A dead whale found on Weeroona Island likely died from severe blunt trauma that may have been caused by a boat, Researchers from the South Australian Museum have determined.
Identified as a dwarf minke whale, the carcass washed ashore in March, was removed by the Mount Remarkable Council and transported to the SA Museum to be dissected.
Collection manager of mammals David Stemmer said it was not clear how the whale died, but evidence of extensive, severe blunt trauma was found inside the body.
The whale’s skeleton will become apart of the museum’s scientific collection, but it will not be on public display because it takes a huge amount of effort to put together a whale skeleton
Stemmer says they’ll become part of the scientific collection for scientists and students to study for whatever aspects of life they’re looking at.
