The Good Bits

Not all things are equal in a natural history collection. The Canadian Museum of Nature makes an effort to classify what’s in the collections into one of five categories, with category one containing the most unique, scientifically important specimens, and onward to five, which is for specimens that are useful, but way less important to protect.

When scientists describe a new species of plant or animal, they typically do so based on a single specimen. That particular specimen is then conserved in a museum collection for all time as the best source of data for that species. (There are currently about 1.9 million named species on Earth). That unique, non-replaceable specimen is called the type. The type specimen is the item to which all other studies on that species are compared. When the description of a new species is published, the type specimen is given a unique identifier so others can find it for their studies.

A dinosaur type specimen of Thespesius saskatchewanensis, from Saskatchewan. This duck-billed dinosaur is about the size of large microwave oven. Catalogue: NMC 8509. Image: Mark Graham © Canadian Museum of Nature

The natural-history-museum business has operated in this manner for centuries, and it works just fine, especially if you are working on things that are visible to the naked eye. If you are doing a study that revises how we classify groups of species (which happens regularly), you will need to consult the type material: you contact a curator to have access to it, lay it out on a table and away you go.

But not all species are built that way. Even though scientists find many new species of megafauna each year, most of the new discoveries, and in fact most of the species on our planet, are really small. Some can be seen only with a microscope.

A diatom type specimen of Neidium staturaium, from North America. It is about the size of a red blood cell. Catalogue: CANA 43894. Image: Paul Hamilton © Canadian Museum of Nature

Some species of algae (protists) are part of this microscopic world. Even though they are invisible to us, these microbes (such as diatoms) are the foundation of the aquatic food web. All other forms of life rely upon them, directly or otherwise—from the smallest crustaceans to the largest whales.

Microscopic specimens come into museum collections on a regular basis and are prepared on glass slides for analysis. When a new species is discovered, it is described in the same manner as other species, typically from a single specimen. And that creates a special challenge. That single specimen is resting on a glass slide amongst thousands of other specimens. How does a museum curator keep track of that single, important, type specimen?

A close-up of one unit of a finder slide as seen through a microscope. Image: Friedel Hinz © Alfred Wegener Institute

Some curators use a finder slide with a grid of lines and numbers to locate the type specimen. After a specimen is found on a sample slide, the sample slide is removed with care to keep all the settings on the microscope the same. The sample slide is replaced with the finder slide, and the position of the specimen in question is noted relative to the grid on the finder slide. That reference becomes the code that creates value on the sample slide forevermore. But you must never, ever lose the finder slide or else the entire collection on glass slides becomes a mystery. The use of a finder slide is an established method at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany.

Specimens on glass slides are covered with a very thin slip of glass. Another method to find individual microbes is to etch a circle on the glass cover slip that encircles the specimen. This is done with a tiny diamond. The Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia, U.S.A., uses this technique.

A third method is to create a starting position on the slide and make a road map to the type specimen that is recorded in millimetres, going up or down and across.

With the aid of photography to record the field of view, in combination with any of these methods, it is relatively easy to get back to a spot that you want to remember.

At the Canadian Museum of Nature, we use all three techniques to remember where we have stored microscopic specimens, although the first two are the most common. The museum also has well over a thousand type specimens in its other collections of plants, animals, fossils and minerals.

An insect type specimen of Phanaeus genieri, from Mexico. This dung beetle is about the size of a quarter. Catalogue: CMNEN 2002-0158. Image: Mark Graham © Canadian Museum of Nature

Crossing the Line

It is extremely difficult to ignore the ecological scars that have been left on our planet by illegal hunting, the exploitation and depletion of our natural resources, and the senseless destruction of nature that occurs in the name of Big Business. But how willing are you to try to stop this destruction? Are you willing to go to jail? Are you willing to risk your life?

The documentary Eco-Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson has added to the discussion on this theme: at what point does eco-activism cease to be useful and become counterproductive? Image: Kevin Eastwood © Screen Siren Pictures

This issue of ecological activism was discussed at the museum’s fourth Café scientifique of the season, held on February 24, 2012. During the event, participants discussed “When does ecological activism cross the line from helpful to counter-productive?”

