Whale Skeletons in the Media
Photography
The work of Whales and Nails has been photographed by Carl Walsh, a free-lance professional photographer, as well as by numerous photographers associated with news media.
Film
In "Scientists Investigating Why Humpback Whale Died off MDI," John Krinjak Hannon interviews Dan about the possible reasons for the death of the humpback whale known as Spinnaker. The same issue was reported on in "Clues Sought in Death of Humpback Whale," by Amanda Hill.
In "207 Visits with Whale Reconstructor, Dan DenDanto," Kathleen Shannon interviews Dan, Jen, and Courtney about their work on the New Hampshire Seacoast Science Center’s evolution exhibit and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Science’s right-whale exhibit.
Here is a time-lapse photo sequence of the “Tofu” installation at the Sea Coast Science Center, in Rye, New Hampshire.
WABI’s "DNA Catching Illegal Hunters Part 1 and Part 2," highlight the forensics work done by Dan DenDanto and Irv Kornfield for the Maine State Warden Service.
Dan DenDanto was one of the scientists featured in "MPBN’s Quest, Meet the Scientists: Allied Whale"
Dan served as a Naturalist and Film Guide for the award-winning "BBC Blue Planet Series" and the I-Max movie: "The Living Seas."
How to Unbury a Whale, by Kea Krause, is the story of a long-dead Finback whale's journey from being buried on the beach to becoming part of an educational exhibit. Dan is one of the experts who helped with the process.
A Whale’s Last Song, the story of Snow, the humpack whale who’s skeleton was articulated and installed by Whales and Nails, is featured in the June, 2015 issue of National Parks Magazine.
Bill Trotter of The Bangor Daily news reported on the death of Spinnaker in Researchers Dissect Dead Humpback Whale on Bar Harbor Beach.
The articulation and installation of “Stumpy,” a 52-foot-long Right Whale for the new wing of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences was described in the following articles: MDI Man Builds Reputations with Whale Bones, by Bill Trotter for the Bangor Daily News; in Right Whale Mother and Fetus Skeletons Reconstructed, by Laurie Schreiber for the Fisherman’s Voice.
The skeletal restoration work completed for Harvard university was documented by Alvin Powell in New Life for Old Whale Exhibit, a Harvard Gazette article.
Tim Wacker retold the story of Tofu, the humpback whale articulated for the New Hampshire Seacoast Science Center, in an article entitled All Fin and Bones, for boston.com.
In SouthCoastTODAY, the piece Assembling a Whale Skeleton; a Giant Task, by Steve Urbon, details the work of Whales and Nails during the articulation of a Northern Right Whale cow (and the calf she was pregnant with) for the New Bedford Whaling Museum.
Cecil Barron Jensen wrote about the Nantucket Whaling Museum’s Sperm whale exhibit in Nantucket’s New Whaling Museum, in the spring of 2005.
Praise for Whales and Nails
Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
Upon winning the 2014 National NPS Freeman Tilden Award for Interpretive Excellence;
“We couldn’t have done any of it without your expert assistance!”
- Christine Gabriele, Humpback Whale Monitoring Program
“Couldn’t have accomplished it without you and your amazing crew! What a journey it’s been. I’m thrilled and continue to be grateful to have had someone as creative and talented as you on the project. Snow’s flowing posture IS what makes her so breathtaking. There continues to be a captivating presence there that’s unexplainable. Thanks again for your diligence, perseverance and passion bringing Snow . . . back to life.”
- Melissa Senac, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
“I am honored to have gotten to spend so much time with you and your fabulous crew last week . . . what wonderful people you all are.”
- Lisa J. Gatens, Curator of Mammals
“This looks like perhaps the best right whale exhibit I am familiar with.”
- Jim Hain, Ph.D, Editor, Right Whale News
Seacoast Science Center
“I do think your new humpback exhibit [Tofu] is the most convincing skeletal reconstruction that I have ever seen. In my mind’s eye I see the animal making a steep turn (which humpbacks to so well!) while rounding up a bait ball of fish.”
- Feodor Pitcairn, filmmaker
“[I] am still processing how well things went and especially Dan's genius as a planner and rigger. . . the [Lizzie] Carr display is quite striking compared to its parent. Well done!”
- Dr. Dave Switzer, Nautical Archeologist, Plymouth State U.
“Tonight's concert is over but a few people are in the Center looking at the exhibits. One older fellow who has clearly spent a long time working on wooden boats is giving his friends an enthusiastic lesson on wooden hulls, using Lizzie [Carr} as his main prop! They are enthralled; he is delighted. This NEVER would have happened before we set her right.”
- Wendy W. Lull, President, Seacoast Science Center
Nantucket Whaling Museum
“I just returned from Nantucket and admired your fabulous work. Wow! Of the nine (9) Sperm whale skeletal articulations I’ve seen, that’s my favorite. Great Job. . . . Your great work helps inspire me.”
- Keith Rittmaster, Natural Science Curator, NC Maritime Museum
“We are so fortunate to have this skeleton. Telling the history of whaling has always been a central part of our programming at the Whaling Museum . . . [with] the dramatic articulation of the whale, the story takes on additional drama.”
- Kirstin Gamble, Curator of Ed., Nantucket Whaling Museum