Tissue biopsy is a commonly used technique of obtaining skin and blubber samples from cetaceans at sea.� A crossbow is used to fire purpose-made darts, with special tips, at the side or back of the animal.� The darts are designed so that on impact with the animal they penetrate through the skin and a couple of centimetres of blubber and then pop back out.� They do not penetrate anywhere near the muscle of the animal.� The dart has a float attached to one end so that when it pops out of the whale it floats and can easily be retrieved from the sea.� Tissue biopsy with a crossbow is used throughout the oceans of the world to obtain these samples, and animals rarely show any response, besides the occasional flick of the tail, to being darted.� The overwhelming majority of animals that have been darted continue behaving as they were before darting and re-approach the small boat or shipTissue biopsy is a commonly used technique of obtaining skin and blubber samples from cetaceans at sea.� A crossbow is used to fire purpose-made darts, with special tips, at the side or back of the animal.� The darts are designed so that on impact with the animal they penetrate through the skin and a couple of centimetres of blubber and then pop back out.� They do not penetrate anywhere near the muscle of the animal.� The dart has a float attached to one end so that when it pops out of the whale it floats and can easily be retrieved from the sea.� Tissue biopsy with a crossbow is used throughout the oceans of the world to obtain these samples, and animals rarely show any response, besides the occasional flick of the tail, to being darted.� The overwhelming majority of animals that have been darted continue behaving as they were before darting and re-approach the small boat or ship
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Wow! Capture of a lifetime!