SKULLS UNLIMITED INTERNATIONAL NEWS |
|
Lots of Press for Skulls Unlimited
As reported in last month's newsletter, the month of October brought a lot of media interest to Skulls Unlimited. In addition to the previously mentioned NONzine article and the Inside Moore news program, Skulls Unlimited was also featured by;
The Chicago Tribune
The Oklahoma City Gazette
KTYD 99.9 Morning Show, Santa Barbara, CA.
Q-106 Dwyer and Michaels Morning Show, Davenport Iowa
KGOU 106.3 NPR Radio, Norman, OK
WIRK 107.9, West Palm Beach, FL
OETA Television
The Associate Press
and showcased by AOL as one of America's Top 13 Freaky Destinations for the third year in a row.
The largest exposure among all of these was by far the October 31st Associated Press story. This was picked up and printed in hundreds of newspapers around the country and across the world. The day this story appeared, Skulls Unlimited's website received over half a million hits, which resulted in overloading our server and causing the site to crash. The following day the fury of internet interest continued with an additional 500,000 hits...again, causing the website to crash. Suffice it to say Skulls Unlimited has upgraded its web server to allow for larger traffic flow.
Skulls Unlimited's MySpace
For more information and videos about Skulls Unlimited, our staff and what we do, check out the Skulls Unlimited MySpace page at; www.myspace.com/skullsunlimited.
|
|
|
NOVEMBER T-SHIRT CONTEST WINNER |
|
This months winner is.......Shane Sullivan of Loxahatchee, Fl. Shane will receive a $50 Skulls Unlimited gift certificate. To enter the Skulls Unlimited T-shirt Contest simply send us a color photograph, or digital image showing you or someone you know wearing one of our T-shirts. Originality will count, so choose a pose in front of a well known landmark, at your job, exotic regions of the world, in the classroom or just lounging around. Each entry will receive a gift certificate for $9.95. We will choose a new winner each month. To learn more about the t-shirt contest or to see previous entries, visit,
http://www.skullsunlimited.com/t-shirt_contest.html.
|
|
Click for larger image
Shane Sullivan and his grandfather
on their 7th and 74th birthdays.
Loxahatchee, Fl.
|
FEATURED EMPLOYEE |
Click for a larger image
Joey Williams
Director of Education
|
|
 MUSEUM OF OSTEOLOGY UPDATE
|
|
The Story of the Humpback
| In April of 2003, a deceased Humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, washed ashore on South Beach, Cape Cod near Chatham, Massachusetts. This specimen was one of the largest to strand in recent years, measuring 42' in length. Humpback whales have characteristically long flippers. They get their name from the small "hump" shaped dorsal fin on their back. Humpback whales can be found in most of the world's oceans including polar and tropical regions. In recent years, populations of this majestic species have been recovering from the mass hunting efforts of the early 20th century. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service currently list this species as "Endangered" and protect it under the Endangered Species Act. The world organization CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) designates the humpback whale on Appendix 1, which consists of species that are threatened with extinction. It is estimated that only 6000 to 9000 humpback whales exist today. Hunting of this species is now banned worldwide. | Click for larger Image
Humpback Whale on Beach
Photo source: Cape Cod Stranding Network |
Click for larger image
Unloading the Whale Bones | The death of such a rare species of whale is always a sad occurrence. On the other hand, it's also an opportunity for science and education to gain from this loss. This is where, with the help of many individuals and government organizations, Skulls Unlimited was given the opportunity to obtain this skeleton for display in the Museum of Osteology. However, it would be a long road with lots of hard work before the skeleton would make its way to the museum. |
| First, a necropsy was performed by Dr. Michael Moore of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, in an effort to determine the cause of death. Next, Tom French, of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, along with numerous volunteers from the Cape Cod Stranding Network, orchestrated the monumental task of collecting this specimen's skeleton. Working against the laws of gravity and the incoming tide, Tom and his crew painstakingly removed each of the heavy bones (not a small task) and transported them to a secure location. After two years decomposing in the Massachusetts countryside, the bones were ready to be transported to Skulls Unlimited for the final cleaning and preparation. Since marine mammals are governed by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, this specimen had to be permitted to the Museum of Osteology by Dana Hartley of the National Marine Fisheries Service. Jay Villemarette, Skulls Unlimited's owner, flew to Massachusetts, rented a truck and drove the still oily and smelly bones back to Oklahoma City. Jay arrived back at the Skulls Unlimited facility with the bones the same day Discovery Channel's Dirty Jobs was being filmed. Scenes including the unloading of the bones as well as footage of Mike Rowe, Dirty Jobs host, washing the skull made it in the episode, thus gaining the specimen national recognition. | Click for larger image
Mike Rowe Washing the Whale Skull |
Click for larger image
Whale Skull and Clark | After 6 months of degreasing and whitening, the entire humpback whale skeleton is now ready for articulation. This specimen will hang in the main hall of the Museum of Osteology and greet visitors as they enter. Visitors on the second level mezzanine will get an eye-level view of this magnificent skeleton. The monumental task of articulating this whale will fall on Skulls Unlimited's Master Articulator, Clark Griffith. Once assembled this specimen is sure to be a spectacular centerpiece for the Museum of Osteology. |
|
 |
Stay tuned for the December SUI newsletter featuring more museum updates, new products and Skulls Unlimited news. |
|
|
