A 15-metre-long Bryde’s whale skeleton has been unveiled at the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in Kochi.
The species is commonly seen off the Kerala coast. This whale had washed ashore in Kozhikode in 2023, following which the CMFRI assumed custody of the carcass and buried it to enable the natural decomposition of soft tissue.
When the remains were excavated a year later, the scale of the skeleton posed a major challenge, with several bones either missing or severely damaged.
The responsibility of restoring the massive structure was entrusted to Gigi Sam, a wildlife artist and birdwatcher from Pathanamthitta. Over months of detailed work, Sam recreated missing elements, repaired damaged bones, and assembled the entire skeleton on a specially designed iron framework, transforming it into a realistic display.
Bryde’s whales are usually solitary or found in small groups and are known to inhabit coastal waters.
The display is the first scientifically reconstructed Bryde’s whale skeleton in Kerala and only the second of its kind in India.