Enigma of the Deep: World’s Rarest Whale Undergoes Historic Dissection in New Zealand
In a rare and momentous event, the world’s rarest whale, the spade-toothed whale, is undergoing a groundbreaking dissection in New Zealand. This unique opportunity offers scientists a glimpse into the mysteries surrounding this elusive creature, only the seventh of its kind ever documented.
The 16-foot male whale washed ashore in July on the South Island, sparking excitement among marine biologists who have relied solely on fragmented remains and scattered sightings to understand this enigmatic species. This discovery represents a chance to unlock the secrets of the spade-toothed whale’s life, behavior, and anatomy.
“We’re working around a dead animal, but it’s telling us about how it [lived], and also that’s unpacking all of the life stories of the people involved around it,” said Anton van Helden, a global expert on the spade-toothed whale and science adviser at the Department of Conservation.
Led by van Helden, the lead author who gave the species its name, a team of international and local scientists, alongside representatives of the local Māori community, gathered at the Invermay Agresearch Centre outside Dunedin to begin the meticulous examination. The atmosphere is one of reverence as they carefully dissect the whale, seeking knowledge from its departed form.
“Beaked whales are the most enigmatic group of large mammals on the planet," van Helden explained. "They are deep divers that are rarely seen at sea. This one is the rarest of the rare, only the seventh specimen known from anywhere in the world, and the first opportunity we have had to undertake a dissection like this," he emphasized.
The first spade-toothed whale was identified in 1874, based on just a lower jaw bone and two teeth found in the Chatham Islands off New Zealand’s coast. Only advances in DNA technology, using tissue from buried specimens in 2010, allowed scientists to fully describe its appearance. Another beached specimen in 2017 was buried before dissection, highlighting the rarity of this opportunity.
Tūmai Cassidy, a local representative of the Ōtākou Māori, emphasizes the cultural significance of the event. “Whales are incredibly important animals in our culture," he explains.
“Our arrival to Aotearoa [New Zealand] is deeply tied to whales and like other cultures around the world, we utilize different parts of their bodies.”
Cassidy notes that the Ōtākou Māori have been intricately involved in the process from the moment the whale was discovered. He sees the collaboration of Indigenous knowledge with Western science as a tremendous privilege.
"When complete, Ōtākou Māori will give the whale’s skeleton to the Otago Museum but will hold the jawbone for cultural purposes,” Cassidy adds, emphasizing the intertwined relationship between science and cultural heritage.
The dissection is expected to last for about five days, with researchers focusing on understanding the species’ anatomy and behavior.
They will meticulously examine the whale’s stomach layout (which varies in every beaked whale species), its sound production methods, vertebrae count, blubber weight, throat structure and more – data that could also inform conservation efforts. This rare opportunity offers valuable insights into the life and conservation needs of this truly remarkable creature.
