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Build-A-Whale takes hands-on approach to nature

Lakecity youth had the chance to piece together the skeleton of a life-sized killer whale Monday
Greg Sabatino
Greg Sabatino
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Jackie Altrows and her son, Sonny Altrows, 6, attach a section of vertebrae to ‘0120’ — a female offshore killer whale discovered floating off the coast of Tofino in 1997. Now, the whale travels around the country as an interactive education display where participants help to assemble her skeleton and learn about killer whale anatomy. (Greg Sabatino photo)

Lakecity youth had the chance to piece together the real skeleton of a life-sized killer whale Monday.

‘Build-A-Whale’ — put on by the Strawberry Isle Marine Research Society and hosted by Scout Island Nature Centre with support from the Pacific Salmon Foundation at Lake City Secondary School’s Columneetza Campus — is a female offshore killer whale that was discovered floating off the coast of Tofino in 1997.

READ MORE: Scout Island connecting lakecity with creatures big and small

Now the whale, named ‘0120,’ travels around the country as an interactive education display where participants help to assemble her skeleton and to learn about killer whale anatomy, ecology and conservation.

During the hands-on educational event, roughly 30 children helped construct 0120’s skeleton by placing vertebrae and rib bones on the display.


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Sam Sawyer, 10, and Takyha Hood-Sulin, 9, attach rib bones to ‘0120’ — a killer whale discovered dead off the coast of Tofino in 1997.
Greg Sabatino

About the Author: Greg Sabatino

Greg Sabatino graduated from Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops with a Bachelor of Journalism degree in 2008.
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