The two guest speakers who initiated the discussion were Kevin Donaghy, Community Organizer for Occupy Ottawa, and Aaron Doyle, Associate Professor at Carleton University in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

Volunteers from the Sierra Youth Coalition attended the Café to provide their opinions regarding ecological activism. Kevin Donaghy (second from left) also spoke about his personal involvement in various activist movements, including Occupy Ottawa. Image: Katherine Day © Canadian Museum of Nature

In addition to the speakers, six volunteers from the Sierra Youth Coalition were invited to join the discussion. Many participants truly appreciated their involvement and input because they helped to bridge the multi-generational gap on many activist issues, and to dispel the common myth that many youth of today are “selfish and apathetic”.

To commence the evening, participants watched Eco-Pirate: The Story of Paul Watson, a documentary about a “man on a mission to save the planet and its oceans”. Detailing his beginnings with Greenpeace, the founding the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and his more recent grappling with the Japanese whaling fleet in Antarctica, this film recounts the life of this controversial, yet true, environmental hero.

Prior to the film, Kevin spoke briefly about his role as an ecological and political activist throughout various campaigns across the National Capital Region. “Activism is what you’re living, what you’re preaching to people,” says Kevin, who has indeed completely dedicated himself to his causes, no matter their consequences. Kevin’s stance on activism shares some elements with those of Paul Watson; however, not everyone can dedicate themselves and sacrifice everything to a cause. Nevertheless, you can educate yourself on the topic and be aware of the issues at hand.

Kevin even quoted American political activist Ralph Nader in saying, “if you’re not turned on to politics, politics will turn on you!” While hot-button issues such as illegal whaling certainly pull at the public’s heart strings, most people are intimidated by the complexity of becoming involved in such an ecological and political battle.

Paul Watson poses in front of one of his ships, the Steve Irwin. Image: Kevin Eastwood © Screen Siren Pictures

However, the good news for us “moderates” is that all shades of environmentalism are welcome in order to create strength and solidarity within any campaign. And indeed, the actions performed by radical activists do help to balance these extreme positions so that moderate approaches seem more reasonable. Whether signing an online petition, writing a letter to a government official, or even protesting at a peaceful march, all actions help to increase public awareness.

It’s true that the radicals will always take this to the next level and risk arrest or even their lives for the cause—and arguably, these individuals are essential to actually get something accomplished. However, as one participant stated, “not everyone can be a radical or the movement would fail.” Kevin whole-heartedly agreed and said that “the most ineffective thing you can do is nothing.”

Another valid point Aaron discussed was that of the “environmental hero” and his role within the campaign. Individuals, such as Paul Watson, act outside the law and uphold their own definition of the “true law”. These vigilantes are comparable to pop culture icons like the Dark Knight (Batman), Robin Hood and the Lone Ranger. Aaron further describes them as often violent and oozing masculinity.

However, it cannot be ignored that these individuals are often performing illegal acts and cause enormous amounts of property damage. But as one participant stated, “Good people disobey bad laws,” and without these “heroes”, nothing would be accomplished. And indeed, Watson has successfully prevented Japanese whalers from hunting 50% of their quota.

Professor Aaron Doyle delivers his talk about ecological activism from the sociological standpoint. Image: Dana Lahey © Sierra Youth Coalition

Aaron also added that people should not only consider when ecological activism crosses the line from helpful to counter-productive, but also, when is it right? This morally ambiguous question definitely caused much debate.

Whatever your opinion may be, most participants agreed that without individuals like Paul Watson, amongst others, the public wouldn’t know these issues exist. So, whether you see him as pirate or protector, he attracts the attention necessary to make the public pay attention.

Therefore, no matter where you stand on the political spectrum regarding ecological activism, both the speakers and the participants were all in consensus that staying informed is our greatest resource regarding these environmental issues.

And if there is more public awareness, there can be more change.

Continuing the Discussion

We would like to invite everyone to continue the discussion of ecological activism below in the comments section. Please feel free to respond to any of the follow-up questions raised during the Café scientifique. We also encourage you to post other useful or informative links/resources you may find relevant.

