World's 'rarest whale' washes up on New Zealand beach

New Zealand is home to many sperm whales like this one, but there have been no sightings of a living spade-toothed whale

A whale which washed up on a New Zealand beach is an incredibly rare species, scientists say.

Marine-mammal experts believe it is a male spade-toothed whale based on its colour patterns as well as its skull, beak and teeth.

The country's Department of Conservation said the 5 metre-long (16ft) whale had been found on the South Island - also known as Te Waipounamu.

Sadly the whale had died shortly before it was discovered, but experts believe its body will be important for scientific research.

DOC Coastal Otago Operations Manager Gabe Davies said: "From a scientific and conservation point of view, this is huge.”

Spade-toothed whales are so rare that they have never been seen alive before.

Before 2012, when two beached whales were found on a different New Zealand beach, people were unsure the whale still existed.

The species was first identified from some bone fragments found in the 1870s and later in the 1950s.

It is hoped by studying this whale, scientists will be able to answer questions they have like what the whale eats or what it's habitat is like.

DNA testing is now taking place to confirm the scientists' findings.