A sperm whale that was washed ashore on Oreti Beach was found to have its jawbone stolen and cut off by a chainsaw.

Stolen Jawbone of Beached Sperm Whale

The sperm whale, which spans nearly 50 feet in length, was found to be washed up on the Southland beach during the weekends. While it is not common for marine mammal strandings to take place, especially that of sperm whales, there was something particularly strange about this one.

Rosalind Cole, a senior ranger from the Department of Conservation, says that it appears that between last Sunday and Monday, someone had a chainsaw and used it to steal the jawbone of the whale.

When whales wash up, they become easy food sources for various animals that scavenge around. However, officials observed tire tacks that led to the carcass and marks on the bone of the whale. This showed that a human, rather than another animal, took the bone away.

According to Cole, it was disappointing for the bone to have been stolen before they got the chance to perform the usual procedures.

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Whale Bones: Prized Treasure

To the Iwi, which is a social unit within New Zealand Maori, whale bones are considered a prized treasure of some sort. However, the removal of the bones from an animal that washes ashore is considered a criminal offense. It falls under the Marine Mammals Protection Act 1975 and may lead to a fine worth $250,000 New Zealand dollars (or $150,000 USD).

Kai Rongoā Muriel Johnstone and Ōraka Aparima Kaumātua, who are local Iwi from the area, say that this situation was quite upsetting.

Whales are known and treated as chiefs of the sea, deserving of various appropriate protocols. This includes appropriate karakia, or prayers, and a farewell address. This enables them to handle the whale as a sea gift and make use of its resources, such as its oils, teeth, and bones. They use these resources in a way similar to how their ancestors did.

This incident is not the first time that a whale jaw was stolen from a stranded animal. A similar incident happened at the same beach in 2015.

Now, with this recent incident, officials call for anyone who knows more about the stolen whale bone to reach out to the Department of Conservation.

Sperm Whale Strandings

There are various reasons why sperm whales can end up stranding, with illness being the most common reason. This mammal may also end up disoriented within certain waters, making them lose their ability for navigation. As a result, they end up beaching themselves.

Authorities typically try to assist whales that strand while alive. However, in most cases, they already turn up dead. Their carcasses are then usually left to naturally decompose, as they become a source of food for other creatures. However, it is still considered off-limits for the public.

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