Scientists say the body of a Traverse’s beaked whale – a rare species never seen before and found alive – has washed ashore on a New Zealand beach.
The remains of a five-metre-long Traverse’s beaked whale were found on July 4 near a river mouth in the Otago region, south-east of the South Island, researchers said.
Marine mammal experts from New Zealand’s Department of Conservation and Te Papa National Museum identified it as a male whale.
“These whales are one of the least known large mammal species of modern times.” Gabe Davies, operations manager for the Department of Conservation at Otago Coast, said. “Since the 1800s, only six specimens have been documented worldwide, and only one from New Zealand”Mr. Davis said in a statement Monday
“This discovery is recent enough to provide the first opportunity to dissect Traverse’s beaked whale.”, the Ministry of Defense underlined; Emphasizes that species “It’s so rare that we don’t know anything about him.”he added.
The whale’s body is in cold storage and it could be months or weeks before its DNA samples are sent to the University of Auckland for analysis and confirmation of its identity.
“The rarity of this whale will take more time for conversations about what to do next because it’s a conversation of international importance.”Ministry announced.
The species was first described in 1874 from a mandible and two teeth collected from the Chatham Islands off the east coast of New Zealand.
This specimen, along with the remains of two other specimens found in New Zealand and Chile, allowed scientists to confirm the existence of this species. But because specimens found are rare and no living specimens have been found, little is known about this species.
The first intact specimen came from a mother and calf stranded in the Bay of Plenty in 2010, the New Zealand Ministry of Defense said, and the second dates back to 2017 in Gisborne, in the north-east of the island.
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