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NZealand beaching proves rarest of whales exists

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- The spade-toothed beaked whale is so rare that nobody has seen one alive, but scientists have proof the species still exists.Two skeletons were identified as belonging to the species after a 17-foot whale and her calf beached themselves in New Zealand in 2010. Scientists hope the discovery will provide insights into the species and into ocean ecosystems.It was almost a missed opportunity, however, since conservation workers misidentified the carcasses as a much more common type of whale and buried them.In a paper published Tuesday in the journal \Current Biology