Research using the cetacean collections
Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) skeleton in the mammal hall
Project summary
- Focus: Investigating the ecology and evolution of cetaceans
- Funding: British Ecological Society
We are using the cetacean collections to investigate the ecology and evolution of the largest animals on Earth.
We are taking 3D scans of the Museum's blue whale skeleton, and other cetaceans from our collection, to study their biomechanics and evolution.
We are also analysing stable isotopes in bone samples to improve our understanding of changes in whale ecology and how our oceans have changed over time.
Our work coincides with the relocation of the blue whale from the Mammal Hall to Hintze Hall.
Scanning the skeletons of whales and dolphins should give scientists insights into the evolution of these animals
Museum staff
Collaborators
- Dr Anjali Goswami
University College London - Dr Erich Fitzgerald
Museum Victoria - Dr Alistair Evans
Monash University - Dr Andrew Jackson
Trinity College Dublin - Dr Clive Trueman
National Oceanography Centre
Related information
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