Rarest Whale Mysteries To Be Uncovered in 'Unbelievable' Study

Scientists in New Zealand have begun a historic dissection of the rarest whale species in the world. The discovery of a male spade-toothed whale—which washed up near the fishing village of Taieri Mouth in Otago in July—marks the seventh ever found, and the first to be dissected. Whales of this kind have never been observed alive. Its dissection is being conducted at the Invermay Agricultural Research Centre near Dunedin. Researchers hope to uncover details about the animal's biology, including its diet, anatomy, and unique sound-production mechanisms. The process involves a meticulous and culturally sensitive approach in partnership with representatives of the Māori community, New Zealand's Indigenous people, who regard whales as sacred. "I can't tell you how extraordinary it is," said Anton van Helden, senior marine science adviser for New Zealand's Department of Conservation. Having studied whales for 35 years, he described the process as "unbelievable."

Why is the Whale Discovery Significant?

Beaked whales, which include the spade-toothed whale, are the deepest-diving mammals and surface so rarely that spotting them alive has so far eluded scientists. New Zealand is considered a global hotspot for whale strandings, with more than 5,000 incidents recorded since 1840. This means that despite their reclusive nature, 13 of the world's 24 known beaked whale species have been found in New Zealand waters. Researchers suspect the country's unique geography, featuring shallow, sloping beaches, contributes to the frequency of these events by potentially confusing the whales' navigation systems.

Traditional Māori Practices Throughout the Study

Because New Zealand's Māoris revere whales to such a degree, the dissection will be quiet, methodical and slower than usual, allowing members of the nearby iwi, or tribe, to be consulted at each turn. This will involve the sharing of knowledge, prayers and other customs. "According to our beliefs and our traditions, this whale is a gift of Tangaroa, deity of the ocean. It's very important for us to respect that gift and to honor the whale," said Tumai Cassidy from the people of Te Rūnanga Ōtākou. The iwi will retain the jawbone and teeth for cultural preservation, with the whale's skeleton is set to be displayed in a museum. Advanced imaging techniques, including CT scanning and 3D printing, will allow scientists to replicate parts of the whale for further research. "There may be parasites completely new to science that just live in this whale," said van Helden. "Who knows what we'll discover?"

Impact on Future Whale Research

Previous spade-toothed whale discoveries include isolated bones found in New Zealand and Chile in the late 19th and 20th centuries. DNA sequencing in 2002 confirmed these specimens belonged to a single species that is distinct from other beaked whales. In 2010, two complete spade-toothed whales were found on a New Zealand beach, but no prior scientific study of the species has been conducted until now. The whale's pristine condition is of particular interest to researchers, offering potential insights into the species' diet, behavior, and biology. Researchers noted cookie-cutter shark marks on the whale's body, typical of deep-sea species and unrelated to its cause of death. Joy Reidenberg, a comparative anatomist from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, traveled 9,000 miles to be part of the discovery. "What we are interested in is not only how these animals died, but how they lived," Reidenberg said. This article includes reporting from The Associated Press