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Un fragment de harpon centenaire dans le cou d'une baleine

Le post

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In 2007, Alaskan Inupiat hunters made an extraordinary discovery. Buried deep in the neck of a Bowhead whale was something unexpected: A century-old harpoon fragment, a deadly relic from the 1800s. It wasn’t just any harpoon. It was a bomb lance, an explosive projectile used in 19th-century whaling manufactured in New Bedford, Massachusetts, sometime between 1885 and 1895. This weapon was designed to detonate inside a whale’s body. Yet somehow, this whale had survived. When biologists examined the fragment, they confirmed the whale had been struck more than 100 years earlier. At the time of its death, it was estimated to be at least 115 years old. Until then, scientists believed Bowhead whales lived around 60 to 70 years. This discovery doubled that assumption, offering living proof that these Arctic giants can endure for over a century….
Image: Un fragment de harpon centenaire dans le cou d'une baleine

Le débunk

✅ It's true. This post is a copy-paste of a Facebook post from August 3. https://cvc.li/ilYnH An Instagram post from the city of New Bedford, Massachusetts, where the found projectile was manufactured, indicates that the bowhead whale was injured by Alaska Native hunters in the late 19th century. https://cvc.li/lAQoi A 2007 article describes the case of this cetacean (access is subject to a fee). https://cvc.li/Jfseb The found piece is now on display at the Inupiat Heritage Center, along with other weapon fragments, all found in the blubber of recently hunted whales. https://cvc.li/CUTZb These objects have made it possible to more accurately estimate the longevity of bowhead whales. https://cvc.li/crvxO They are known for their longevity and are among the longest-lived mammals. One male whale even reached the age of 211. https://cvc.li/tlPwH https://cvc.li/luLzX Other whale species also have very long lifespans, which is generally proportional to the size. https://cvc.li/vnNjf ❗ It's a shame to use a misleading AI-generated photo when the internet is full of authentic images. https://cvc.li/LkGyj

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