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World’s rarest whale washed ashore

A dead stranded spade-toothed whale carried by a digger on a beach with 2 researchers walking alongside.

A male spade-toothed whale (Mesoplodon traversii) washed ashore in Otago in 2024. This was very important as only six species had been found prior to this discovery. The species is classified as data deficient in the New Zealand Threat Classification System.

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Published: 7 October 2025Size: 117.5 KB
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