The well-preserved remains of a 39-foot whale discovered in Thailand are estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000 years old, according to experts.
Researchers discovered the partially fossilized remains of a Bryde’s whale 12 kilometers off the coast of Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok.
Bryde’s whales, which can weigh between 13 and 28 tons, inhabit tropical and moderate temperate oceans worldwide, including Thailand’s waters.
In the past 10,000 years, the land has risen approximately 13 feet above sea level due to tectonic activity. This explains how the whale arrived on the continent of the present day.
The well-preserved remains of a 40-foot-long whale discovered off the coast of Thailand are estimated to be between 3,000 and 5,000 years old, according to experts.
Researchers discovered the partially fossilized remains of a Bryde’s whale 7.5 miles off the coast of Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok. According to Marcus Chua, a mammal researcher at the National University of Singapore, the exceptionally well-preserved bones represent a “unique find.”
“There are few whale subfossils in Asia,” he said, adding that even fewer are “in such good shape.”
The Thai environment minister, zzz, uploaded images of cetacean bones to Facebook. Varawut Silpa-archa is the son of the nation’s former prime minister.
Researchers from Thailand’s Ministries of Mineral Resources and Marine and Coastal Resources have meticulously excavated approximately four-fifths of the bones from the surrounding clay.
The skeleton consists of a 10-foot-long cranium, fins, ribs, vertebrae, and a single shoulder blade.
In addition, scientists have found the remains of barnacles, crustaceans, shark fangs, and stingrays.
The whale bones will soon be carbon-dated to provide a more precise estimate of the whale’s age; the results are anticipated the following month.
According to Marcus Chua, a mammal researcher at the National University of Singapore, the bones are a “unique find.” “There are few whale subfossils in Asia,” he continued, “and even fewer, zzz.” The expert continued, “in such pristine condition”
According to Mr. Chua, the discovery will help scientists understand how Bryde’s whales lived thousands of years ago and how they may have differed in the past.
The bones will also cast light on the period’s palaeobiological and geological conditions, such as the sea level, sediment types, and extant biological communities, he told the BBC.
Once the skeleton’s age has been determined, this discovery will shed light on the past.