WHEN A RARE FEMALE BEAKED WHALE washed ashore on the Mendocino Coast just south of Fort Bragg, it sparked a scientific collaboration that stretched from Fort Bragg to San Francisco. The Noyo Center for Marine Science and the California Academy of Sciences joined forces to study, preserve and eventually articulate, or put together, the skeleton of a Hubbs’ beaked whale, one of the ocean’s most elusive deep-diving species.
On Sept. 15, the Noyo Center hosted the Hubbs’ Beaked Whale Articulation Workshop, giving the public a chance to watch teams of volunteers and scientists reassemble the skeleton. The process took several weeks of painstaking effort. At the center of the effort were Sarah Grimes, the Noyo Center’s stranding coordinator; Sheila Semans, the center’s executive director; and Moe Flannery, senior collections manager of ornithology and mammalogy at the California Academy of Sciences.
The articulated skeleton of the Hubbs’ beaked whale now serves as a teaching and research tool, connecting the Mendocino Coast community to the mysteries of the deep ocean. For Grimes and her team, it represents the culmination of years of work — and the ongoing collaboration between the Noyo Center and the California Academy of Sciences to advance marine science, conservation and education.
As the bones were cleaned, sorted and aligned, The Mendocino Voice has been following the project. We asked questions about the discovery, recovery and delicate restoration of the whale and what it means for science and the community.
Mary Rose Kaczorowski: You were called to respond to the beaked whale that stranded in 2022. How did that come about?
Sarah Grimes: Someone from the public saw this large animal washing up just south of the main beach at Jug Handle State Natural Reserve. They didn’t know what it was — some thought it might be a fish or a dolphin — and they weren’t sure if it was alive. So they called the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito. The center contacted us, and a couple of volunteers went out to assess the situation. We found the animal was deceased. It looked like a big whale, but I didn’t know the species right away. Later, it was confirmed that it was a Hubbs’ beaked whale.
What happened once you arrived on the scene?
Grimes: My team and I scrambled down a cliff — the tide was coming in fast. The whale was very fresh, meaning she hadn’t been dead long, which made the collection even more important. We were directed by pathologists at the Marine Mammal Center and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, both part of the federal stranding network under NOAA permits. We collected internal organs — heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and stomach — and tissue samples like muscle and skin for pathology. We returned the next day, once the tide allowed, to collect the skeleton.
How rare is it to see a beaked whale?
Grimes: It’s pretty rare. They’re not rare because there aren’t many of them — they’re rare to see because they live in deep, dark parts of the ocean, diving as far as 10,000 feet and holding their breath for up to two hours. They feed on squid and interact deep below the surface. Seeing one alive near the coast would be incredible. Some fishers probably see them out at sea, but for one to wash up here, it’s unusual.
Can you describe the California Academy of Sciences’ role in this project?
Maureen Flannery: The California Academy of Sciences is part of the National Marine Mammal Stranding Network, which includes about 120 organizations across the U.S. The network operates under NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service. Here in California, our Academy team responds to dead marine mammals along the coast — from the San Mateo–Santa Cruz county line north to southern Mendocino County. The Mendocino portion is covered by the Noyo Center for Marine Science, a designated organization under our stranding agreement. The Noyo Center is the lead agency for this articulation effort and workshop. My team from the Academy is here to assist — myself and two curatorial assistants, Shalina Peterson and Katherine “Cricket” Raspet. They’ve prepared and cataloged skeletons before, but this is their first time articulating one, which makes it a great learning opportunity.
You mentioned “articulation.” How is that different from “reconstruction”?
Flannery: “Articulation” is the scientific term for assembling a skeleton — literally putting the bones together at their joints. For example, the mandible, or lower jaw, articulates with the skull. It’s not the same as reconstruction, which involves rebuilding missing or damaged parts. In this case, we’re doing both: articulating the skeleton while also reconstructing certain bones that were broken or missing when the whale stranded.
What is the process of collecting and cleaning an entire whale skeleton?
