Skeleton services

  • Cetacea
  • Exhibits
    • WAM blue whale
    • Kwentens ?e te sinkwu
    • UBC Blue whale
    • Pacific white-sided dolphins
    • Steller sea lion standing
    • Steller sea lion swimming
    • Minke whale
    • Northern resident orca, A57
    • Gray Whale
    • Gulf of Alaska Biggs Orca
    • Prehistoric Elasmosaur replica
    • Other exhibits
  • Services
    • Skeleton services
    • Portable hot vapour degreasing
    • Other services
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Get Involved
    • UBC Marine Mammal Skeleton Project
    • Noyo Blue Whale Project
    • Supporters
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Project management, acquisition, preparation, articulation & skeleton installation

Project management

  • Cetacea recognizes that each client and every project is one of a kind with specific needs and unique opportunities.  Project plans and execution are thoughtfully customized to suit each client's situation with Cetacea services ranging from a consultation to joint collaboration to full project management basis.  Creating skeleton displays is an enriching experience for those involved and for those who have the opportunity to engage in a Cetacea project.

Specimen acquisition

  • Cetacea does not profit from the trade or sale of marine and terrestrial skeletons.  Instead, Cetacea helps clients work with government agencies, offering experienced and professional service to facilitate the acquisition of skeletons for clients.  Please contact Cetacea directly to learn about species by species options and to answer any questions on specimen acquisition.

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Deceased juvenile humpback whale, Higgins Passage, BC

Necropsies, specimen cleaning and preparation

  • Effective specimen cleaning and preparation requires expertise and various factors determine the optimal method for cleaning a skeleton. Cetacea utilizes a range of cleaning methods from maceration techniques to enzymatic cleaning, burial and solvent-cleaning.  

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Taking measurements during fin whale necropsy.
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Humpback whale necropsy, Higgins Passage, BC
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Michael cleaning flesh from humpback bones
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Michi and Mike taking humpback measurements
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Monitoring progress of killer whale skull burial cleaning
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Hot vapour degreasing Minke whale vertebrae

Design and Articulation

    • Articulation is a combination of science, engineering and art. Cetacea specializes in elegantly hidden internal armatures to create displays that are as dynamic as each subject is in nature. Cetacea mounts  are world-renowned as some of the finest on display highlighting Cetacea's expertise in many areas including design, molding and casting, carving, painting, fine metalwork and basic engineering.  
    Picture
    Mike drilling hanging point in blue whale skeleton with Discovery filming crew in background
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    Steller sea lion vertebral column
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    Preparing sea lion vertebrae for rib armature
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    Michi preparing Steller sea lion ribs for mounting
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    Mike welding fin whale vertebral column support
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    Mike positioning blue whale chevron bone
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    Carving missing minke whale bones
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    Mike finishing dolphin articulation
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    Painter Joanne Thomson, hiding rib repairs
    Picture
    welding detail, minke whale jawbone articulation

        Installation

        • Cetacea can work with your engineers or provide full services to carry out project installations.

        Picture
        Hanging the blue whale skull
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        Blue whale skeleton installation
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        Blue whale tail installation
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        Blue whale flipper installation
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        Blue whale skeleton installation
        Picture
        Mike preparing hanging points

        Education

        • Experienced interpreters can enrich each phase of a skeleton project by offering unique and rewarding educational opportunities ranging from ecological interpretation to skills workshops.  
        Picture
        Michi and Brenda deRoos giving blue whale talk
        Picture
        Mike giving killer whale talk

        To find out more, please contact us.


        Website by Derek Tan and Michi Main; photographs by Andrew Trites, Michi Main, Mike deRoos, Bob deRoos, Phil Rouget, Nicola Brabyn

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        • Cetacea
        • Exhibits
          • WAM blue whale
          • Kwentens ?e te sinkwu
          • UBC Blue whale
          • Pacific white-sided dolphins
          • Steller sea lion standing
          • Steller sea lion swimming
          • Minke whale
          • Northern resident orca, A57
          • Gray Whale
          • Gulf of Alaska Biggs Orca
          • Prehistoric Elasmosaur replica
          • Other exhibits
        • Services
          • Skeleton services
          • Portable hot vapour degreasing
          • Other services
        • About us
        • Contact us
        • Get Involved
          • UBC Marine Mammal Skeleton Project
          • Noyo Blue Whale Project
          • Supporters
        • Media
          • Blog