At first glance, I thought it was a mask for attending a prom, but it was too exquisite! However, the size is also too large.
In fact, it's a huge, strangely shaped animal bone, and experts say its owner has a lot to offer.
The bone was found on a beach in North Carolina, USA, and according to the National Park Service (NPS), which manages this coast, the bone is about 91 centimeters wide and 60 centimeters high.
The bone was identified as being from a humpback whale and was part of a humpback whale's skull.
Humpback whale is a baleen whale that is also considered large in the ocean, with a maximum weight of more than 40 tons and a body length of up to 17 meters.
There is no obvious reference in the opening photo, and many people find it difficult to understand the "bigness" of humpback whales, so you can refer to the following photo of a humpback whale skull.
Because it is a predator, the humpback whale's skull is very flexible, and its skull and mandible bones are not fused, allowing the humpback whale to open its mouth to suck in seawater and filter out food.
This is also the reason why among the bones found on the beach, there is only a skull, not a mandible, and the two are separated.
The comb-like symmetrical structure in the middle of the skull is part of the humpback whale's baleen plate, which is used for filtration.
According to the official release, this skull will be made into a specimen in the future for educational display.
In order to prevent loss, the public is also specially warned: do not try to take the skull, it is illegal!
Why is it illegal to pick up bones on the beach?
In 2010, two men were arrested for collecting dead whale bones on a beach on Australia's Mornington Peninsula.
They face fines of at least $27,000 and the possibility of jail time.
It was reported that the whale bones were missing during the patrol, and after investigation, it was found that there were multiple people involved, including the 2 men, who stole a total of 10 bones, which was the most stolen among these people.
Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, anyone who interferes with or takes possession of a whale, whether the whale is dead or alive, faces charges and hefty fines.
The bones of a sperm whale
The same is true in the United States, as long as it is a protected species as stipulated by law, it is not allowed to scavenge and occupy it at will. Even ambergris is not allowed to be collected, stored or sold.
As for the reason, it's actually quite simple.
Although not as expensive as ivory, whalebones have long been considered a very valuable work of art.
In the early days, whalebones were used to make ornaments, such as knife handles and watch dials, and were also carved with patterns, giving whalebones a high economic value.
Sperm whale teeth
There are also many collectors who like this type of collection, which leads to a high demand for whalebones in the market.
According to the regulations, after the enactment of the 1972 Conservation Law, whale bones protected by species cannot be collected at will, and a permit must be held;
There are not many whalebones that can be legally bought and sold, such as those acquired before 1972, or those that are more than 100 years old if they are antique parts.
In short, the number of whalebones that can be circulated is not much, and the price is naturally getting higher and higher.
According to the legal transactions available, a very ordinary unmodified whale vertebrae (pre-19th century) can cost as much as $2,800.
The management is worried that if whalebones can be collected and sold once they are allowed to be sold, there will be unscrupulous people who will take advantage of the opportunity to divert the whalebones obtained from illegal hunting into the legal market. There are already very few large whales, which will only make matters worse and accelerate their extinction.
Therefore, as long as it is a clearly defined protected species, once a corpse is found, it must not be destroyed and possessed at will, and it must be reported immediately and handled by professionals.
At last
Generally speaking, when a whale dies after being stranded, the local area will be very active in disposing of the carcass, detonating, dismembering, burying, pulling it to landfill or incineration, or pulling it back to the sea to continue to decompose.
But according to a 2022 study, scientists believe that none of these methods are environmentally friendly, and that the best way to dispose of stranded whale carcasses is to leave them alone.
For example, detonation will cause flesh and blood to fly, and the surrounding area will be bloody and stench; Burying, landfilling, or incineration, provided that it is transported first, which is both laborious and costly; Dragged back into the sea, it is also possible to float back to shore.
Therefore, the researchers suggest that the corpse can be left in place, and the decaying corpse will soon attract other scavengers, as fast as a few months, or as slow as a few years, and will naturally be consumed without causing additional effects on the environment.
The researchers also stressed that this method is only suitable for more remote beach whale carcasses.
There are few people, and the nearby residents can tolerate the stench of rotting corpses, so it is best to let them rot.
If it has a serious impact on the locals, you can also consider dragging it to a remote place to continue decomposing.