Singapore's Sperm Whale on Show at Lee Kong Chian Museum
An exhibition featuring the skeleton of a sperm whale whose bloodied carcass was discovered off the coast of Jurong Island in 2015 will be open to the public at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum from March 15, the museum has announced.
The adult female sperm whale, christened “Jubilee Whale”—or “Jubi” for short—was found during the nation’s Golden Jubilee year and was the first ever sperm whale sighting to have been recorded in Singapore.
This is not the first whale to be on display in the country, previously the skeleton of a whale was on display at the National Museum, but it was given to Malaysia some time after independence in the 1970s.
When the whale was first found, the museum had launched an appeal for funds to preserve the skeleton. The funds raised then exceeded the S$1 million target.
According to the museum, half the money raised will go into the exhibition, which will include the mounting of the skeleton and storyboards for the public to learn more about sperm whales, as well as the story of recovering “Jubi”. The other half of the money will go into the research and education efforts for marine biodiversity.
“Jubi” will be used as a reminder to the public to keep the oceans clean.