Follow-Up Questions

• How has “Cetacean Fetishism” contributed to the high level of active outreach and media coverage on whales and dolphins? What is it about these species that make people care? Would we still care if a less-attractive or less-intelligent species was being hunted en masse?
• Has social media led to “slacktivism” by making us feel that we’re doing something meaningful without engaging in much sacrifice (i.e., signing online petitions, or contributing to email-writing campaigns)? What strategies or actions are effective? How far should we go?
• Is it always necessary that an activist campaign be headed by a charismatic leader in order to be successful? (E.g., Paul Watson).
• Does radical activism turn the majority of the general public away from pursuing any form of activism because of the dangers or negative stereotypes associated with these actions?

The Rich Heritage of Catharine Parr Traill, Pioneer, Author and Botanist

Miniature portrait of Catharine Parr Strickland (her name before her marriage). Image: National Archives of Canada, C-067337 © Public domain

International Women’s Day is a good time for us at the National Herbarium of Canada to remember the many women who have shaped our understanding and appreciation of Canada’s plant life. There are so many!

This year, I’d like to thank Catharine Parr Traill, the dedicated and artistic creator of more than 20 bound herbaria (blank books filled with pressed plants and annotations) that now hold treasured places in the Canadian Museum of Nature’s plant collection.

Each of these herbaria has a unique history, content and potential value. In August 2011, Marion Cinqualbre described our conservators’ plan to painstakingly stabilize and digitize these precious historical objects.

Why are they so incredibly special? Catharine Parr Traill immigrated in 1834, transitioning abruptly from a genteel life in Britain where she was surrounded by familiar and supportive people, to self-sufficiency in a one-room cabin in the Canadian woods. Talk about tough!

Left: Catharine Parr Traill sometimes filled pages with plants of many kinds and from many places. Catalogue: CAN 588170. Right: This specimen reflects a more scientific style because the sheet includes one specimen, the collecting location and the date on one page. The species is Manitoba maple (Acer negundo). Images: Jennifer Doubt/Carolyn Leckie © Canadian Museum of Nature

Unlike many who couldn’t cope, she preferred to be “up and doing”—not only learning from her new neighbours, farming, and raising a family, but also publishing 22 books (e.g., The Backwoods of Canada, 1836, and The Female Emigrant’s Guide, 1854), and fearlessly befriending and documenting her new, often intimidating, natural landscape.

Catharine Parr Traill died in 1899 at the age of 97, about a year after she wrote this inscription. Catalogue: CAN 596093. Image: Jennifer Doubt © Canadian Museum of Nature

As an amateur botanist, Catharine Parr Traill bridged science and popular culture. Her work set the stage for thousands of Canadian enthusiasts whose weekend passion for the outdoors furnishes specimens and other records that fuel scientific discovery and species conservation.

Her home near Rice Lake, Upper Canada (now Ontario), was in prairie and oak savannah habitat that has changed a lot in the past 200 years. Specimens that she collected according to her avid interests can now be used by scientists to reconstruct these past plant communities.

Her Canadian Wildflowers (1868), with its hand-painted illustrations by her niece Agnes Fitzgibbon, is considered to be one of the nation’s first field guides. The Canadian Museum of Nature has a first edition of this book—one of only 500 made.

The existence of Catharine Parr Traill’s writings, and those of her sister, Susannah Moodie (e.g., Roughing It in the Bush, 1852), and biographers (e.g., Charlotte Gray, Sisters in the Wilderness, 2000), add an unusually detailed human dimension to her plant collections in the National Herbarium. While many of the National Herbarium’s plant specimens bear few clues regarding the collector’s experience—perhaps only the collection date and location—, much of the adventure and character of Catharine Parr Traill’s remarkable story is preserved. Seeing her collections and handwriting in context powerfully inspires people from many backgrounds.

Visitors to Catharine Parr Traill’s collection at our collections and research facility in Gatineau, Quebec, represent projects in fine art, land stewardship, women’s studies, literature, Canadian history and—of course!—botany.

We have also hosted guests who were personally so inspired by Catharine Parr Traill that they simply wanted to be photographed beside the cabinet where some of the gifts she left us are kept safe for future generations.

From an extraordinary woman, a spectacular example and lasting legacy. Happy International Women’s Day!

