Rare spade-toothed whale found on NZ beach in major scientific find..

A rare spade-toothed whale, seldom seen by scientists, has been discovered washed ashore on a New Zealand beach. This remarkable find is hailed as a significant event for marine biology, offering a unique opportunity for researchers to study and learn more about this elusive species. The discovery could provide new insights into the habits, biology, and conservation needs of the spade-toothed whale, contributing valuable information to the scientific community.

‍In short: A specimen of the spade-toothed whale, one of the rarest beaked whale species, has been found on New Zealand's South Island. There have only been five previous sightings of this whale, none of which were intact for analysis.

What's next? Genetic samples of the spade-toothed whale are being collected, but authorities emphasize that subsequent actions will be carefully considered due to the significance of this discovery. A whale so rare that none have ever been sighted alive has washed ashore on a New Zealand beach, leaving authorities puzzled on how to handle the specimen.

Residents of Otago's South Island region informed the Department of Conservation (DOC) on July 4 after encountering a roughly 5-metre mammal stranded near the fishing town of Taieri Mouth.

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After rangers identified the creature as a type of beaked whale, marine experts realized it was an extremely rare male spade-toothed whale. Scientists have minimal knowledge about the species' behavior, habitat, breeding patterns, or anatomy, with only a few specimens discovered worldwide, all deceased and none fresh enough for dissection until now.

"Spade-toothed whales are one of the most poorly known large mammalian species of modern times," DOC Coastal Otago operations manager Gabe Davies said in a statement on Monday. "Since the 1800s, only six samples have ever been documented worldwide, and all but one of these was from New Zealand. From a scientific and conservation point of view, this is huge."

Footage from the scene showed the deceased blackish-silver cetacean being lifted out of the sand by an excavator after it was documented by the DOC, council members, and staff from the Otago Museum.

Spade-toothed whales are believed to be deep-sea mammals similar to others in the beaked whale family, known as the ocean's deepest diving animals, and are thought to mainly inhabit the South Pacific Ocean, the world's deepest ocean. Five of the six specimens discovered so far have been in New Zealand, with the remaining one in Chile.

All previous samples were found either in skeletal form or deteriorated beyond the point of anatomical assessment. The spade-toothed whale was first described based on a jaw and two teeth in 1872. Its first intact body was found in 2010 in New Zealand's Bay of Plenty, helping describe its color pattern.

Conundrum over conservation approach: The latest discovery marks the first time a spade-toothed specimen has been found fresh enough for dissection. Mr. Davies said their rarity made conservation internationally significant, and any forthcoming efforts to preserve the mammal would likely take time to determine.

The DOC said genetic samples would be curated by the New Zealand Cetacean Tissue Archive at the University of Auckland, but DNA processing and final species identification could take months. Local council Te Rūnanga ō Ōtakou said it would partner with the DOC to make preservation decisions in line with Māori traditions. "It is important to ensure appropriate respect for this taoka [treasured possession] is shown through the shared journey of learning, applying mātauraka Māori [traditional knowledge] as we discover more about this rare species," council chair Nadia Wesley-Smith said.

The DOC stated the whale was in cold storage to preserve its remains until the next steps were decided. Whale strandings occur year-round in New Zealand, and the island nation is a world leader in rescue work involving these mammals. Beaked whales, pygmy sperm whales, and common dolphins are the most common solo strandings, with more than 5,000 recorded around the New Zealand coast since 1840.

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Source:abc.net‍