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I just got this via e-mail from Simon Berrow of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group.
Apparently the autopsy of the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) that stranded in Courtmacsherry bay in West Cork back in January is going to be shown in a new Channel 4 series called Inside Nature’s Giants.
Here’s the e-mail text:
All,
The post-mortem of the fin whale stranded in Courtmacsherry Bay in January 2009 will be shown on Channel 4 in a new series starting this week.
The programme is entitled "Inside Nature’s Giants" and the four part series covers an Elephant (29 June), Fin whale (6 July), Crocodile (13 July) and Giraffe (20 July). All programmes are at 9pm on Channel 4.
The IWDG were contacted by Channel 4 the day the whale stranded having picked up the story from our website. As we did not know what was going to happen to the whale, or subsequently its’ carcass, it was hard to know how we could facilitate and whether indeed a post-mortem could be carried out. We had never tackled such a large animal before so were literally going into the unknown.
After lengthy discussion Windfall Films decided to fly over a large whale researcher from the US. Even then access to the whale was not certain as Cork County Council policy was removal or burial. Fortunately everything worked out and Channel 4 got their autopsy, we learnt more about whales in Ireland, Cork County Council got the whale removed and Kilbrittain community got their skeleton ! Joy Reidenberg from the US was absolutely incredible and took us all through the process of post-mortem examination of a large whale.
See the amazing footage on Channel 4 at 9pm on Monday 6th July.
Sounds a tad on the gruesome side… but I, for one, will be watching with interest. The series kicks off tonight with the dissection of an elephant!
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I was hoping to watch this programme on Channel 4 online. But they’ve gone and changed their website so now you have to be resident in the UK to watch programmes online!! From the clips it looks fascinating if gruesome. Does anyone in Cork/West Cork have it on tape? I would love to borrow it some time if possible.
Hi Ruth,
Don’t have it recorded here unfortunately… anyone else out there?
I knew you used to be able to watch 4OD from Ireland. It’s a shame Channel 4 changed the rules… it’s really annoying when we can watch both BBC and Channel 4 on the telly, but can’t view the web-based catch up service. I don’t understand how the licensing restriction applies: if you are able to watch the original programme, you should surely be able to watch the web version.
I was lucky enough to have a friend who recorded the programme for me to view. We watched it last night and in my view it was a very well illustrated post-mortem or necropsy of such a beautiful and mammoth creature.
I think the programme was very well made and edited. Joy Reidenberg lived up to her name……………….she was a joy to watch, even if at times her deep encounters with the whale entrails were stomach-churning. She was so realistic in her dealings with those who were helping her in her task. She was so inspiring that no matter what the conditions I could imagine that her enthusiasm would carry whoever was working with her.
I thought the programme little more than part of a media circus. The unfortunate animal was shown scant respect. People arguing over body parts, experts flown in to sensationalise this tradgic event who seemed to revel in the cutting up of this magnificant creature. At the end of it all we are none the wiser as to the reason for her death. In my opinion nothing was achieved accept showmanship, flattered egos and a sad lack of respect for these important animals.
Thanks R.O.,
The arguing over body parts that happened between rival West Cork communities after the fact is lamentable… but that rivalry is hardly a product of the programme, or of the whale’s unfortunate demise. The event was merely a catalyst that brought age-old sentiments bubbling to the surface.
As for showing the animal “no respect”, I have to respectfully disagree.
The whale was dead; that’s unfortunate, but it did afford scientists a rare opportunity to study and learn. If dissecting the dead whale helps scientists to build a more complete picture of the animal’s biology, it will ultimately help us to understand and protect those that are still alive.
Of course the “real” science didn’t take place on screen — that will involve the painstaking analysis of the body parts that were removed to the laboratory — hardly gripping television.
But the fact that the autopsy of this magnificent animal was televised magnifies its beneficial impact exponentially. What would otherwise have been a very valuable, but ultimately localised and specialised event, suddenly had the potential to reach millions of people. That raises public awareness and understanding of these amazing creatures, their biology, evolution and conservation. That sort of exposure is priceless.
The whale was dead anyway. For my money taking the opportunity to glean the maximum amount of benefit from it’s regrettable end was absolutely the right thing to do. It was perhaps the best possible way to respect not just the individual animal but the species as a whole.