ST. JOHN'S, N.L. -- Memorial University says it has reached a tentative agreement that would see the remains of a blue whale carcass that washed ashore on Newfoundland's west coast displayed at the school.
The school in St. John's, N.L., says the Royal Ontario Museum -- which has spent days recovering another blue whale carcass near Woody Point, N.L. -- will dismantle and clean the whale as part of the agreement.
Mark Abrahams, the dean of science at Memorial University, says it is a rare teaching, learning and research opportunity for the province.
Abrahams says the details of recovering the mammal that's been rotting in Rocky Harbour have yet to be ironed out, including when and how it will make the 700-kilometre journey across the province to St. John's.
He says it could be several years until the whale is on display, and they've yet to determine where it would be located.
The university says the cost of the project is also unclear.
The Royal Ontario Museum had originally set out to recover both whale carcasses, but later concluded it couldn't afford to dismantle and transport the second one.
It's believed the two animals were among nine blue whales that were crushed or drowned in unusually thick pack ice earlier this spring.
