A bizarre rotting carcass has been found washed up on a beach in Namibia. Scientists have actually been pretty baffled as to what the creature is, but they're pretty sure it's some sort of whale or dolphin.
Have a look for yourself - it's pretty difficult to tell exactly what it is right? I mean, it's obviously not the Loch Ness monster, that would mean it was REALLY lost, but it isn't easily identifiable either
Dr Simon Elwen, a researcher for the Namibian Dolphin Project (NDP) said: "On first sighting we had no idea what species it was.
"The body of this animal was in an advanced state of decomposition - making it look rather un-whale like and there were several confused reports on social media."
Well, if you're looking for an answer to an ecological or biological question on social media you probably want to re-think your tactics. On social media even a conversation about what restaurant to go to for dinner turns into an argument about Nazism.
Either way, the creature - whatever it is - washed up on the shores of the Dorob National Park recently, and now the scientists finally think that they actually know the answer.
They're not 100% sure, but it is most likely to have been a Cuvier's beaked whale at some point.
Dr Elwen continued: "Based on the shape of the head and snout and the overall size - the research team are fairly confident that the specimen is a Cuvier's beaked whale."
There you have it.
The Cuvier's beaked whale is a good shout too, given that it has a beak and kind of looks like a huge dolphin.
More confusing than that was the mysterious 'globster' that washed up on the shores of the Philippines last month.
If you're not already aware, the 'globster' was a decomposing mass of flesh that couldn't be as easily identified as the Namibian whale.
Depending on who you are it's either a stinking dead whale, or the harbinger of some sort of unspecified doom.
Even though it is usually just a dead whale, they have been being mistaken for sea monsters for centuries.
At the time, a Fishery Law Enforcement Officer called Vox Krusada (which sounds like a good name for a Grime MC) said: "For now we can say it is a whale, but the exact species is still unknown.
"'The tissue samples are now sent to our lab for DNA analysis. The local government of Gloria will now bury the carcass.
"It smells awful. It smells like something from another planet. I really experienced the full power of its smell because I'm the one who took the tissue samples. I almost puked.
"I felt better after taking a bath but the stench still lingers in my nose."
Delightful.
Featured Image Credit: Caters News AgencyTopics: Africa, News, Animal, Whale, dolphin