06 May 2008 10:29:09 +0000

Hi Pamela,
Thanks for your response. Shame about the webcams. My main interest (besides a general liking for whales) is how you go about dissecting such a large creature.
What tools/equipment do you employ and how do you handle something like the alimentary system which could be dozens of metres long!
Where can I find the images and updates please (URL)?
Thanks again, you people are stars!
Mark (Smivs) Smitheman.

By: Pamela

Pamela — Sun, 04 May 2008 21:43:20 +0000

Hi Mark
We aren’t able to have a webcam for the whale dissection, sorry. But we are intending to post images and updates while the dissection is happening over the next couple of days. The scientists have just arrived this morning and will be getting organised today, ready to start the dissection.

Is there anything in particular you’d like to know? or have an image of?

Pamela

By: Jolene

Jolene — Sat, 03 May 2008 08:22:51 +0000

Lemon juice works well to get rid of fishy smell on hands. Use it like soap then wash.

By: Mark Smitheman

Mark Smitheman — Fri, 02 May 2008 08:41:57 +0000

The squid was awesome, the whale probably even more so. Please get those webcams into the ‘whale room’ so that we can see what’s going on. Is this likely?
Yours (in hope),
Mark Smitheman (AKA Smivs)

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Fri, 02 May 2008 03:44:14 +0000

Thanks Pamela.

I read some where that colossal squids are not good for eating as they have a very strong ammonia smell which is just as well. Otherwise they will be fished out of extinction! It’s interesting that you say it smells “fishy”.

Thanks again for your speedy response.

By: pamelalovis

pamelalovis — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:38:06 +0000

Hi Jonathan
Good question, thanks! It’s quite hard to describe in words what anything smells like.

When the smaller colossal squid was being looked at on the dissection table it smelt very “fishy” – and it got worse as the day went on. I touched it (carefully) and my hand didn’t smell very good for quite a long time after, even though I washed it several times.

The bigger colossal squid was in the tank and didn’t smell much at all. Once it’s been preserved it will just smell of the preservatives we’ve used – a strong, chemical smell, and not very nice.

Hope that helps.
Pamela

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Fri, 02 May 2008 01:58:57 +0000

What does the squid smell like?