Dead Whale Discovered With Strange Cut Mark Leaves Scientists Baffled

A dead sperm whale has been found with a strange cut to its right flank that has left scientists baffled.

The whale, known to marine biologists as 2470, was found dead by Jorge Fontes and Bruno Macena from the Institute of Marine Sciences on November 18.

The mammal had been regularly sighted by teams from Whale Watch Azores, a group that tracks whales around the Portuguese islands in the North Atlantic.

The exact cause of death remains a mystery, Whale Watch Azores said in a Facebook post. All marine biologists have to go off is the large cut and some possible bruising around its head, the group said on Facebook.

Lisa Steiner, marine biologist at Whale Watch Azores, told Newsweek: "The origin of the cut is still unknown and unfortunately a necropsy to check for internal damage isn't possible, since the whale was 45 miles offshore. There was also bruising on the head, which could have been from a collision, but not definitive."

The whale had been spotted eight times between 2001 and this year. It belonged to a pod that was last seen together on September 16, 2022.

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Sperm whales, which can grow up to 50 feet long and weight up to 45 tons, are some of the most commonly sighted species in the Azores. They can be seen all year round but are particularly easy to spot from April to October.

They can live for up to 60 years but the species is still vulnerable after nearly being hunted to extinction by the commercial whaling industry from 1800 to 1987.

Although this whale's cause of death has not been determined, it is not the first one to be found with strange injuries.

Being hit by a ship is one of the biggest threats the species faces today, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says. Although these circumstances are not often recorded, boat traffic is increasing in the world's oceans, and collisions with vessels including cruise ships, container ships and oil tankers can cause severe injury.

Sperm whales can also become injured by getting entangled by or consuming fishing gear. It is estimated that approximately 300,000 whales and other marine animals die every year after becoming wrapped up in fishing gear.

The death of this Azores sperm whale has not been the only incident to occur recently.

An emaciated sperm whale recently washed up in Canada. A necropsy found it had 330 pounds of fishing gear in its stomach when it died from starvation.

A critically endangered North Atlantic right whale named Snow Cone became well-known after being spotted entangled in huge amounts of fishing line. Scientists last saw her in September and determined her death was all but certain.