9 months ago
Rare Ginkgo-Toothed Beaked Whales Spotted in the Wild for First Time
Scientists saw and studied rare ginkgo-toothed beaked whales for the first time in the wild.
They want to learn more about these shy, deep-diving whales to protect them from loud noises that can hurt them.
Scientists spotted ginkgo-toothed beaked whales off Baja California, Mexico
This is the first time these whales have been identified in the wild
A skin sample was taken to confirm the species
The whales are elusive due to their deep diving habits and shyness
More research is needed to protect them from military sonar harm
- Who
- Scientists, Ginkgo-toothed beaked whales
- What
- Spotted ginkgo-toothed beaked whales in the wild
- Where
- Baja California, Mexico
- When
- Recently
- Why
- To study and protect the whales
Scientists
Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Discovery
Scientists
Spotted the whales in the wild
Whale and Dolphin Conservation
Confirmed the whales' nature
Key facts
- Species
- Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale (Mesoplodon ginkgodens)
- Size
- Up to 17.3 feet (5.3 meters)
- Weight
- 1.5 to 3.6 tonnes
- Appearance
- Robust body, less heavily scarred, dark blue-black males with white spots, mid-grey females
- Diving Habits
- Deepest-diving mammals, spend most time underwater
Quotes
Robert Pitman
A scientist who was part of the team that spotted the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale
“The Society for Marine Mammalogy has a list of 94 accepted species of cetaceans... A quarter of those are beaked whales, but most people have never even heard of them. These are the largest, least-known animals left on the planet.”
indianexpress.com
