General Description

Body usually grey with white patches front of forehead, genital region and upper and lower jaws. Triangular teeth in middle of lower jaw. Young whales with darker beaks and paler underneath than adults. Water spray from blowhole is low and diffuse. Up to 5.6 m long.

Biology

Individuals of these beaked whales weigh about 1000 kg. They are mostly seen as singles or pairs of animals.

Habitat

Deep areas beyond the continental shelf in temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere.

Open water

Distribution guide

Southern Hemisphere. 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

5.6 m

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Conservation Status

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