A breaking news story on 28 April 2011 highlighted the presence of a sperm whale carcass on the rocks of one of Sydney’s northern beaches. The appearance of the whale is noteworthy for a number of reasons. Not only the concern of attracting sharks to that area, but also allowing the Museum to stretch it’s collecting fingers and gather a very relevant specimen for its ever-growing collection.

Dr Sandy Ingelby, Manager of the Mammalogy Collection, was very happy to share how the Museum will be involved in the removal and collection of the specimen, what the public can do with future whale sightings and some of the ways the Museum will use the specimen to better understand our world.