© KNRM.
A lot of flesh, blood and misery. That is what remains of a dead whale, said Steven van der Mije, head of the “whale cutting team ‘Naturalis museum in Leiden. In the course of today, he will take care of the dead whale floating at Katwijk yesterday. The animal is dragged to the beach at Scheveningen.
Van der Mije going this morning with about seven employees at the Scheveningen beach. They want to know what the whale ate, how he lived and which he is deceased. First they look at the outside of the 14-meter cadaver. “We’ll take the measurements on, see if there are parasites or injuries are and what the condition of the animal. We see if we can see. “The cause of death on the outside It is not yet clear. Now
Then it starts to decompose. The animal is cut into small pieces. “We are getting further into the animal and be able to see more details. We hope to see the bodies, stomach contents and possible abnormalities. “
It is whether the experts find much now. Van der Mije estimates that the whale for a few days is dead. “It all depends on the state of deterioration. He does not look too fresh anymore. Rotting usually begins within, so are the organs often porridge. It is not pleasant, it’s a dirty job. “
The flesh of the whale is destroyed in an incinerator. Bones go Naturalis. The team of Van der Mije also taking along tissues, such as muscle, liver, kidney and heart. Marketed for research at Utrecht University.
Cetacean coils arranged in the Netherlands. Usually are small dolphins or porpoises. On average once a year, a stranded whale of this size. The last time was on September 16 last year. When a 16-foot fin whale was found in ‘s-Gravenzande, south of The Hague. Van der Mije took complete skeleton along to Naturalis.
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