Have you ever stopped to think about the gentle giants that swim in our oceans? Whales are some of the most interesting creatures in the animal world, with their huge bodies and smart behaviors.
As mammals that live fully in water, they stand out from many other sea animals.
In this blog, we’ll look at how whales are grouped in science, study their body features, and go through many different kinds of whales that exist today.
You’ll find a complete types of whales chart that helps show the wide range of whale species in our oceans. Join us as we swim through the world of these amazing ocean mammals and learn what makes each kind special.
Understanding Whales
Whales belong to a group of mammals that have fully adapted to life in water.
Their scientific grouping helps us better understand their place in the natural world and how they relate to other animals.
Scientific Classification:
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Chordata
- Class: Mammalia
- Order: Artiodactyla
Whales, like humans, are mammals that live in water. They breathe air, give birth to live young, and nurse with milk. Unlike fish, which use gills, whales surface to breathe.
Whales have adapted to the ocean with streamlined bodies and front limbs evolved into flippers. Their back limbs have mostly disappeared, and they have blubber for warmth and buoyancy.
There are two main whale groups: toothed (like sperm whales) and baleen (like blue whales). Each has unique feeding methods that affect its lifestyle.
As some of the largest animals, whales significantly impact ocean health by distributing nutrients and helping combat climate change through carbon storage.
Appearance and Physical Description of Whales
Whales have unique traits that set them apart from other sea creatures. Their bodies are adapted for ocean life, aiding in swimming, breathing, and foraging.
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Teeth | Toothed whales (e.g., sperm whales) have teeth to catch prey; baleen whales (e.g., blue whales) use comb-like plates to filter small sea creatures. |
| Heart | The blue whale’s heart can weigh up to 400 pounds—about the size of a small car. It helps pump blood through their large bodies and maintain warmth. |
| Fin | Dorsal fins stabilize whales; pectoral fins function like arms for steering and swimming. |
| Limbs | Whales have no back legs but possess front limb flippers with bones like human arms. Some still have tiny hip bones from their land ancestors. |
| Tail | Whale tails, or flukes, move up and down to propel them forward. They can also slap water to communicate. |
| Color | Whale colors range from black, gray, to dark blue on top, with lighter undersides (counter-shading). Some, like belugas, are nearly white. |
These body features allow whales to live fully in water while still being mammals that need to breathe air. Their mix of strength, size, and smart design makes them perfect for their ocean lives.
List of Common Types of Whale Species
Whales come in many shapes and sizes, with each species having its own special features and way of life. Let’s look at some of the most common types of whales found in our oceans.
1. Andrews’ Beaked Whale
Andrews’ Beaked Whale is mysterious, having never been seen alive in the wild; our knowledge is based on bodies that washed ashore in Australia and New Zealand.
Males possess a white “cap” on their heads and protruding tusks, likely used for fighting. Scars on males indicate these fights can be violent.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon bowdoini
Conservation status: Data Deficient
Where found: Southern Hemisphere waters of the South Pacific
Length: 4.5-5.5m / 14.7-18ft
Weight: 1,100-1,300kg / 2,425-2,866lb
2. Antarctic Minke Whale
The Antarctic Minke Whale is the third-smallest baleen whale, with a slender body. Due to its small size and habit of swimming in pack ice areas, it escaped much of the early whaling.
However, today it is one of the most commonly hunted whales. Its small size and quick movements make it stand out from other larger baleen whales.
Scientific name: Balaenoptera bonaerensis
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Where found: Antarctic and sub-Antarctic waters
Length: 7.5-10.7m / 24.6-35ft
Weight: 5-10 tons (5000-9000 kg) / 11023-19842lb
3. Arnoux’s Beaked Whale
This large beaked whale inhabits cold, deep Southern Hemisphere waters. Known as the southern four-toothed whale, it has four visible teeth even with its mouth closed. Its tube-shaped body features a small back-pointing fin, similar to Baird’s Beaked Whale.
Scientific name: Berardius arnuxii
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Southern Ocean
Length: 9-12m / 29.5-39.4ft
Weight: 9,000-12,000 kg / 19,842-26,455lb
4. Baird’s Beaked Whale
Baird’s Beaked Whale, the largest beaked whale and second-largest toothed whale, has a long beak and slim body. Social creatures, they often travel in groups of 5 to 20.
They can dive over one kilometer deep for up to an hour, hunting squid, fish, and small sea creatures.
Scientific name: Berardius bairdii
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: North Pacific Ocean
Length: 10-13m / 32.8-42.7ft
Weight: 10,000-12,000kg / 22,046-26,455lb
5. Beluga Whale
The Beluga Whale, with its round head bump, uses sound to locate food. Dubbed the “sea canary” for its high-pitched calls, it is social and often swims in groups of 10 or more, related to narwhals.
Scientific name: Delphinapterus leucas
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Arctic and Subarctic regions
Length: 4-5.5m / 13-18ft
Weight: 1,100-1,600kg / 2,425-3,527lb
6. Blainville’s Beaked Whale
This small whale has a pointed snout like a dolphin and tough bones. The male’s lower jaw teeth are used in fights, shown by scars on their skin. They stay deep in the sea, making them hard for humans to study.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon densirostris
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Warm temperate and tropical seas worldwide
Length: 4.4-4.8m / 14.4-15.7ft
Weight: 930-1,000kg / 2050-2,205lb
7. Blue Whale
The Blue Whale is the largest animal ever, surpassing even dinosaurs. Its tongue can weigh as much as an elephant, and its heart as much as a car.
Despite its size, it mainly eats tiny krill, filtering them from the water using baleen plates.
