General Description

Brownish-grey upperparts and lighter grey underparts. Individuals become lighter with age. Short beak and inflated forehead ("melon"). Females and juveniles have a forehead that smoothly joins the beak, while older males have a protruding forehead. Up to 8 m long.

Biology

Southern Bottlenose Whales typically live in waters that are more than 1000 m in depth, where they live in small groups of up to 12 individuals. Young are born during spring and summer.

Humans interactions include:
Vulnerable to loud human-generated sounds and driftnet fishing.

Habitat

Waters beyond the continental shelf and over submarine canyons, to depths greater than 1000 m.

Open water

Distribution guide

Most Southern Hemisphere waters, including southern Australia. Potentially near Port Phillip, recorded from Victoria.

Species Group

Mammals › Whales and dolphins

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

Surface Midwater

Max Size

8 m

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Least Concern
• CITES : Trade restrictions (Appendix II)