Scientists have created detailed 3D models of a vaquita skeleton to preserve knowledge of the world's most endangered marine mammal. The digital archive was produced using advanced imaging techniques and is now available online.
Researchers from Florida Atlantic University collaborated with the San Diego Natural History Museum, SeaWorld California, and NOAA Fisheries on the project. They used medical CT scans, micro-CT imaging, and photography to document a female skeleton donated to the museum in 1966.
The work, published in Marine Mammal Science, generated interactive models that capture both external and internal bone structures at microscopic levels. The models have been uploaded to the MorphoSource repository for open access.
Jamie Knaub, the first author, said the effort safeguards a record of the species and supports replicas for education. Co-author Marianne E. Porter noted the workflow preserved anatomical details while allowing digital interaction.
Only a handful of vaquitas remain in Mexico's northern Gulf of California, where they face threats from gillnet fishing. The digital resource aims to aid awareness and conservation efforts.
