health
Skeleton of the world's rarest marine mammal preserved by digital imaging
The reconstruction of the vaquita, whose numbers barely reach double figures in the wild, is designed to help research and conservation efforts
TL;DR
- A digital 3D reconstruction of the vaquita, the world's most endangered marine mammal, has been created.
- The reconstruction uses medical imaging, micro CT scans, and photography to preserve the animal's anatomy.
- The imaging data is freely available online to facilitate global scientific research and conservation.
- Vaquita numbers have drastically declined from an estimated 600 in 1997 to just 7-10 today.
- The species' decline is primarily caused by bycatch in gillnets used by illegal fisheries.
- This digital model can also be used to create replicas for educational purposes.