A stroke of luck for science Probably the rarest whale in the world washes up in New Zealand
For 150 years, the Bahamonde beaked whale has been a scientific enigma. The animals have never been documented alive in the sea. Now a carcass has turned up in New Zealand.
15.07.2024, 18:56
dpa
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- Until now, science has only known of extremely few specimens of the Bahamonde's beaked whale.
- Now one such marine mammal, which has never been sighted in the sea before, has washed up on a beach in New Zealand.
- For science and animal welfare, the washed-up whale is a stroke of luck.
A specimen of one of the rarest and least known whale species in the world has washed up on a beach in New Zealand. The carcass of the five-metre-long marine mammal, which was discovered on July 4 near Dunedin on the South Island, is most likely a Bahamonde beaked whale, the local nature conservation authority (DOC) announced. To date, only a handful of specimens of this species are known to science.
"Bahamonde beaked whales are one of the least known large mammal species of modern times," said DOC Operations Manager Gebe Davies. "From a scientific and conservation perspective, this is a huge deal." The recently deceased animal provides an important opportunity to dissect it and further research the species.
Maori to be included
Genetic samples have already been sent in for analysis. The whale is currently in cold storage to preserve its remains until the next steps are decided, DOC wrote in a statement. The indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maori, are also to be consulted to ensure that the animal is shown the appropriate respect, it said.
For the Maori, whales are more than just animals: they see a direct link between themselves and the marine mammals and regard them as their ancestors. Together with other indigenous islanders in the South Pacific, Maori leaders declared whales to be legal persons as recently as April.
Never before seen in the sea
The scientific name of the Bahamonde beaked whale is Mesoplodon traversii. Parts of the jaws and teeth of this whale species were first found in 1874. Since then, there have only been a handful of further finds - including two complete specimens for the first time in 2010. The mother and her calf had washed ashore on New Zealand's North Island and died a short time later. The animals have never been documented alive in the sea.
