The ROM is getting a massive blue whale exhibit next month

If you haven’t been to the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) lately, next month might give you a good reason to visit.

On March 11, the ROM opens its latest exhibit Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story.

And this story began in 2014, off the coast of Newfoundland, when nine rare blue whales became trapped in ice and died. While blue whales usually sink when they die, two washed ashore in Newfoundland and Labrador, offering an opportunity for research.

Years in the making, the research is now being shared right here in Toronto at the ROM’s next exhibit.

As described by the ROM:

Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story is a ROM original exhibition that retells the tragic story of 2014 and the unprecedented opportunity for research and conservation that resulted. Come face to face with the enormous eighty- foot skeleton of Blue, and discover the mind-blowing biology of blue whales; the humongous size of their heart, their unusual feeding behaviour, how they communicate and their evolution from land to sea. Find out how the ROM is studying their DNA to unlock some of the mysteries surrounding these large but elusive creatures, and gain insight into the global decline of the blue whale population and what is being done to protect the world’s largest animal…ever.

Leading up to the opening, on Wednesday, February 8 at 1 pm, the ROM’s Facebook page will be live, going behind the scenes of the Blue Whale exhibition “to learn how whale poop could be the secret to saving the planet and how their DNA can help to save them from extinction.”

In March 2014, Nine blue whales were found dead in ice in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This happens in these waters sometimes, but never in such high numbers. Whales come to the Gulf to feed on the huge amounts of krill located there. That winter was exceptionally cold. There was a heavy buildup of ice. The ice shifted and the whales got trapped. The loss of these nine whales represented 3% of the population. To compare: if Canada were to lose 3% of its population, it would be like losing the entire province of Saskatchewan in a matter of days. When whales die they typically sink. Miraculously, two of these dead whales washed ashore in small towns on Newfoundland’s coast, turning a tragic event into an unprecedented opportunity for research. The ROM’S newest exhibition “Out of the Depths: The Blue Whale Story” opens March 11. Learn the more of the story and the science behind these magnificent creatures. #ROMBLUEWHALE #atrom #royalontariomuseum #newfoundland #bluewhale #whale #conservation #photo #nature #wildlife #sea #oceans #environment #science

A photo posted by Royal Ontario Museum (@romtoronto) on Feb 6, 2017 at 7:03am PST

See also

• Bald eagles are slowly returning to Toronto
• Queen Street West will soon have free WiFi at its new parkettes
• There's a La La Land-inspired party in Toronto this month