Te Papa's Blog

On Tuesday 28 June, the Great White Shark debuted on his first film set, defrosted and ready for action.

White shark dissection 28 June 2011, Jean-Claude Stahl - Te Papa

Andrew Stewart, Collection Manager Fishes managed the team in preparing the shark for its fixing process and dissection with great excitement of what could be discovered.

White shark dissection 28 June 2011, Jean-Claude Stahl - Te Papa

Over the course of the day, a full set of measurements are taken, his stomach is opened, contents identified and he will be prepared for this 4 month fixing in formalin/ water.

White shark dissection 28 June 2011, Jean-Claude Stahl - Te Papa

With help from our great partners, GNS Science, sample tissue from the skin and liver have been removed to under go Stable Isotope Analysis which will provide a snapshot in time of what the shark has been eating.

And while all of this is happening, the Te Papa Picture Library Team, Becky Masters and Rebecca Loud, have organised to have the whole process captured on film.

White shark dissection 28 June 2011, Jean-Claude Stahl - Te Papa

Watch this space as a video of this processing will be made available on Te Papa YouTube channel and will be available for licensing through Te Papa Picture Library.

Te Papa’s YouTube channel
Picture Library 

White shark dissection 28 June 2011, Jean-Claude Stahl - Te Papa

Thanks to the team - Andrew Stewart, Matthew Chaplin, Clive Roberts, Jeremy Barker, Tom Schultz, Carl Struthers, Clinton Duffy from DOC.

Becky Masters and Rebecca Loud from Te Papa’s Picture Library.