Right whale
After many unsuccessful attempts the search for a suitable skeleton ended in July 2003. A young female Southern Right whale, that had died at sea, washed up on the rocks at Onrus River, just to the west of Hermanus. She was exactly the right size for the exhibition space. With assistance from the Overstrand Municipality and Hermanus Coast Care, the bones were carefully removed by specialist whale taxidermist Piet Pretorius and taken to Cape Town for cleaning and preparation. This took place during the school holidays and generated a lot of interest from the many visitors. A few parents also had to keep inquisitive children away from touching the smelly bones.