‘World’s Rarest Whale’ Washes Ashore In Shocking Development

Contributor - Ryan Straub

A species of whale that has never been seen alive and has only had six recorded samples since the 1800s may have just washed up in New Zealand. 

According to CNN, New Zealand’s Department of Conservation (DOC) “announced Monday that it had received a report on July 4 of a whale carcass near Taiari Mouth, a small village on the South Island’s eastern coast.” 

Upon first glance, scientists believe that the carcass is the “near-mythical” spade-toothed whale. Although further tests are needed, this could be a major breakthrough for marine biology as a whole, giving experts unprecedented insight into the species.

In the CNN article, Gabe Davies, the DOC Coastal Otago Operations Manager, said “From a scientific and conservation point of view, this is huge, ” adding that spade-toothed whales are “the most poorly known large mammalian species of modern times.”

Approximately 500 miles off the west coast of New Zealand, on Pitt Island, lower jaw and teeth samples were used to document the spade-toothed whale for the first time in 1874, according to the DOC. Scientists were able to confirm a new species later on thanks to more skeletal findings.

In 2010, a mother and calf that became stranded in the Bay of Plenty on New Zealand's North Island provided the first intact specimen; however, the corpses were unfit for dissection.

More recently, one additional specimen was added to the collection following a stranding in 2017 at Gisborne, also on the North Island of New Zealand.

As experts mull their options regarding the next steps, the whale is being kept in cold storage. However, “It can’t stay in that cold store forever and [if it did] it would be a missed opportunity. There’s many moving parts to this, such as things like funding of that science and research, location, we’re just taking it bit by bit,” Davies said.

In order to ensure full respectful treatment of the whale, the DOC is collaborating closely with the nearby Māori communities. 

Te Rūnanga ō Ōtakou chair Nadia Wesley-Smith stated, "It is important to ensure appropriate respect for this taoka [treasured possession] is shown through the shared journey of learning.” 

Many Pacific tribes that dispersed over our largest ocean over the ages have a deep affection for whales. Pacific leaders campaigned for these creatures to be recognized as legal persons with inherent rights earlier this year.

Although not confirmed, it appears that we have witnessed just the seventh recorded sample of the spade-toothed whale, 150 years after the first documented sample.