#placenta

Pacific Whale Foundation reports it has successfully retrieved a rare, nearly intact whale placenta—the most complete specimen it has ever had the opportunity to study. This is the second full placenta that has been collected in Hawai’i, the most recent one was in 2020 by Pacific Whale Foundation. 

Despite Maui being known as a calving area for humpback whales, the discovery is considered to be incredibly rare, according to the PWF.  Researchers hope that specimens collected will help to advance their knowledge about humpback whale reproductive biology.

Pacific Whale Foundation’s Ocean Journey, on its first whalewatch of the day, came across the rarest of finds — placenta in the water, presumed to be from a humpback whale.