World (AP)

World’s rarest whale may have washed up on New Zealand beach, possibly shedding clues on species | AP News

World’s rarest whale may have washed up on New Zealand beach, possibly shedding clues on species | AP News

Spade-toothed whales are the world’s rarest, with no live sightings ever recorded. No one knows how many there are, what they eat, or even where they live in the vast expanse of the southern Pacific Ocean. However, scientists in New Zealand may have finally caught a break. The country’s conservation agency said Monday a creature that washed up on a South Island beach this month is believed to be a spade-toothed whale.

Spade-toothed whales are the world’s rarest, with no live sightings ever recorded. No one knows how many there are, what they eat, or even where they live in the vast expanse of the southern Pacific Ocean. However, scientists in New Zealand may have finally caught a break. The country’s conservation agency said Monday a creature that washed up on a South Island beach this month is believed to be a spade-toothed whale.