The potential body of the elusive spade-toothed whale, which has never been recovered or seen alive, has been found dead on a New Zealand beach. This could be a massive scientific discovery, as very little is known about this species due to insufficient evidence.
Unsplash/Polina Kuzovkova
The first account of this whale species was in 1874 when a few parts of the spade-toothed whale’s skeleton were discovered. As there have been no live encounters with this species, scientists have little knowledge of its habits, habitats, or diet.
The Department of Conservation (DOC), which is in charge of these remains, has stated that it will work with local Maori communities to determine what will happen to the body. This is because these sea creatures are regarded as sacred beings in their culture.
Genetic testing to investigate whether this species, in fact the rare spade-toothed whale, can take months to determine. The outlook seems promising, considering the similarities between skeletal resemblances and historical and recent findings.
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