Scientists and culture experts in New Zealand have begun the first-ever dissection of a spade-toothed whale, the world's rarest whale species.

The dissection, conducted alongside Māori iwi members, honors the whale as a sacred “taonga” (treasure) and includes traditional blessings. Key findings could shed light on ocean biodiversity and even offer insights relevant to human health.

New Zealand scientists on Monday began dissecting a whale considered the rarest in the world, a species so elusive that only seven specimens have ever been documented. "This one is the rarest of the rare -- only the seventh specimen known from anywhere in the world,

An extremely rare spade-toothed beaked whale is being examined by researchers in New Zealand. Only seven of its kind have ever been found and almost nothing is known about the enigmatic species.

The week-long dissection offers a unique opportunity to study a deep-sea mammal that has never been seen alive.