Rare Arnoux Beaked Whale No one Knows Much About In Antarctica

The study team reported that it recently discovered the genome of Arnoux's beaked whales in waters off Antarctica. Given that these whales have not been spotted in decades, this is massive. Researchers encountered it while surveying the Weddell Sea for information about top predators in 2022

Arnoux's Beaked Whales: A New Discovery

• Surveying the area via aircraft, researchers photographed three clusters of Arnoux's beaked whales.
• The whales, which were found swimming close to sea ice, can dive far and remain under the surface for over an hour
• And despite 11 cruises that took place over the period between 1988 and 2018, they found no Arnoux's beaked whale.
• They can easily be missed from the view of ships or airplanes which does to their diving capabilities.
• The find indicates that these whales may be in the Antarctic waters all year round, and are more numerous than previously assumed.
• Arnoux's beaked whale (discovered in 1851) is a rare species of marine mammal found primarily throughout the Southern Hemisphere.
• Their diet is mostly composed of squid and deep-sea fish, but they are data deficient, as there has been very little interaction with humans.