Grimes: First, we do what’s called flensing — removing the flesh to get down to the bone. After that, the bones go through maceration, which means soaking in water so bacteria can naturally clean off the remaining tissue. We use cold-water soaks, then warm-water soaks with dish soap to pull out the oils. Marine mammals are very oily, so degreasing takes time, sometimes a year or more. You don’t want whale oil dripping down the skeleton once it’s articulated.
What happens after cleaning?
Grimes: Once the bones are clean and dry, we start articulation — that’s the process of reassembling the skeleton for study or display. It’s delicate, detailed work. You’re essentially putting the animal back together piece by piece for scientific and educational purposes.
Were there any challenges in reconstructing this whale?
Grimes: Yes, quite a few. We discovered some broken ribs and missing bones, and the rostrum — that’s the upper jaw or “beak” — was crushed. The California Academy of Sciences helped us repair it. They 3D-scanned the rostrum and mandibles from a similar beaked whale in their collection and printed replacements for our specimen. Their whale was about 30 centimeters longer, so we scaled it down to fit ours.
The Noyo Center has a long-standing partnership with the Academy. Can you talk about that?
Grimes: Yes. The Academy reached out to the Noyo Center over 10 years ago to expand their response area for stranded marine mammals. We fill a crucial gap in Mendocino County — without us, scientists would have to come from San Francisco or Humboldt. When rare animals like this beaked whale wash up, the Academy and the Marine Mammal Center often come here to assist.
Every part of this work is done under permit, correct?
Grimes: Absolutely. All stranding network work is done under federal permit through NOAA, under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Every photo, sample and skeleton must be attributed to that permit. That’s really important to emphasize — it’s scientific work, done by trained responders under authorization.
How does it feel to handle something so rare and significant?
Grimes: It’s humbling. You realize how much there is still to learn about these deep-diving whales. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — to honor this animal by helping it become part of scientific research and public education.
You’ve been part of this organization since the very beginning. How has it evolved?
Sheila Semans: I’ve been with the Center for about 12 years — since before it was officially a nonprofit. This year marks our 10th anniversary as an organization. Before that, people like Sarah Grimes and other volunteers were already responding to marine mammal strandings on this coast. Once we formalized as the Noyo Center, we were able to build on that work and create a home for ocean research, education and conservation in Fort Bragg. We’re learning so much about the Mendocino coastline — how animals use it and how human activity affects them. Each project builds our understanding. The beaked whale skeleton will be exhibited at our Discovery Center, and we’re about to break ground on our next major facility, the Ocean Science Center on the Headlands. That’s where we’ll have a full workshop for processing and articulating large skeletons.
What’s your vision for the next decade?
Semans: We’re charting a path toward a really exciting future. The Ocean Science Center will anchor a campus on the Headlands, but we already have three key facilities — the Field Station, the Discovery Center downtown and the Crow’s Nest overlook. Each plays a unique role. I’d love to see us do more collaborative research with the fishing community — to use local boats for gathering data and expand coastal science that benefits everyone. But it’ll take major fundraising and partnerships to reach that next level.
The Noyo Center’s reach is clearly growing beyond Fort Bragg. How are you building national and global collaborations?
Semans: Every project brings more partners. Researchers from across the country — and even internationally — want to work here because this coastline is such a rich, living laboratory. But it’s not easy. Field season here overlaps with tourist season, so housing is limited. We also don’t yet have enough lab space. That’s one of the reasons the Ocean Science Center is so critical. It will finally give scientists a base to work from, with wet and dry labs designed for real coastal research.
Have changes in federal funding affected your work?
Semans: Not drastically yet, but we’re definitely feeling the pressure. We’ve been advised, in some cases, to avoid words like conservation, diversity or climate science in federal grant proposals if we want to stay competitive. That’s troubling. Right now, foundations are our biggest supporters, but every harbor and research group in the country is competing for the same small pots of funding.
This story originally appeared in The Mendocino Voice.