A mysterious dead whale has washed up on a New Zealand beach. It likely belongs to the world’s rarest cetacean species. If confirmed, researchers could dissect the species for the very first time. The whale, measuring 16.5 feet long, was found on July 4 on the shore near Taiari Mouth—a village in the Otago region of New Zealand’s South Island. Researchers from the Department of Conservation (DOC) and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa believe the animal is a spade-toothed whale (Mesoplodon traversii). Spade-toothed whales belong to a group known as beaked whales, which resemble a mix between … Continue reading Sixth Known Specimen? Rare Spade-Toothed Whale Carcass Discovered on New Zealand Beach Promises Groundbreaking Study