What is the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale?

The ginkgo-toothed beaked whale is a rare cetacean species, identified in 1958, and only recently photographed alive for the first time in June 2024.

How did scientists finally identify the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale?

Scientists linked a unique 43-kilohertz acoustic signal, known as BW43, to the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale through live sightings and DNA analysis.

Where do ginkgo-toothed beaked whales live?

New research indicates ginkgo-toothed beaked whales are year-round residents in the deep-water canyons off California and Baja California, Mexico.

Home / Science / Deep-Sea Ghost Captured: Ginkgo-Toothed Whale Revealed

Deep-Sea Ghost Captured: Ginkgo-Toothed Whale Revealed

11 Jan

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Summary

First live photographs of ginkgo-toothed beaked whale ended a 66-year mystery.
A unique 43-kilohertz signal was key to identifying the elusive species.
Whales are now known to be year-round residents off California and Mexico.

Deep-Sea Ghost Captured: Ginkgo-Toothed Whale Revealed

For over six decades, the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale remained an enigma, known only through deceased specimens. This changed in June 2024 when researchers achieved the first live sighting and photographs off Baja California, Mexico, ending a 66-year mystery. Their elusive nature was partly due to a distinctive 43-kilohertz echolocation click, once misattributed to other beaked whale species.

Tracking this whale involved advanced hydrophones to pinpoint its unique 'BW43' signal and skilled observers scanning the horizon. A critical biopsy sample was successfully collected, despite a comical chase involving albatrosses and breakfast rolls. DNA analysis confirmed the signal belonged to the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, closing a 60-year identification gap.