Veterinary pathologist Stephen Raverty takes his job to a whole new level when knee-deep in work, literally. Imagine him immersed in the insides of a humpback whale, navigating through a mess of intestines, blubber, and blood.
In a striking image from 2011, Raverty is shown waist-deep in purple muck while conducting a necropsy on a deceased humpback whale that washed up on San Juan Island near Vancouver Island in U.S. waters.
Over the past 25 years, Raverty has carried out approximately 2,500 necropsies on whales and other large marine mammals in his role at B.C.’s Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.
The challenging process involves wading through different textures of tissues and slippery surfaces within the carcass, as Raverty explained, “You have to be very stable on your feet.”
Despite the unsettling moments like forgetting to secure his boots leading to a pungent experience, Raverty finds gratification in uncovering critical insights, like confirming a vessel strike as the cause of death for an animal.
Recently, Raverty has been investigating multiple humpback whale deaths suspected to be caused by vessel strikes, highlighting the ongoing threats marine mammals face from human activities.