Plant specimens were pressed with whatever was handy... in this case, fabric samples! Catalogue: CAN 596098. Image: Jennifer Doubt © Canadian Museum of Nature

The Stuff of Life

This is the fourth post in a five-part series on Arctic flora research at the Canadian Museum of Nature. Join us as museum researcher Paul Sokoloff introduces the fieldwork and lab work involved in writing a new flora of the North American Arctic.

DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid—I promise I won’t test you on that) is pretty prominent on the cultural radar these days. From forensic television shows to debates on genetically modified organisms, most people are familiar with the concept of DNA as the blueprint of life.

The DNA lab at the Canadian Museum of Nature. Here, scientists sequence the DNA of plants and animals to understand their evolutionary relationships. Image: Paul Sokoloff © Canadian Museum of Nature

Therefore, when I mention to people that I work in the DNA laboratory at the Canadian Museum of Nature, they ask me if I’m using DNA to solve crimes or to create new species. Fortunately, most people aren’t disappointed when I tell them no, we aren’t catching criminals or performing mad science. Rather, we sequence the DNA of organisms to better understand their evolutionary relationships—this is called systematics, as I mentioned in my last post.

Pressed plant samples awaiting processing in the National Herbarium of Canada. Leaf-tissue samples are often taken from these specimens... Image: Paul Sokoloff © Canadian Museum of Nature

A commonly used analogy for the DNA molecule is a spiral staircase, because if you could shrink yourself down to the size of molecules, you’d see it looks like one! However, I think a better functional metaphor is a vinyl record. Just as a record holds a song as a series of bumps in a groove, DNA holds all the information necessary for life encoded as a series of molecules.

On a turntable, the record player’s needle travels through the groove and interprets the bumps as sounds. Within a cell, proteins unzip the double-stranded DNA molecule, and interpret the DNA sequence as instructions for building more proteins. These proteins carry out the basic functions of the organism.

...and the DNA is extracted to use in a variety of scientific studies. A single tube of DNA is enough to last for years of research. Image: Paul Sokoloff © Canadian Museum of Nature

Some portions of the DNA provide the code for these protein sequences—like the music tracks on a record, while much of the molecule does not code for proteins (called non-coding DNA)—like the silent spaces between the songs. DNA, in both these coding and non-coding forms, accumulates mutations through time. Consequently, the genomes of species often differ enough to allow them to be differentiated on the basis of differences in their DNA sequence alone.

This all means that the fairly recent innovation of (relatively) cheap DNA sequencing has opened up powerful new tools for systematics. By extracting the DNA from plant and animal cells, and running it through a machine capable of reading the chemical sequence of a specifically targeted DNA molecule, we can generate very large datasets for comparing the evolutionary histories of the organisms we study. In conjunction with the morphological data from the organism, we can refine and re-evaluate our classification of the species.

A researcher preparing to sequence DNA. Work in the DNA lab is detail-oriented and requires a lot of time and patience, but the data gained is extremely important to our understanding of the diversity of life both in the Arctic and around the planet. Image: Paul Sokoloff © Canadian Museum of Nature

In the context of our museum’s Artic Flora of Canada and Alaska project, application of DNA tools has not only proven invaluable in confirming the identity of plants collected in the field (often we can re-evaluate the herbarium specimen in light of the DNA data), but also ensures that the names applied to morphologically defined species and groups of species actually refer to natural, evolutionarily distinct groups.

While DNA sequencing cannot replace the taxonomic information contained in the morphology of an organism, it certainly is a powerful addition the systematics toolbox at the museum.

Time for Taxonomy

People like to give advice. It happens all the time with parents, friends, colleagues, strangers and others. There are some discussions about what advice is needed, and then it happens, bringing a feeling of importance and pride at providing such sage input.

But what happens when someone asks for really tough advice? For example, how can we use science to conserve the plants and animals everywhere on Earth? The first response might be to run, fast, in the other direction. Or, you might take a deep breath, think deep thoughts, consult with colleagues and forge ahead. That is the way it is for a group that gives advice about taxonomy to the leaders of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Taxonomists are science experts that discover, describe, name and classify species of plants and animals. Those are the first important steps in understanding the ever-changing inventory of life on Earth, and in making plans for conservation.

