Science Gets Under the Skin

The term necropsy is used to describe an autopsy performed on a deceased, non-human animal. WHOI’s necropsy facility allows scientists to study the anatomy, physiology, diet, and health of animals ranging from seabirds to squid to whales. Necropsies can also help inform conservation: Finding out how and why a marine mammal died allows government regulators and conservationists to better protect living animals. WHOI postdoctoral fellow Andrea Bogomolni sometimes performs necropsies as part of her research on disease transmission in seals and other marine animals. Here, she shows the facility—and the skull of a pilot whale—to visiting students from an Army Youth Leadership program. (Photo by Jayne Doucette, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution)