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Year-Round Ginkgo-Toothed Whales Discovered Off California Coast

11/18/2025

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Summary

Story summary

In June 2024, the team led by Elizabeth Henderson confirmed the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale off the coasts of California and northern Baja California, Mexico.
They collected a skin sample from a whale after years of tracking its BW43 call.
Researchers now believe these whales inhabit these waters year-round, overturning the prior view that they were rare.
The findings support mapping distribution with acoustic data to inform sonar-related protections.

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Story summary

In June 2024, the team led by Elizabeth Henderson confirmed the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale off the coasts of California and northern Baja California, Mexico.
They collected a skin sample from a whale after years of tracking its BW43 call.
Researchers now believe these whales inhabit these waters year-round, overturning the prior view that they were rare.
The findings support mapping distribution with acoustic data to inform sonar-related protections.