In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have sighted a ginkgo-toothed beaked whale alive for the first time. The sighting occurred in June 2024 off the coast of Baja California, Mexico, during a research expedition that had been searching for the elusive species for five years.
The team, led by Elizabeth Henderson of the US Naval Information Warfare Center and Robert Pitman of Oregon State University, used a modified crossbow to collect a skin sample from one of two juvenile whales. Genetic analysis confirmed the species, which had previously only been known from stranded specimens, primarily in Japan.
Beaked whales are the deepest-diving mammals and are notoriously difficult to study. They spend most of their lives in deep ocean waters, surfacing only briefly. The discovery was nearly thwarted when an albatross attempted to steal the skin sample, but the crew managed to retrieve it.
The finding, published in Marine Mammal Science, reveals that ginkgo-toothed beaked whales inhabit waters off California and Baja California year-round, contrary to earlier assumptions. This information is crucial for mitigating the impact of military sonar, which can harm these sensitive animals.
