Scientists are in awe of the possibility of a sighting of a spade-toothed whale

If scientists can confirm it is part of a species that is scarce, it will be only the seventh specimen of this type that has been examined.

By Lizette Ortega

Jul 16, 2024 09:57 PM

On July 4th, a beaked whale was discovered on the New Zealand beach. Scientists studied the whale and, to their surprise, concluded that they had made an unusual discovery: The creature laying in the sand is, according to them, the rare spade-toothed whale a marine mammal which has never been observed alive.

If scientists are able to demonstrate that whales are a part of the species that is endangered This is only the seventh spade-toothed whale that has been examined and the first chance to dissect bone fragments.

“It’s similar to the yeti. It’s akin to Sasquatch. It’s a huge creature that is found in deep seas that we don’t know anything of,” said Kirsten Young, an instructor in Zoology and ecology at the University of Exeter who previously looked into spade-toothed whales.

Beaked whales belong to the family of mammals that are a mysterious mammal species. Since they spend their majority of time diving into the ocean, looking for fish or squid and squid, they are not often seen by the general public.

The Spade-toothed Whale Also known as Mesoplodon traversiiwas first identified as an individual species within the beaked whale family in 1874, following finding a piece of the jaw that was discovered on Pitt Island, New Zealand. About a decade later, scientists found many skull fragments, and began compiling information about this marine mammal.

It was only in 2010, that scientists were able to identify the spade-toothed whale following both the mother as well as her calves were washed up on NewZealand’s Opape Beach, flesh intact. After studying the female whales, Young and her team discovered that spade-toothed whales sport dark flippers, black snouts and bellies which are white.

The scientists believe a male spade-toothed walrus is spotted near Taieri Mouth, a small fishing town located in Taieri River in New Zealand. Taieri River.

Based on the evidence New Zealand coastline has some of the largest marine mammals that live on beaches, the country has created an organized strategy to address these issues. It involves residents of the community, official representatives of the Department of Conservation and local Maori residents.

The latest sighting was not treated differently. Camera images provided the first confirmation of the 16-foot-long sand-covered whale being handled by Department of Conservation staff, who coordinated this whale’s deportation from the beaches. The department is working closely with Te Runanga o’ Otakou, an Indigenous tribe of the region to determine the best method to deal with the remains of the whale, which is believed to be sacred in Maori customs. Samples of skin are being collected from whales that have been washed off, but only after the permission of Maori people.

Presently, samples have been sent to University of Auckland. University of Auckland, where researchers are able to take months or even weeks analysing the carcass’s DNA and confirming the species of whale.

The specimen may help scientists in solving the issues they face regarding sharks that have teeth similar to the spade. While the previous research of Young gives some clues but the freshness of this specimen allows scientists to catch a new look at the whale’s color and marks.

“This one was extremely fresh. There was no smell, anything. It wasn’t dead for long evidently, since it was absolutely perfectly,” said Trevor King an engineer who transported his whale into an ocean-based cold store.

In addition, scientists can study the insides of whale’s stomachs and identify the food items it eats.

However, a lot of the concerns about spade-toothed whales will be answered through live footage and also questions on their behavior and the places they are located across all oceans.

“We think we know everything about science and the animals that live around us, and we really don’t,” Young said. The rare whale that’s in the beach “is a testament to the fact that there’s so much about the oceans we don’t know,” Young stated.