Whale skeleton thought to be up to 5,000 years old discovered in Thailand

The skeleton is thought to be of a Bryde's whale

Credit: Top Varawut

The bones of a whale thought to be up to 5,000 years old have been found by a team of researchers in Thailand. 

Discovered west of Bangkok in Samut Sakhon, the 12-metre-long skeleton is almost perfectly preserved. 

Researchers are hopeful that the whale could provide a "a window into the past” for information on biodiversity and sea levels. 

It is thought the remains are that of a Bryde’s whale, a protected species still found in Thailand’s waters. 

Mammal researcher Marcus Chua of the National University of Singapore believes the whale could reveal the “geological conditions at that time, including sea level estimation, types of sediments, and the contemporary biological communities”.

"There are few whale subfossils in Asia” in such good condition, he told the BBC, making it a "rare find". 

Around 80 per cent of the partially fossilised remains have been excavated so far, including five ribs, a shoulder blade, a complete vertebrae and fins.

Shells and teeth were found nearby by researchers from Thailand’s departments of Mineral Resources and Marine and Coastal Resources. 

After the excavation is complete the bones will be carbon dated in order to verify the estimate of their age, which is expected to be confirmed in December. 

The Gulf of Thailand often provides insights into ancient biodiversity. Experts say sea levels could have been up to four metres higher 10,000 years ago. 

Bryde’s whales can grow up to 13–28 tons in weight and live in warm, tropical seas worldwide. Today they face near constant threats from tourism and fishing.