Une réalité profuse qui nage sous la surface de notre présent.
Le mois dernier (17 novembre), une équipe du Sea Shepherd a peut-être découvert une espèce non répertoriée de "baleine à bec" (cétacés à dents les plus grands après les cachalots, qui peuvent plonger pendant plusieurs heures à des milliers de mètres de profondeur) au large de la côte Pacifique du Mexique. L'allure générale de l'animal et sa façon de s'exprimer ne correspond à celle d'aucune espèce connue à ce jour.
On the morning of November 17, scientists on board Sea Shepherd vessel Martin Sheen observed three beaked whales surfacing in nearby waters. The sightings occurred 100 miles north of Mexico’s San Benito Islands, a group of three remote islands located approximately 300 miles from the US border.
The expedition was led by renowned beaked whale researchers Dr. Gustavo Cárdenas Hinojosa from the Marine Mammal Research Group of CONANP, Dr. Jay Barlow, and Dr. Elizabeth Henderson, Leader of the Whale Acoustic Reconnaissance Program of NIWC PAC.
The team set forth to identify a beaked whale species associated with an unidentified acoustic signal previously recorded in the area. Scientists and Sea Shepherd crew captured photographs and video recordings of the animals and deployed a specialized underwater microphone to record the acoustic signals emitted by the whales. The beaked whale experts, who are leading figures in their field, are “highly confident” that the photographic and acoustic evidence reveals the presence of an entirely new whale species.
“It just sends chills up and down my spine when I think that we might have accomplished what most people would say was truly impossible – finding a large mammal that exists on this earth that is totally unknown to science.” said Jay Barlow.
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.
Voir le détail sur le site de CounterPunch, hier :
https://www.counterpunch.org/2020/12/08/sea-shepherd-research-mission-discovers-possible-new-species-of-whale-in-mexico/
