FORT BRAGG, CA., 9/16/25 — The Noyo Center for Marine Science hosts a rare opportunity to witness science in action throughout the week.
From now through Saturday, the center’s staff, collections team, volunteers and science advisers, joined by marine mammal specialists from the California Academy of Sciences, will articulate a rare Hubb’s beaked whale. In May 2022, a female beaked whale washed ashore at Jughandle Beach just south of Fort Bragg. The Noyo Center Marine Mammal Response Team collected the skeleton, along with organ and tissue samples, and began the process of identifying the exact species. There are approximately 24 recognized living species of beaked whales, and the team did not know how rare this encounter would be.
The public can observe the process of putting together the skeleton daily through Friday 1 to 4 p.m., at the Marine Science Field Station, 32430 N. Harbor Drive.
On Thursday, from 4 to 6 p.m., the community is invited to a Science Social & Happy Hour at the field station, where visitors can see the progress being made on the skeleton, meet the team, and learn more about bringing the marine mammal skeleton to life.
On Saturday, the completed skeleton unveiling will take place at 12 p.m.For more information, call 707-733-6696 or visit noyocenter.org.
