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The Pacific Whale Foundation on Friday recovered what it believes is a humpback whale placenta for the second time in two weeks.
The rare discovery was taken in by one of the foundation’s whale-watch boats after another vessel spotted it floating on the surface of the water four or five miles off Maalaea.
Although humpback whales are believed to migrate to Hawaii to breed and give birth, an actual birth has not yet been documented.
The pinkish glob of material — and what is likely part of an umbilical cord — was encased in plastic and transported back to Maalaea Harbor.
Like the similar Feb. 17 find, the sample was frozen to preserve it for DNA sequencing.
“That will allow us to confirm if the placenta is humpback whale in origin, which we suspect it is based on its size and this being a known humpback whale calving ground,” research biologist Stephanie Stack said in a news release.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, soft tissue parts that are discharged naturally by a living marine mammal in the wild may be collected for research purposes.