[NHCOLL-L:4811] whale skull problems

[nmccartn]

Thanks to everyone who answered about egg collection: "...and now for  
something completely different...."

I have a long-finned pilot whale skull (Globicephala melaena) which  
was in a freezer but the freezer failed and when the skull was  
recovered, it was found to be covered (and presumably infiltrated  
with) mold.

Skull is bagged and back in a functioning freezer, but I am at a loss  
of how to get the mold out and reclaim the skull, especially since I  
personally know of sectioning of  whale ribs  that produced Botulism  
spores, or whatever!

I'd like to save the skull but am not sure this can be done.

Are there any clever ideas out there about how to do deal with this problem?

Thanks.

NMcC

Nancy Glover McCartney, PhD
Curator of Zoology
UA Collections Facility
2435 Hatch
Fayetteville, AR 72701

http://fulbright.uark.edu/collections/

Phone: 479-575-4370
FAX: 479-575-7464