Rare Beaked Whale Caught on Film for the First Time
- Posted on February 24, 2012 at 2:46pm by
Liz Klimas
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A team of researchers tracking whales off the coast of Australia were hoping for blue whales but what they caught sight of was a welcome surprise. The scientists part of the Australian Antarctic Division saw — and filmed — a whale species so rarely seen that it’s not widely studied and no estimates of how many actually exist have been made.
For the first time video footage was taken of a whole pod of 10 to 12 Shepherd’s beaked whales. Just the sight of them will be changing some previously held assumptions about the species. For example, Yahoo! News reports that they were previously thought to be a solitary animal — this pod shows otherwise. What scientists currently know about the species comes mostly from carcasses that have washed up on beaches.
Watch this news report with footage of the whales:
Yahoo! reports that the Australian environmental department says there were two previous confirmed sightings before this. A single whale was spotted in New Zealand and three in Western Australia
With this footage in hand, scientists are going to study the mammals’ coloring, movements, actions and other characteristics to glean more about the species.
[H/T io9]
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Comments (64)
ZomBrad
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 11:52pmIt’s funny how scientists can tell you what color each dinosaur liked the best….but they don’t know jack about living creatures >.>
Report Post »Unc68
Posted on February 25, 2012 at 1:16amScientists are experts. What is an expert. Well and ex is a has been and a spert is a drip under pressure.
Report Post »ZaphodsPlanet
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 8:56pmThe new chicken of the sea.
Report Post »Komponist-ZAH
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 10:37pm“A single whale was spotted in New Zealand and three in Western Australia”
Wow! You mean these whales come on land? ;)
Report Post »Komponist-ZAH
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 10:53pmOh! The single one must have been looking for a date.
Report Post »TXPilot
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 11:46pmSo, I have to bait my hook with birdseed to catch one of these things?
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on February 25, 2012 at 9:18am@TXPILOT
Ya got me howlin’ with that one!
Report Post »semihardrock
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 7:28pmIf the calf was born under Obamacare….it would have been aborted after the ultrasound.
i KNEW humans came from monkeys, this definitely proves it!
*This will be in next years (DOE approved) Biology school books in the Charles Darwin chapters…
Report Post »jcizarter
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 7:20pmhttp://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2008/04/01/4437565-obama-talks-gas-prices
Obama talks about High Gas Prices in 2008
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 6:32pmI’d like to harpoon her.
Report Post »Buster_Highman
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 7:10pmWould it be in bad taste to use the word “blowhole” in response to this comment?
Report Post »Rayblue
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 7:36pmGo ahead.
Report Post »grannyrecipe
Posted on February 25, 2012 at 8:23amThis team of scientists consists of 1 female and 8 males. They have never spotted anything because they usually go out to sea and just stare at that girl while drinking beer.
Report Post »Leevamark2
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 9:54pmDown boys. DOWN
Report Post »DoomsdayProphet
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 5:36pmWe are going to have to regulate them to veggies and not french fries. Bring up their populations.
Report Post »Buster_Highman
Posted on February 25, 2012 at 8:55amI think you meant “relegate”. People who don’t know english very well should probably stick to monosyllabic words.
Report Post »myopiniononly
Posted on February 25, 2012 at 11:02am@ buster
I don’t think so. Regulateto send or consign to an inferior position, place, or condition: He has been relegated to a post at the fringes of the diplomatic service.
2.
to consign or commit (a matter, task, etc.), as to a person: He relegates the less pleasant tasks to his assistant.
3.
to assign or refer (something) to a particular class or kind.
4.
to send into exile; banish.
Regulate to control or direct by a rule, principle, method, etc.: to regulate household expenses.
Report Post »Their comment was about the was about regulating the wales diet to make them healthier as in flotus trying to regulate our diets. Pay attention to someones comment before you correct them .
Xpressed
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:09amVegemite, gotta feed them suckers vegemite.
Report Post »TikeSissy
Posted on February 27, 2012 at 12:50am@ MYOPINIONONLY, did you mean flotus or flatus, wouldn’t want Buster to have a nutty….
Report Post »mycomet123
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 5:19pmThanks to everyone for the laugh!! These are some of the funniest postings I’ve seen on the Blaze!
Report Post »hugecatfish
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 5:12pmFake. The hot ‘whale scientist’ was a diversion. They actually just released the 27 pound lobster and it got gobbled up by some hungry dolphins. Nice try though.
Report Post »delawarebill
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 4:57pmMMMmmmmm….. Baked whale…
Report Post »PrfctlyFrank
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 6:30pmDo you think getting baked will cause him to run aground and stuff like that? We may have stumbled onto something here.
Report Post »Unc68
Posted on February 25, 2012 at 1:19amNever had baked whale, but raw blubber or boiled, both ways is really good.
Report Post »ddg7
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 4:41pmCongrats to the previous posters! Too many funny posts to single out just one. Outstanding!
Report Post »Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 4:27pmThank you – this gives me a chance to bring to your attention the fact that the Republicans REALLY need to come up with a PLAN that will get the attention of the undecided voters.
