Even though the majority of Earth is covered by water, there are still numerous species living in the ocean that are unknown to mankind. One of those species was recently been discovered, and according to researchers; it’s a new type of whale. The previously unknown beaked whale was spotted recently off the coast of Mexico after unidentified acoustic signals were picked up in the area.
Scientists working off the western coast of Mexico first spotted the new species of whale last month near the San Benito Islands, about 300 miles from the US border. “We saw something new. Something that was not expected in this area, something that doesn't match, either visually or acoustically, anything that is known to exist," said researcher, Jay Barlow. The team was able to take photographs and video recordings of the three whales, while also recording their acoustic signals using an underwater microphone.
“The discovery of a new species of beaked whale proves how much mystery there is left to discover in the oceans that our captains, crews, and research partners fight to defend," said Peter Hammarstedt, Director of Campaigns for Sea Shepherd. It’s only a matter of time until more previously unidentified species are discovered.
Via CNN