World’s Rarest Whale Beached. Never Seen Alive

An unusual discovery was made off the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It is probably the world’s rarest whale, which no one has ever seen live. The New Zealand Department of Conservation (DOC) reported the case. The dead animal was lying on the beach near the town of Taieri Mouth on the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island.

World’s Rarest Whale Washes Ashore

Whales are mammals from the order Cetacea, which grow to enormous sizes. They are the largest animals inhabiting the Earth, which is why they arouse fear and admiration at the same time. There are many species of whales in the world, including the Blue, Orca and Minke. Each of them has a slightly different appearance, but also personality traits. For years, the so-called rarest whale in history has been considered an intriguing creature. We are talking about the shovel-toothed whale. Now, there is much evidence that it was his body that was found on the shore.

The extraordinary discovery was quickly picked up by foreign media. It is being called a breakthrough moment for New Zealand and indicates that only six specimens of this whale have been recorded since the 19th century. The possibility that it is a male shovel-toothed whale (Mesoplodon traversii) was determined after consultation with marine mammal experts. A press release issued by DOC on Monday noted that this is an extremely rare species and little is known about it.

An unusual whale. The photo is impressive

The body of the rare whale can be seen in a photo posted on social media. It shows the animal being lifted by a special crane, with two men standing next to it. They look almost miniature next to the huge specimen. The carcass of the mammal is currently in cold storage, and genetic samples have been sent to the University of Auckland. It could take several weeks to several months to confirm what species it is. “It is an extremely rare species, so this opportunity could allow us to learn more about where this animal lived and what it ate,” said Hannah Hendriks from DOC.

What is known about the shovel-toothed whale? The species was first described in 1874 based on jaw and tooth samples collected on Pitt Island, more than 800 kilometres east of the coast of New Zealand. This find, along with the remains of two other specimens, allowed scientists to confirm the existence of a new species. Another discovery was made off the coast of Pitt Island in the 1950s. Later, in 1986, bones of another individual were found on Chile’s Robinson Crusoe Island. It is possible that in 2010, a mother and calf were found on New Zealand’s North Island, and seven years later, another dead individual washed up near the city of Gisborne, also on the North Island.