On one side of the page – we have Obama – who can really talk well. He is a HOPE dealer…. and he’s REALLY GOOD AT IT. On the other hand we have a Knight in Shining Armor (Whoever that will be) that will try and convince people that SPENDING IS BAD and TAXING is also bad. And that is not a very attractive message to the undecided voter. Can you imagine how “HEY – VOTE FOR ME AND I WILL NOT SPEND ANY MORE MONEY! ..sounds to the uninformed student or uninformed new voter or the uninformed housewife or the uninformed blue collar guy. Pretty unattractive. No incentive.
“We won’t default on our debt“ is not an attractive message when compared to ”I will extend your unemployment benefits”
So to us Republicans out there – yes you – CONTACT your representitive and tell them to stop repeating John McCain’s mistake and not giving anyone any incentive to vote for them.
And… “The other guy sucks worse than I do” is not an attractive message.
Get it together!!
Report Post »TexBork
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 4:05pmGolly gee and whiz!
Report Post »felix
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:57pmman, natalie is one hot whale scientist , especially when she said “the way they BLOW ” !
Report Post »Gorp
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 4:26pmLO Freakin’ L
Report Post »Bgroovy2
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 1:28amAs a male, I am offended that this woman can say “Blow” and there are no ramifications for such sexiest speech :) She obviously has a ***** in her armor.
Report Post »paperpushermj
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:45pmLower just a bit lower lower thats it….. Aaah Thanks
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 4:02pmGee … I wonder what the damn things look like. Hmmm. I say we go whack of few of them, just to see if they’re edible!
And the whale expert, Natalie, well, she’s cute! I want her! Bring her to me now!! Ha, ha ,ha, ha!!!! Huh? Oh right, it’s family hour. Sorry …
Report Post »yanki161
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:26pmMy husband has a prominent beak and a small fluke but I love him anyway. :-)
Report Post »chips1
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:40pmLet me guess. Your last name is WAXMAN.
Report Post »yanki161
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 4:01pmNo. Weiner. ( ha ha Only kidding. Who could love HIM?)
Report Post »chips1
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 8:58pmYour good. Welcome!!!
Report Post »loveoursoldiers
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:24pmNow Hannity is saying Pat Buchanan was fired ( old news) and he’ll be on his show. I swear he said Jake Tapper before… now I’m confused
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:52pmMaybe they both got canned, Hannity is STILL saying Pat Buchanan.
Report Post »Leevamark2
Posted on February 26, 2012 at 10:03pmAnonymous T… I am offended that you used the word “canned” in a comment on this story about whales. It was pretty obvious that you were trying to insinuate that we should eat these adorable creatures. I am imposing a 30 second suspension of your commenting privileges.
Report Post »scuba13
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:20pmAll this talk of a beaked whale, I haven’t seen Rosie O. anywhere down here. I will keep looking because something that big can’t be hard to find.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:16pmHurray, we finally got a picture of the beaked whale, which looks a whole lot like a bottle-nosed dolphin. What’s next?
Report Post »Sarcasm over, now.
qpwillie
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:15pmOh…… “beaked” whale. I thought it said “baked” whale.
Report Post »I was looking for a recipe or something.
getalong
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 4:25pmThis comment made me laugh. Thanks for the uplift!
Report Post »loveoursoldiers
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:14pmYou know, Jake Tapper, the only reporter who has the guts to ask real questions to the sissy Carney.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:45pmNow he knows how Juan Williams and others who spoke out, or asked real questions, feels. Wonder if Fox will pick him up, too?
Report Post »loveoursoldiers
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:13pmJake Tapper was fired bt NBC.. and we have the lead story a beaked whale? hmmmmm
Report Post »mils
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:19pmThey didn’t evn show us what one looked like…boooo
Report Post »Komponist-ZAH
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 10:58pmTapper’s with ABC, isn’t he?
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:04pmWill the enviromentalist close down fishing, shipping and boating in this part of the ocean now? Will they make the Polar Bears floating on sheets of ice stay away? Enquiring sensless nimrod minds want to know…
Report Post »FlatFoot
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:04pmI’d like to see the way she blows and interact with her.
By the way, what in the heck is a ‘while’?
Oh, about 5 minutes or so. Maybe longer.
Report Post »mycomet123
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 5:18pmlol
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 2:55pmToo much information here!!! The Japanese are on their way now!!!
Report Post »CatB
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:06pmMy thought also . …
Report Post »Ironeagle
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 2:51pmThe best part of this was the female reporter.
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 2:56pmYou mean the Whale scientist? She is hot!!
Report Post »chips1
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 3:46pmShe is a Marine Biologist and is qualified to reach into the blow hole and remove Titlist golf balls.
Report Post »yanki161
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 4:04pm“The sea was angry that day, my friends”… until SHE showed up.
Report Post »Jackie Rogers, Jr.
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 4:37pmGeorge! Where ya been?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on February 24, 2012 at 9:02pm“I was in the pool. I was in the pool”.
Report Post »MYHEROISRON
Posted on February 25, 2012 at 9:24am@CHIPS1
Titleist golf balls … I‘m dyin’ ova here!!! Damn funny!
Report Post »