Very rare dead whale likely an Atlantic beaked species
A RARE species of whale weighing over a ton washed up at Cove Rock at the weekend.
East London Museum’s natural scientist, Kevin Cole said the matter was reported to the aquarium on Tuesday morning.
He said they had not been able to identify its species yet, but suspected it was an Atlantic beaked whale.
“It is a very, very, rare whale,” said.
“In our waters around South Africa there are no authenticated sightings on record of this whale at sea. The only record we have is a stranding like this.”
Cole suspects the whale could have died at sea as it was already quite bloated.
“It is more bloated than a whale could normally be for two or three days on the beach so it is a possible death at sea and washed up to the beach.”
Measuring 4.85m-long, it is bigger than a dolphin, with a dolphin-like beak. It also has a dorsal fin situated two-thirds down its back with a diagonal tail.
“Dolphins have a little notch in the tail but this one doesn’t so those features tell me it is a beaked whale,” said Cole. he
When the Daily Dispatch visited Cove Rock beach yesterday, Cole was taking DNA samples.
He said the whale was a female because it did not have teeth.
“In beaked whales only the male has two little teeth that come out – the female doesn’t have any teeth, and you can see there are no teeth, so this is a female.”
In 2012, a True’s beak whale washed up near the Kwenxura River near Cefani.
Cole said it was strange to have two such rare species wash up within four years of each other.
He said the head of the whale would be sent to Bayworld in Port Elizabeth to compare with a collection of other species. Cole will also open the animal up to examine its stomach contents so that he can see what it had been feeding on.
True’s beaked whales are believed to feed on squid.
Scientists have very little knowledge of their movements in our waters.
Cole urged the public not to touch stranded marine animals because they could carry diseases.
“Please report to local authorities, it might also be an offence because there are laws protecting marine species so do not try to handle them,” he said. —