The CBD is interested in taxonomy because the capacity of existing experts cannot keep up with the needs for conservation. More capacity is needed, and it may be created through the development of new tools and better ways to operate, and by training more experts, to name a few means.

The plenary hall at the 15th meeting of the Subsidiary Body for Technology and Technological Advice, a part of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity. November 2011. Image: Mark Graham © Canadian Museum of Nature

The first order of such a business was to create an international group that knows about taxonomy and that could describe what needs to get done. Welcome to the Global Taxonomy Initiative (GTI), a team that has been providing advice to the Secretariat and the 193 countries who have been part of the CBD since 1998.

Image: © Global Taxonomy Initiative

Working with the staff of the Convention, the GTI established focal points in each of the countries and created a communication network among them. In Canada, the focal point is the Canadian Museum of Nature. Canada is also taking a turn at leading the GTI (also done by the Canadian Museum of Nature). The network exchanges information about taxonomic needs, best practices and other information, and news about the field. The GTI has also developed a programme of work that addresses the steps in gaining more scientific capacity, including a strategy for the next 10 years.

These plans are always ambitious and hopeful. Even though there are not enough taxonomists to meet the growing challenges in conserving and sustainably using biodiversity, the ones we have are doing great things.

You will never find more dedicated, interesting characters. And they are the best people to have along when you walk in the woods or snorkel through the weeds. These experts work in many scientific settings, but for a really good demonstration of what they do, visit your local natural-history museum. That is where many taxonomists do their research, and the results are regularly on display.

Imagine a World without Seafood

Could you stop eating fish and seafood completely? Would you miss the taste and health benefits of eating salmon, tuna, haddock, shrimp, crab, lobster, scallops and all the other succulent species from our oceans? We may not have a choice because many scientists predict that most seafood will be fished to near extinction by 2048.

Photo of dead fish taken from the documentary The End of the Line. If we continue to pillage our oceans of seafood, we may run out completely by 2048. © Image reproduced with the permission of Tom Alexander of Mongrel Media.

The issue of exploring sustainable seafood sources was discussed at length at the museum’s third Café scientifique of the season, held on January 27, 2012. During the event, participants discussed the question “Is eating seafood ethical and sustainable?”

The two guest speakers initiating the discussion were Melissa Marschke, Ph.D., assistant professor at the School of International Development and Global Studies at the University of Ottawa, and Joshua Bishop, owner of The Whalesbone Oysterhouse and Sustainable Oyster and Fish Supply.

To begin the evening, participants watched The End of the Line, a documentary detailing the swift decline of seafood from our oceans and the destructive consequences of continuing these unsustainable harvesting practises.

This film places the responsibility on consumers who innocently buy endangered fish, politicians who ignore the advice and pleas of scientists, fishing companies who break their quotas and sell their catch illegally, and the global fishing industry that is slow to react to an impending disaster.

Guest speaker Melissa Marschke (left) shares her views on sustainable fishing practices with a group of café participants. Image: Sarah McPherson © Canadian Museum of Nature

Of the many topics discussed, that of the rise of fish farming, or aquaculture, was at the top. This “blue revolution” is taking over international sources of imported seafood, such as shrimp and catfish from Vietnam, Thailand and China.

Melissa spoke in detail about the negative impact these fish farms are having on local fisherfolk who are trying to provide for their family. To put the numbers in context, she stated that 50% of seafood imported into North America is farmed. Unfortunately, these fish farms are still employing “ocean real estate”: their pens are in the ocean shallows. When multiple fish farms follow suit, very little open ocean, not to mention fewer fish species, are left for residents to eat and sell locally.

Additionally, what many consumers are completely ignorant of is that buying farmed fish still affects wild fish depletion. Since many species of farmed fish, such as Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar), are carnivorous, fish farmers rely on catching copious amounts of wild smaller fish, such as the sardine European Pilchard (Sardina pilchardus), and grind them up as fish meal. Therefore, on a global scale, the very model of fish farming is definitely not sustainable.

