In this day and age, discovering a new species may seem like a long shot. Especially when it’s something the size of a whale. But in 2003, that’s exactly what happened. Now this rare species of whale has been captured on film for the first time.
Long thought to be a pygmy version of the Bryde’s whale, the Omura’s whale has never been seen alive in the wild. The only known specimens were either ones that had been found beached or had been collected as part of Japanese whaling operations. Now, a team of researchers from the New England Aquarium, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have shared the first ever wild encounters with the Omura’s whale.
Following and filming this elusive species off the coast of Madagascar, the team has finally been able to gather much needed information about this whale’s feeding habits, its vocalizations, and preferred habitat. This few seconds of video represents years of study and research, and opens up new doors to learning more about the Omura’s.
Small for a blue whale, the Omura’s whale tops out between 33 to 38 feet in length and is identified by unique, asymmetrical color markings on their heads. This is what helps tell them apart from the closely related Bryde’s whale. The anterior edges of their pectoral fins are white, and they have opposing coloration on the lower jaw, with the left side being black and the right side white or very pale in color.
There is much left to learn about this whale, including an estimation of how many there are. So far, the research team, led by Salvatore Cerchio, has identified 25 individuals. Another mystery the team is trying to unravel is why the whales are being found in the Indian Ocean, rather than in the West Pacific closer to Thailand and the Philippines where a species like this would be more likely to live.
Images via
