Removing Bones from Pectoral Fins of Bottlenose Dolphins

Four bottlenose dolphin pectoral fins - that represents a lot of phalanges and carpals. We needed them for educational displays, so we and our intern went to work. Our intern was Lindsey Evans, a student from Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School in  Kernersville, NC. She was here for a week shadowing Keith (Rittmaster). 

First the fins were boiled on a camp stove in a fish poacher for 5 hours.The poacher may not be used in the kitchen again. When the bones are clean and ready to use, Keith makes anatomically correct Bottlenose dolphin pectoral fin boards.

Cooking the fins

Fin resting on left edge of the poaching pan filled with fat

The bones with flesh hanging on

Lindsey digging out bones

phalanges and carpals in jar

Lindsey is digging all the bones out of each fin 
and searching through all the 'goo' for any errant bones. Having gloves on is essential or she could carry the smell for a very long time. The bones were then rinsed in Dawn, ammonia and boiling water multiple times.  Keith (Lindsey had gone home) scrubbed each bone intensely with a wire brush and re-washed the bones several more times. The last photo shows the bones becoming cleaner and lighter in a mixture of 5% peroxide and water.