A fish farm on the Chanthaburi River, Thailand. Image: © iStockphoto.com/rattanapat

Another common conflict many participants discussed was that of mixed messages regarding seafood in our diet. Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada states that we should eat at least two servings of fish every week, especially the kinds that are highest in omega-3 fats.

In fact, many people who have eliminated chicken, pork and beef from their diets will still eat seafood to receive the necessary protein. Therefore, as both health conscience and ecologically concerned consumers, to whom do we listen?

Cutting fish and seafood out of one’s diet entirely is certainly still an option, as many participants at the café stated they have indeed done. However, Joshua doesn’t believe that eliminating fish from our plates is necessarily the answer. The real solution, he states, is staying educated about the topic, asking the necessary questions of seafood restaurants and retailers, and creating a larger demand for sustainable choices.

Many stores are making strides towards providing sustainable seafood (see links below), but we as the consumers must continue to demand these products. Once businesses know that there is a large-enough market, sustainably caught fish will, hopefully, be widely available and easily identifiable.

So, no matter how awkward or uncomfortable it may feel, consumers must not only ask for sustainable seafood, but also question retailers about its source. Although a product may be labeled “sustainable”, retailers should still be able to provide the background information about the provider and the method caught, if asked.

Guest speaker Joshua Bishop (left) listens as a café participant shares his views on sustainable seafood. Image: Sarah McPherson © Canadian Museum of Nature

Are you still unsure about what to buy? Many participants did find the various guides available (see “Seafood eating guides” links below) quite useful, and “there’s even an app for that”, for the technological savvy seafood shopper. (http://www.oceanwise.ca/news/ocean-wise-iphone-app)

Therefore, it’s not a hopeless situation for the seafood lovers out there. As Melissa and Joshua both insisted, it isn’t about eliminating seafood from our diets completely; it’s about being aware of where and how it was caught, as well as which specific species to avoid, such as the endangered Atlantic Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and the Atlantic Cod (Gadus morhua). And asking those necessary questions is of the utmost importance.

As Joshua summarized, “we can turn things around if the proper efforts are made!”

Continuing the Discussion

We would like to invite everyone to continue the discussion of ethical and sustainable seafood practices below in the comments section. Please feel free to respond to any of the follow-up questions raised during the Café scientifique. We also encourage you to post other useful or informative links/resources, if not already listed below.

Follow-Up Questions

• What do you find is the largest barrier to purchasing sustainably harvested seafood? (For example, availability, awareness, price, etc.)
• Of the available seafood guides in circulation (see links below), which ones do you find the most helpful?
• How can we (in the Ottawa–Gatineau area) encourage more people and businesses to endorse and purchase exclusively from sustainable sources?
• Is certification of sustainable fish sources truly the answer?
• Do we have an ethical responsibility to support small-scale fishing over large-scale industrial fishing if both are considered unsustainable?
• Is buying locally harvested fish, such as wild Pacific salmon, better than buying internationally harvested fish, such as farmed Tilapia from Asia, when neither source may be sustainable?

Resources
Seafood-eating guides:

• http://wwf.ca
• http://www.davidsuzuki.org/what-you-can-do/food-and-our-planet/suzukis-top-10-sustainable-seafood-picks
• http://www.davidsuzuki.org/publications/resources/2009/canadas-seafood-guide/
• http://www.blueocean.org
• http://www.seachoice.org
• http://wwf.ca/conservation/oceans
• http://www.ecologyaction.ca/files/images/file/Marine/Seafood_Traceability_in_Canada.pdf
• http://www.loblaw.ca/seafood

Additional links about sustainable fishing:

• http://www.msc.org
• http://www.msc.org/?i18nredirect=true&set_language=en
• http://www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/fm-gp/sustainable-durable/index-eng.htm
• http://www.oceanwise.ca

To learn more about ocean-friendly seafood, visit The Be Happy Pledge on Facebook:

• http://www.facebook.com/BeHappyFish?sk=app_202492326503113

Tū Hononga’s Journey

How One Whale Made It to the Top

After months of anticipation, planning and building, the big day finally arrived. I was on site early so as not to miss a moment, and as the 18-wheeler carrying Tū Hononga’s skull rounded the corner, the excitement started bubbling over.

