SPADE TOOTHED WHALE
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Picture Courtesy: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/worlds-rarest-whale-may-have-washed-up-on-new-zealand-beach/article68406823.ece
Context: A beaked whale found on a New Zealand beach presents a rare chance for scientists to study the elusive spade-toothed whale, the world's rarest whale species.
About spade-toothed whale
- The spade-toothed whale (Mesoplodon traversii) is the rarest and least known species of whale.
- The species was first identified from a partial jaw found on Pitt Island, New Zealand, in 1872.
- In 2010, two specimens were found stranded on Opape Beach, New Zealand. Initially thought to be Gray's beaked whale, genetic analysis revealed them to be the first complete specimens of the spade-toothed whale.
- The only known complete specimens include a 5.3-meter adult female and her 3.5-meter male calf. The adult female was spindle-shaped with a dark grey or black dorsal side and a white ventral side, a light thoracic patch, and a dark eye patch, rostrum, and flippers.
- It is assumed that the remaining population of spade-toothed whales lives solely in the South Pacific.
- The population status of the spade-toothed whale is entirely unknown.
- The spade-toothed whale is covered by the Memorandum of Understanding for the Conservation of Cetaceans and Their Habitats in the Pacific Islands Region (Pacific Cetaceans MOU). Its IUCN Red List conservation status is "Data Deficient (DD)" due to a lack of information and uncertain data.
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This species has never been seen alive, so nothing is known of its behaviour. It is presumed to be similar to other medium-sized Mesoplodon, which inhabit deep waters, live alone or in small groups, and feed on cephalopods and small fish. The young likely become independent at about one year of age, with roughly a 73% chance of survival past the first year. |
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PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Deep-sea ecosystems are poorly understood and increasingly threatened by pollution, such as deep-sea mining and plastic debris reaching these depths. How to develop a research plan to investigate the impact of pollution on deep-sea biodiversity and recommend sustainable practices for deep-sea exploration. |
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