Environment

On July 4, the Travers's beaked whale (Mesoplodon traversii), never seen alive before, washed up on a beach in Otago, New Zealand. The discovery is invaluable to scientists, who can now study the cetacean. 

To mark the occasion, Gabe Davies, head of operations for the Department of Conservation on the Otago coast, said in a press release: “These whales are one of the most misunderstood large mammal species of modern times (...) Since the 1800s, only six specimens have been documented worldwide.” 

The Ministry of Conservation, for its part, claimed that the find was “recent enough to offer the first opportunity to dissect a Travers's beaked whale”. 

Small vestigial teeth

Analyses were carried out on the remains of this relatively unknown cetacean. The result? On December 13, scientists were able to reveal that the cetacean's upper jaw contained small vestigial teeth. As GEO magazine points out, “vestigial structures are remnants of organs or structures that were once functional in a species' ancestors, but have lost their original function”. 

According to marine science consultant Anton van Helden, the discovery says a lot about the evolution of this species. “It's remarkable to see this and it's still something we had no idea about.” 

9 stomachs!

The marine animal, which was found on a beach in New Zealand, had 9 stomachs (which can vary according to the species). Anton van Helden points out: “In some of these stomachs, we found squid beaks and lenses from squid eyes, some parasitic worms and perhaps other parts of organisms we're not entirely sure about.” 

While the cause of death of the Travers's beaked whale remains undetermined, scientists observed bruising on the animal's neck and head, possibly indicative of trauma. 

(MH with AsD - Source : Demotivateur/GEO - Illustration : Unsplash)