A whale skeleton between 3,000 and 5,000 years old has been discovered in Thailand. The remains were found in early November around 12 kilometers off the coast just to the west of Bangkok.
The 12 meters long, almost perfectly preserved skeleton is thought to be that of a Bryde's whale. The experts hope that the discovery might provide "a window into the past", specifically for research on sea levels and biodiversity.
Marcus Chua, a mammal researcher from the National University of Singapore addressed the discovery of the skeleton as a "rare find". He also added that there are only a few whale subfossils in the Asian region and even fewer ones are in "such good condition".
Well Preserved Fossil
Thailand's environment minister Varawut Silpa-archa shared pictures of the newly found skeleton of the whale that show the bones almost entirely intact. He said that over 80 percent of the skeleton has so far been recovered that includes ribs, vertebrae, fins, and one shoulder blade. As per the experts, the head of the skeleton is alone estimated to be about three meters in length.
Chua believes that the finding will allow researchers to know more about the history of the particular species. He said that it would also help to identify the differences with modern Bryde's whales, which live worldwide in warm temperate and tropical waters and can be found in the waters around Thailand.
The remains of the ancient species will also reveal information about the "paleobiological and geological conditions at that time, including sea level estimation, types of sediments, and the contemporary biological communities at that time", said Chua. However, the bones of the whale are yet to be carbon dated, and the results are expected to be released in December.
