PROFILE

The Whale Coroner

When 40 feet and 80 tons of mammal turns up dead, whether it's in the middle of the ocean surrounded by sharks or on the shore surrounded by gaping beachgoers, Michael Moore gets the call.

Michael Moore of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, at Nye's Wharf in Marion. New England's "go-to dead-whale man" holds a flensing knife, which the research specialist uses to open whale carcasses. (Globe Staff Photo / Bill Greene) Globe Staff Photo / Bill Greene

By Keith O'Brien

October 2, 2005

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One of the important things you need to know before dissecting a dead whale is how to handle a knife - a really big knife. Depending on the condition of the carcass, other necessities may include an excavator or backhoe, chains, sharp 3-foot-long Japanese whaling hooks, and someone who's not afraid to stand on top of a dead whale floating ... (Full article: 988 words)