True’s beaked whales caught on camera for first time

Scientists have recorded video footage of a group of True’s beaked whales, one the world’s most elusive whales, for the first time.

Beaked whales live in deep, offshore waters so encounters with the creatures are rare. This sighting took place in the Azores on an educational expedition for a group of schoolchildren. The whales came to the surface for around ten minutes. So rare are sightings of this species that scientists studying the footage were able to update their knowledge about the colouration of the whales. They are known to have a white patch on top of the whale’s head, which the footage shows extends further along the body than had previously been thought.

Read the scientific paper at: True’s beaked whale (Mesoplodon mirus) in Macaronesia (PeerJ )