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

A group of scientists in New Zealand will conduct the first dissection of the mystery spade-toothed whale, which is the rarest 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.

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,

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