Ever wondered what to do with a half-alive beached whale on a remote island in the Pacific? Veterinarian Mandy Sorenson recounts her experience of dealing with this very problem while visiting the Pacific island of Rarotonga in 2006.
After a remarkable and significant attempt to keep a beached juvenile beak nosed whale alive, Mandy was left with the very dirty duty of performing a full scale necropsy (autopsy) while learning how to most effectively use a machete and a rock as her primary surgical tool.
NOTE: Some of the images in this video are fairly gruesome. If you’re squeamish, you might consider not watching.
If you didn’t watch the video, I’ll give you the moral: plastic bags have no place in the ocean.
About Mandy Sorenson
When she’s not performing whale autopsies, you can find Mandy Sorenson in her day job as a “surfing veterinarian” here in Seattle. Follow her on Twitter at mandercrosby.
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