Abstract:The degreasing effect of leather tanning process on one Bryde's Whale, Balaenoptera edeni, skin was evaluated by the adipose content and histological structure. The thickness of derma was varied from 15 to 35 mm at different part with 2.3 times between most and least thickness. The tail contained a few elastic fibers, while the rest of derma were constructed with collagen fiber at 1.08±0.25 μm(n=180)in diameter and those collagen fiber was arranged in a loose reticulation. Adipose cell filled between the collagen fibers and the contents of skin adipose in throat, chest, abdomen and tail were 19.42%, 29.36%, 36.89% and 13.06%, respectively and showed a significant difference (P<0.01) between different parts. In this study the leather was treated throughout a special designed tanning process of degreasing operation at the requirement of minimizing impacts on the skin's quality. The volume proportion of skin adipose in chest and abdomen was reduced from 31.78%±2.69% and 44.80%±3.74% to 4.28% and 6.83% measured by chloroform-methanol method; adipose contents in chest and abdomen were reduced to 4.04% and 5.57%. The overall degreasing rates were up to 86.24% and 84.90%, which was fit with the requirement of making a specimen.