It is known that spade-toothed whales are the rarest whales globally, with unknown population numbers, dietary habits, and exact habitat within the vast southern Pacific Ocean due to never being sighted before.
Recently, scientists in New Zealand discovered remains of a male spade-toothed whale near an estuary in Otago’s southern province on July 4. Experts from New Zealand’s Department of Conservation and Te Papa, the national museum, identified the whale based on its color patterns, skull shape, beak, and teeth. DNA testing is now underway to confirm its classification.
Is this a spade-toothed whale? A species so rare, there are no reported live sightings.
Genetic testing will confirm id, but this is thought to be Mesoplodon traversii, about which we know practically nothing.
The world’s rarest whale: https://t.co/MHbRg5ix7V pic.twitter.com/EnRY4ziJWZ
— Tom (@DrTOMontgomery) July 16, 2024
This discovery is significant because if confirmed as a spade-toothed whale, it would be the first found intact enough for detailed study. This could help scientists understand its relationships with other known individuals of the species, its diet, and potentially where it lives.
“We know very little, practically nothing,” about these creatures, said Hannah Hendriks from the Department of Conservation. “This finding promises groundbreaking science and new information never seen before.”
Only six other spade-toothed whales have ever been identified, but those discovered on New Zealand’s North Island beaches were buried before DNA testing could be done, preventing further study.
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The whale’s body is now in cold storage, and genetic samples have been sent to the University of Auckland for processing. Final identification may take several weeks or months.
Due to its rarity, decisions about the next steps will involve international discussions, according to the Department of Conservation. The species was first described in 1874 based on a lower jaw and two teeth found near the Chatham Islands off New Zealand’s east coast. The first intact specimen, a mother and calf, was found stranded in the Bay of Plenty in 2010.