Te Papa's conservation manager, Shane James, begins the Karakia by blowing into a Pukaea (kind of a Māori trumpet). Image: Jennifer-Lee Mason © Canadian Museum of Nature

Tū Hononga (meaning “the connection”) is a male sperm whale whose entire skeleton will be displayed alongside the skeleton of a female, called Hinewainui, in the soon-to-open Whales Tohorā exhibition. Because Tū Hononga’s skull and jaw are so big, they are not able to get into the fourth-floor gallery by elevator. Another specimen and two panels are also too large. In order to get these enormous items in the front doors, through the atrium and into position on the fourth floor, the exhibition team, facilities department and numerous contractors had to remove doors, protect floors and build (from scratch) two complete hoisting systems.

The Canadian Museum of Nature has exhibited many travelling shows from all over the world, but never has this much preparation gone into a temporary exhibition.

A team of exhibition specialists from New Zealand’s Te Papa Tongarewa museum travel to every venue with the Whales Tohorā exhibition. They are also instrumental in the installation. I was honoured to be among the few who were there to witness the Karakia—a traditional Māori incantation—performed by a collection manager from Te Papa before the specimens were moved off the truck. Karakia are ceremoniously used to ensure a favourable outcome of important undertakings.

The skull was lifted, inch by inch, over each step in the museum's vestibule. Image: Jennifer-Lee Mason © Canadian Museum of Nature

The skull only just passed through the doorway, even though the doors and frame had been removed. There was a collective sigh of relief once Tū Hononga's skull was inside the building. Image: Jennifer-Lee Mason © Canadian Museum of Nature

Each item was then carefully lifted out of the moving truck, wheeled through a heated tent and through the front doors of the museum. Getting it up the first set of stairs required a manual hoist system, which was rigged to scaffolding. The latter was custom-built to fit into the small, narrow vestibule at the main entrance.

As the skull inched its way up the stairs, a dozen onlookers stood watching, uncertain whether the skull—wrapped in layers of insulation and a protective framework, and sitting upon a rolling platform—would pass through the doorway. In fact, it was the stairs that would trip up the process: the hoisting chains ran out a mere inch before the wheels of the platform could clear the top step. A forklift was enlisted to bring it up the extra inch, but they couldn’t find the right angle to approach the bottom of the platform without causing damage. Eventually the contractors used specialized chain blocks to winch the chains by hand, which gave the platform just enough lift to clear the top step.

Tū Hononga’s skull was the first item into the building, but it wouldn’t be hoisted until his jaw, a skeleton of a pygmy right whale, and two oversized panels were also brought into the building using the same process. Those items passed through rather uneventfully, the hoisting team having had the first tough experience to draw upon. Each item was then rolled up the ramp leading to the atrium, around the reception desk and into position in front of the grand staircase. Another team of riggers was waiting there to attach, balance, secure and eventually hoist the items up to the fourth floor.

Sperm whales (Physeter catodon) have been known to dive as deep as 3 km, but flying? This must be a first! Image: Jennifer-Lee Mason © Canadian Museum of Nature

This way up ↑. Tū Hononga's jaw gets a lift from the first to the fourth floor. Image: Jennifer-Lee Mason © Canadian Museum of Nature

The great male sperm whale skull, which weighs about 795 kg (1,750 lb.), was the first item into the building, but the last to be hoisted to the fourth floor. The anticipation was palpable.

As the final moments unfolded, many were already patting themselves on the back for a job well done, when a long, loud crunch sounded throughout the atrium (and believe me, that place echoes!). I did not need to look around to confirm: I already knew that all eyes were riveted on the skull, balanced on the edge of the fourth floor, hanging over the edge of a four-storey drop.

This is the worst possible moment for something to go wrong... and this is the moment when we heard a painfully loud crack! Image: Jennifer-Lee Mason © Canadian Museum of Nature

I still don’t know what the noise was, or how anyone else felt in that moment, because seconds later the skull was carefully and proudly being pulled onto the floor and into the gallery.

In those last moments of Tū Hononga’s journey to the top, I wondered if his spirit was pleased to see how many minds, hands and hearts had to come together to be able to display him to our visitors. Through this journey he exemplifies his given name: the connection.