Mar. 30—A blue whale carcass washed up near Gold Beach in 2015, which was a rare occurrence, indeed. The last known blue whale to wash up was over 200 years ago, according to Oregon State University's Marine Mammal Institute, which is working to preserve the skeleton, according to a press release from Oregon State University.

First, researchers dismantled the carcass, put the remains in nets and sank them in Yaquina Bay. The mostly clean bones were pulled up in November 2019.

For the next step, Dinosaur Valley Studios' skills are crucial. The company specializes in reconstructing the skeletons of large animals, and their representatives have been in Newport getting the whale's bones ready to take to their facility in East Coulee, Alberta.

Any remaining tissue and marine debris will be removed, and the bones will be disinfected and preserved, which is expected to take at least several months. After all, the whale has 365 bones, ranging from a few inches long to an 18-foot mandible.

Finally, a steel display structure will be built to hold the skeleton; no holes will be drilled, and the bones will remain intact. When the work is complete, the skeleton will be on display at Oregon State University's Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. (Photo: Ellie Lafferty/Oregon State University)