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Whale of a discovery: impeccably preserved skeleton of 39-foot leviathan found in Thailand believed to be up to 5,000 years old
- The remains were found near the coast in Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok
- They are believed to have originated from a Bryde’s whale – a species still alive today
- Carbon dating will be undertaken to obtain a more precise age for the creature
- Whale analysis will shed light on conditions thousands of years ago
The perfectly preserved 39-foot whale remains unearthed in Thailand are believed to be between 3,000 and 5,000 years old, experts say.
Researchers found the partially fossilized bones – which belonged to a Bryde’s whale – about 12 km from the coast in Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok.
Bryde’s whales, which can reach 13 to 28 tons in weight, live in tropical and warm temperate seas around the world and are still found in the waters around Thailand today.
Over the past 10,000 years, tectonic activity has elevated the region by about 13 feet above sea level. This explains how the whale ended up on what is now land.
The perfectly preserved remains of a 12-meter-long whale (photo) found off the coast of Thailand are believed to be between 3,000 and 5,000 years old, experts say.
Researchers found the partially fossilized bones, pictured – which belonged to a Bryde’s whale – about 12 km from the coast in Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok
Mammal researcher Marcus Chua of the National University of Singapore told the BBC that the exceptionally preserved bones were “ a rare find ”.
“There are few sub-fossils of whales in Asia”, he explained, with even fewer, added the expert, being “in such good condition”.
Images of the whale skeleton were shared on Facebook by Thailand’s Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa, the son of the country’s former prime minister.
About four-fifths of the remains – which are carefully excavated from the surrounding clay by researchers from Thailand’s Mineral Resources and Marine and Coastal Resources Departments – have so far been recovered.
The skeleton includes a head nearly 10 feet in length, as well as fins, ribs, vertebrae, and a scapula.
Researchers have also found other remains, including those of barnacles, crabs, shark teeth and stingrays.
The whale bones will soon be carbon dated to provide a more accurate estimate of the whale’s age – with results expected next month.
Bryde’s whales (one of which is pictured) – which can reach 13-28 tons in weight – live in tropical and warm temperate seas and are still found in the waters around Thailand today.
Mammal researcher Marcus Chua of the National University of Singapore told the BBC that the nearly perfectly preserved bones were “ a rare find ”. “ There are few whale sub-fossils in Asia, ” he explained, with even fewer, the expert added, being “ in such good condition ”
According to Chua, the discovery will help researchers better understand how Bryde’s whales lived thousands of years ago – and reveal how they might have differed in the past.
The remains will also help shed light, he told the BBC, of the “ paleobiological and geological conditions of the time – including the estimation of sea level, types of sediment and biological communities. contemporary ”.
‘This find [will provide] a window on the past once the skeleton is dated.
Images of the whale skeleton were shared on Facebook by Thailand’s Environment Minister Varawut Silpa-archa, the son of the country’s former prime minister
Researchers found the partially fossilized bones – which belonged to a Bryde’s whale – about 7.5 miles from the coast in Samut Sakhon, west of Bangkok
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