Albatross Thief Nearly Ruins Historic Ginkgo-Toothed Whale Discovery

In June 2024, a team of scientists aboard the Pacific Storm research vessel were wrapping up their morning coffee when they spotted a group of beaked whales off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. For hours, the researchers tracked the whales, which they eventually confirmed were a previously undiscovered species: the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale.

This sighting was the culmination of a 5-year effort by the scientists to locate and study this elusive creature. Since 2020, the team had been tracking a distinctive whale call, initially believing it belonged to Perrin's beaked whale, another species never before seen in the wild. After several failed attempts, the researchers finally succeeded in 2024 thanks to the advanced equipment on the Pacific Storm, including hydrophones to detect underwater sounds and high-powered binoculars.

However, the discovery nearly fell apart when an opportunistic albatross swooped in and tried to steal the skin sample the scientists had collected. The crew had to scramble to chase away the thieving bird and secure the precious evidence.

The ginkgo-toothed beaked whale is one of 24 known species of beaked whales, which are considered the largest and least-known animals on the planet. These deep-diving mammals spend most of their time in the open ocean, only surfacing for brief periods, making them extremely difficult to study. Identifying their habitats is crucial, as beaked whales are highly sensitive to military sonar, which can disrupt their foraging and even cause fatal injuries.