Unveiling the Mystery: Investigating Dead Marine Animals

Unveiling the Mystery: Investigating Dead Marine Animals

Table of Contents:

I. Introduction II. The Mystery of Dead Marine Animals III. Collaborative Teams for Necropsy IV. The Importance of Necropsy V. The Necropsy Process VI. The Role of Federal Protection in Marine Animals VII. Challenges in Dissecting a Whale VIII. The Importance of Removing Oil from Whale Bones IX. The Ethics of Necropsy X. Surprising Discoveries: A Clean Pelvic Bone and Residual Femur XI. The Natural Causes of Marine Animal Deaths XII. Conclusion

The Mystery of Dead Marine Animals

People flock to public beaches to enjoy the sun, sand, and sea. But, recently, beachgoers have also encountered a disturbing sight - dead marine animals washed onshore. This occurrence isn't new, but the frequency of such incidents in recent years has raised concerns. As a result, several groups of people, from scientists to casual observers, have come together to investigate these mysterious deaths.

Collaborative Teams for Necropsy

One such group is the collaborative team from Cal Academy and the Marine Mammal Center. They perform necropsies, which are similar to autopsies but performed on animals. Necropsies help determine the cause of death of marine animals, provide insights into the animal's health, and assist in understanding their ecosystem. The team scrutinizes the external and internal body parts of the carcass, collects tissue samples, and performs laboratory analyses on them.

The Importance of Necropsy

Necropsies are crucial in understanding the health and mortality rate of marine animals. Many marine animals are APEX predators that may accumulate toxins from their prey, leading to a build-up of contaminants that can cause disease or death. Necropsies can help evaluate if the cause of death is because of natural diseases or human-induced factors such as pollution or habitat destruction. Necropsy data can also help in designing effective conservation policies and practices for marine animals.

The Necropsy Process

During a necropsy, the team opens up the abdomen of the animal to examine its stomach contents, determining its last meal. The team also looks for circular white marks on the tip of the nose of the animal, which are evidence of squid sucker marks from giant squids. If there are any back scuff marks on the animal, the team examines that area to rule out a ship strike. Additionally, the team collects organs for histological analysis to rule out natural causes of death.

The Role of Federal Protection in Marine Animals

Federal protection is critical in conserving marine animals. The National Marine Fisheries Service in the United States federally protects all marine mammals. Sperm whales are an endangered species, and permits are essential for any examination or experimentation on them.

Challenges in Dissecting a Whale

The team faced several challenges when dissecting a sperm whale. To get anything useful out of the whale, they had to spend hours trying to cut it up. Whale bones contain oil, so they must be cleaned correctly to prevent oil from leaching out for months. Removing the oil is vital as prolonged exposure to oil can cause pollution and may negatively impact the environment.

The Ethics of Necropsy

Animal necropsies can be an unpleasant task, but they are necessary to understand the marine environment better. The ethics of necropsy question whether We Are imposing our views on the already compromised animals or doing good by investigating the causes of their demise. While it is crucial to do these necropsies, care must be taken to perform the task ethically.

Surprising Discoveries: A Clean Pelvic Bone and Residual Femur

The team was surprised to discover a perfectly clean and beautiful sperm whale pelvic bone that came out of the warm Water maceration process. Even more surprising was the discovery of the residual femur that this species used to have when they dwelled on land. Although it was a surprising discovery, this information aids in understanding the evolution of marine mammals better.

The Natural Causes of Marine Animal Deaths

Most of the marine animal deaths that teams find during necropsies are naturally caused. Necropsies seldom provide information regarding human-induced factors such as pollution or habitat destruction. However, by understanding the natural causes of mortality, we can gain Insight into the ecosystem's functioning and what could cause repurcussions in the environment.

Conclusion

Necropsies are a crucial tool in understanding the causes of marine animal deaths. Collaborative teams, like Cal Academy and the Marine Mammal Center, are made up of experts in marine science who analyze the carcasses and assist in deducing the reasons for the animals' death. Understanding the cause of death of these animals can help in recognizing human-induced activities negatively impacting the marine ecosystem.