Since we recovered her bones from the ground in 2013 (see full blue whale story), our 73-ft blue whale skeleton has been the center of our classroom marine mammal education program, giving local kids a truly unique hands on education. But as the oil in the bones attracts animals of all kinds, we have also struggled to safely protect and repair the bones of our beautiful skeleton.

As we continue to develop the plans for the larger campus, we intend to build our La-BONE-atory, or articulation workshop, on the property to safely secure the bones and to begin her degreasing, restoration, and articulation.

Once restored, this incredible specimen, and all the marine mammals that come after her, will be on display at our Ocean Science Center on the Fort Bragg Headlands.