Melon-headed whale beaches in Australia

This video from the Philippines says about itself:

Melon headed whale

Rescued by Ocean Adventure from Pillar Bataan. This 2.4m long female is recovering fast in the redress facility here in Subic Bay.

From the Coffs Coast Advocate in Australia:

Rare whale will be used for study

16th January 2010

A MELON-headed whale was washed up on rocks at Woolgoolga Beach on Wednesday evening.

The washed up remains of a melon-headed whale on Woolgoolga Beach rocks this week.

A MELON-headed whale was washed up on rocks at Woolgoolga Beach on Wednesday evening.

The National Parks and Wildlife Service’s (NPWS) Coffs Harbour area manager Glenn Storrie said melon-headed whales are creatures of the deep and most of what is known about them has come from the study of washed-up specimens.

“The melon-headed whale lives well off-shore in all the world’s tropical and sub-tropical oceans hunting primarily squid in very deep water,” Mr Storrie said.

“We are currently transporting the animal to a facility where a necropsy will be conducted.

“Every little bit of scientific information we gather about these rarely-seen animals is valuable to their long-term protection and conservation,” he said.

Mr Storrie said the small whale, 2.7 metres long, was first spotted near the rocks on the eastern end of Woolgoolga beach.

“NPWS attended and called in a vet from Pet Porpoise Pool to assess the animal’s condition, but despite attempts to direct it back to sea the animal was in distress and unable to navigate,” Mr Storrie said.

The melon-headed whale has a body shape rather like a torpedo – its head shaped like a rounded cone giving the animal its common name.