Photo Via Social Media
A dead whale found on a New Zealand beach earlier this month has been identified by scientists as a spade-toothed whale, a species so rare it has never been seen alive. The five-meter-long, beaked whale was identified through its color patterns, skull shape, beak, and teeth.
Currently, the whale’s remains are in cold storage for DNA testing, with final identification expected to take several weeks. Due to the rarity of the species, with no live sightings and few specimens found, little is known about the spade-toothed whale. Researchers hope the discovery of the carcass will provide valuable new information.
Local officials reported the whale washed ashore on July 4th at the mouth of the Taiari River in Otago province on New Zealand’s South Island. Gabe Davies, a Department of Conservation (DOC) official, stated that spade-toothed whales are one of the least known large mammalian species, with only six samples documented worldwide. “From a scientific and conservation point of view, this is huge,” he added.
The DOC mentioned that the recent death of the specimen presents an opportunity for it to become the first of its species to be dissected. In line with New Zealand’s cultural practices, local Māori communities, who regard whales as sacred treasures, will participate in deciding the whale’s fate.
The species was first described in 1874 after a lower jaw and two teeth were collected from New Zealand’s Chatham Islands. Skeletal remains of two other specimens found off islands in New Zealand and Chile confirmed the new species. Additional findings of stranded whales in 2010 and 2017 off New Zealand’s North Island have contributed to the limited knowledge about this elusive whale.
