Dwarf Sperm Whale Sighting and Subsequent Stranding

Humpback Whale Fin

See the entry from April 5, 2011 to read about the whale that this fin comes from

Interesting Brain Mass to Body Mass Percentages

When the the Gervais' beaked whale stranded back in February, we were excited to be able to weight the whale on the beach. With subsequent skull dissection in the lab it was learned that this whale's brain weight, or mass, to body weight, or mass, was approximately 0.25%.    
Below are some comparative values of brain mass to body mass percentages from  other species:


beaked whale - 0.25%

right whale - 0.004% (their testicles are much larger than their brains)

sperm whale - 0.02% (but their brain is the largest on earth)

bottlenose dolphin - 0.96%

human - 2.1%-2.5%

mouse - 2.5%

We may have to rethink this whole 'intelligence/brain meaning'.
(See February 25th, 2011 blog entry about this whale's stranding).   

Humpback Whale in Core Sound

Humpback Whale in Core Sound

During the week of March 7^th, 2011, a 27' male humpback whale was seen swimming then later, stranded in Core Sound.  It had 8 propeller cuts, some long and deep, forward of the dorsal fin.  By Friday it had been aground for at least 2 days, weakened with entanglement scars, scavenger damage (shark and birds), curved spine, abraded skin, anemic, leaning in a hole it had wallowed out in the sand, and still alive - a sad sight.  A team that included staff and volunteers from NC State Univ. Center for Marine and Sciences Technology, UNC-Wilmington, NC Division of Marine Fisheries, NC Maritime Museum, Cape Lookout National Seashore, and Tow Boat/US euthanized the whale and performed a necropsy.  In addition to the team’s collection of measurements and tissue samples, Keith brought back the left pectoral flipper for research, education, and display.  This investigation will enhance our knowledge of large whale anatomy and physiology.  The flipper measures 9' long and 25" at its widest point, and weighs ~260 pounds.  The short term goal is to get radiology, CT scan, and MRI images of this fin.  Long term, he plans to prepare the bones and eventually create a display with the images and bones.  Despite the sad nature of this event, each live marine mammal stranding offers a rare opportunity for scientists and veterinarians to learn more about these fascinating creatures. The information gained can be used to minimize suffering in live stranded cetaceans and contribute to marine mammal conservation.
Here’s a bit of media coverage about the whale: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rWNlAoK2FIg

Look at the entry for April 15, 2011 to see what we are doing with one of the flippers of this whale.