Dave the 16-inch earthworm killed by Natural History Museum boffins after wriggling his way into the record books
Worm compared to tragic gorilla Harambe after scientist reveals he's been preserved in a jar
THE 'murder' of a record-breaking 16inch earthworm called Dave by boffins at the National History Museum has sparked a furious online campaign.
Twitter users have been condemning the killing using the hashtag #justicefordave after it was revealed the worm had been preserved in a jar in the museum collection.
The fate of the worm was unearthed on BBC Breakfast this morning when scientist Emma Sherlock told presenters "Dave is now preserved in the museum collections, and will now be useful to science."
The scientist went on to reveal that Dave, named by the stepson of the man who discovered him in a Cheshire vegetable plot, was anaesthetised and killed after several days of examination.
Ms Sherlock described his untimely death as "the sad bit of science" and insisted it was a "very painless process".
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The revelation has sparked an online backlash.
One user tweeted: "#justicefordave Being different should not lead to premature death in order to become a scientific specim."
Another user said: "#justicefordave why, how could people do that to a poor defenceless helper..... What ya gonna to to a abnormal size bee?"
A third said: "Poor old Dave, there he was, slithering around minding his own business... #justicefordave"
Another outraged objector tweeted: "He was da people's worm innit. Rest in peace Dave, you is wiv the angles now. #justicefordave"
Another said: "Not kidding; #dave earthworm was minding his own business and some science geek murders him so he can stay in a museum #justicefordave"
Dave is now in a jar, which scientist Ms Sherlock said made him "kind of immortal".
But those paying tribute to the remarkable specimen have asked why he couldn't have lived out his final days in a womery and pointed out that he could have continued to grow.
The slithery specimen, which weighed 26g, was found by Paul Rees and named Dave by Mr Rees's stepson George.
Ms Sherlock told the BBC: "I was bowled over by the size of this worm when I opened the plastic box they sent it in.
"Not only was it really long, it was almost twice as heavy as any other wild earthworm ever seen, weighing the same as a small chocolate bar.
"Dave is now preserved in the museum collections, and will now be useful to science."
Dave was a remarkable 40cm long - beating the previous record of 39.6cm.
Those outraged by the soil dweller's demise were quick to make links to the killing of gorilla Harambe who was shot at Cincinnati Zoo after a three-year-old boy climbed into his enclosure.
Harambe's death prompted an international backlash.
One user said: "My God! It's like the gorilla all over again! the ."
Another said: "He's up there with Harambe now".
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