World’s rarest whale may have washed up on New Zealand beach, possibly shedding clues on species (2024)

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World’s rarest whale may have washed up on New Zealand beach, possibly shedding clues on species? ›

World's rarest whale may have washed up on New Zealand beach, possibly shedding clues on species. Spade-toothed whales

The country's conservation agency said Monday a creature that washed up on a South Island beach this month is believed to be a spade-toothed whale. WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Spade-toothed whales are the world's rarest, with no live sightings ever recorded.

Jim Fyfe and Tūmai Cassidy walk alongside a rare, male spade-toothed whale, being moved by Trevor King. When the 16-foot-long corpse of one of Earth's most elusive marine mammals—a spade-toothed whale—washed onto a beach in New Zealand's Otago region, scientists scrambled to get eyes on the beast.

Scientists believe the world's rarest whale may have washed up on a New Zealand beach. Spade-toothed beaked whales have never been seen alive; beaked whales are believed to be exceptionally deep divers, spending their time far below the surface hunting squid and small fish.

Experts believe the creature is a spade-toothed whale, an animal so rare that only six specimens have been studied by scientists, the conservation department announced. The animal, a male, measured roughly 16 feet. According to the department, scientists don't know much about spade-toothed whales.

Beaked whales are among the most mysterious and elusive of all the different cetaceans that populate our oceans.

But after a witness called the country's Department of Conservation (DOC), experts realized that the 16.5-foot-long beaked mammal might be something much more unusual: a spade-toothed whale, the rarest whale species known to scientists. There have never been any recorded live sightings of a spade-toothed whale.

A mysterious dead whale that recently washed up on a New Zealand beach may belong to the world's rarest cetacean species, spade-toothed whales, which are so elusive they have never been seen alive.

It's some sort of whale, that much we know. And though van Helden is still waiting on the DNA analysis, the Department of Conservation announced this week that it may be one of the rarest whales in the world, a species that has never been seen alive at sea - the elusive spade-toothed whale.

Call the hotline immediately. Give as much information as possible about the animal's location and condition to the CSIP. It's important to take care when near a stranded dolphin or whale, as the tail is powerful and can cause injury. Gloves should also be worn when handling a living or dead animal.

What is the rarest whale in New Zealand? ›

In 2002, Mr. van Helden led a team of scientists who confirmed that the spade-toothed whale was a unique species, using three sets of skeletal remains collected in New Zealand and Chile between the 1870s and 1990s — some which had been misclassified or overlooked.

“The whale then put me on the top of his head and carefully lifted me up out of the water! I felt safe and I kept wondering how I was once again graced by the presence of this incredible whale! My heart was full of such unconditional love and excitement.

The black sand found on the west coast of the North Island, is made of titanomagnetite – a mixture of titanium and iron. This soft material comes from Mount Taranaki and is swept up the coast as far as North Cape – a distance of about 400 km – ground into rounder and finer grains as it goes.

Reaching a maximum weight of 6 metric tons and length of 12 meters (39 feet), the basking shark is one of the largest fish on Earth, beaten only by the whale shark (Rhincodon typus). A reputation for 'basking' in warmer surface waters near the shore with its mouth wide open inspired its common name.

What is cryptosporidium? Cryptosporidium (commonly called crypto) is a parasite found in the gut of infected people and animals. It's widespread in Aotearoa New Zealand. The parasites can live in the environment for long periods, especially in water in lakes, rivers, streams and roof water.

The body of a rarely seen whale species appears to have washed ashore on a New Zealand beach, giving scientists new insight into the elusive creature. The carcass of the spade-toothed whale – which is so rare it has never been spotted alive – was recovered by a river in the southern province of Otago on July 4.

In order, with the most endangered first, and their IUCN status listed: Vaquita porpoise (Phocoena sinus) CR. North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica) EN.

Spade-toothed Whale (Mesoplodon traversii):

Considered one of the rarest and least understood whales. Only known from a few strandings.