Scientific name: Balaenoptera musculus
Conservation status: Endangered
Where found: All oceans except the Arctic
Length: 25-30m / 82-98.4ft
Weight: 100,000-199,000kg / 220,462-438,719lb
8. Bowhead Whale
Named for its large mouth, which comprises about one-third of its body length, the Bowhead Whale has the largest mouth of any animal.
It inhabits the Arctic, using its massive skull to break ice for breathing holes. Among the longest-living mammals, it can survive over 200 years, outliving most countries.
Scientific name: Balaena mysticetus
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Arctic and subarctic waters
Length: 14-18m / 45.9-59.1ft
Weight: 75,000-100,000kg / 165,346-220,462lb
9. Bryde’s Whale
Bryde’s Whale has a long, thin body with three raised lines on its snout, distinguishing it from similar whales.
Named after Johan Bryde, who established the first modern whaling station in South Africa, it inhabits warm seas and is related to the common Bryde’s whale and Eden’s whale.
Scientific name: Balaenoptera edeni
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Warm temperate and tropical seas worldwide
Length: 12-15m / 39.4-49.2ft
Weight: 12,000-23,500kg / 26,455-51,809lb
10. Common Minke Whale
The Common Minke Whale, the smallest rorqual, has lined throat skin that allows its mouth to enlarge significantly when feeding. Unlike other shy whales, it approaches ships, making it easier to identify.
It filters food from water using comb-like plates, preying on fish, krill, and squid. Today, it is one of the most frequently hunted whale species.
Scientific name: Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Mainly in the North Atlantic and North Pacific
Length: 7-10m / 23-32.8ft
Weight: 5,000-10,000kg / 11,023-22,046lb
11. Cuvier’s Beaked Whale
The record-breaking Cuvier’s Beaked Whale holds the title for both the deepest and longest dives of any whale. It has been tracked diving nearly 3 kilometers (1.86 miles) deep and can stay underwater for over 3 hours and 40 minutes.
This whale has a solid body, a small head, and a short beak. Only males show visible teeth, and like other beaked whales, they mainly eat squid caught through suction feeding.
Scientific name: Ziphius cavirostris
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Distributed worldwide in deep offshore waters
Length: 5-7m / 16.4-23ft
Weight: 2000-3000kg / 4409-6614lb
12. Deraniyagala’s Beaked Whale
This little-known whale lives in the warm waters of the western Indian and central Pacific Oceans. Scientists know very little about this whale since it’s only been studied from beached animals.
It’s one of the smaller members of the beaked whale family, reaching only about 5 meters in length when fully grown.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon hotaula
Conservation status: Data Deficient
Where found: Warm tropical waters of the western Indian Ocean and central Pacific
Length: 4–5 m / 13–16 ft
Weight (estimated): 1,600 – 2,000 kg / 3,527.4 – 4,409.2 lb
13. Dwarf Sperm Whale
The Dwarf Sperm Whale, the smallest known whale species, is smaller than many dolphins. It features a blunt nose and a small back fin.
Teeth are present only on the lower jaw, and it uses suction to catch prey. When threatened, it emits a thick reddish-brown liquid to escape. Like the sperm whale, it has a specialized organ in its head for locating food and regulating depth.
Scientific name: Kogia sima
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Worldwide in tropical and temperate seas
Length: 2.7m / 8.9ft
Weight: 136-272kg / 300-600lb
14. Fin Whale
The Fin Whale is the second-largest animal after the blue whale. With its smooth, streamlined body, it’s known for its speed and is often called the “greyhound of the sea.”
Despite its huge size, it mainly eats small fish and krill. One strange feature is that the color under its jaw is different on each side—the right side is lighter than the left.
Scientific name: Balaenoptera physalus
Conservation status: Vulnerable
Where found: Global distribution in all oceans
Length: 18-20m / 59-66ft
Weight: 40,000-95,000kg / 88,185-209,439lb
15. Gervais’ Beaked Whale
This rarely seen beaked whale is known mainly from animals that have washed ashore, mostly on the coasts of North America.
It has a thin, torpedo-shaped body and a small fin on its back. Very few living ones have ever been spotted in the wild, making it one of the least understood whales in the ocean.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon europaeus
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Atlantic Ocean, particularly around the West Indies and the Canary Islands
Length: 4.5-5.2m / 14.7-17ft
Weight: 1,000-1,300kg / 2,205-2,866lb
16. Ginkgo-Toothed Beaked Whale
Named for the shape of the male’s teeth resembling ginkgo leaves, this whale is rarely seen in the wild. Most of our knowledge comes from beached specimens.
It inhabits warm waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans but remains in deep water, making it difficult to study.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon ginkgodens
Conservation status: Data Deficient
Where found: Tropical and warm temperate waters of the Pacific and Indian Oceans
Length: 4.9-5.1m / 16-16.7ft
Weight: est. 1,200kg / 2,646lb
17. Gray Whale
The Gray Whale makes one of the longest migrations among mammals. Its mottled gray body is often covered with barnacles.
Unlike many whales, it has no dorsal fin, only small bumps. Gray whales filter-feed by rolling onto their sides and sucking up mud, using baleen plates to catch small animals.
Scientific name: Eschrichtius robustus
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Primarily in the North Pacific Ocean
Length: 12-15m / 39.4-49.2ft
Weight: 27,000-36,000kg / 59,524-79,366lb
18. Gray’s Beaked Whale
Also called Haast’s beaked whale, this species inhabits the Southern Hemisphere, particularly near New Zealand and South Africa.
It has a smooth, torpedo-shaped body and a long beak, diving deep to hunt squid and fish. It occasionally beaches in groups, with one instance recorded at 28 individuals.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon grayi
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Southern Hemisphere, primarily in cooler waters
Length: 5.5-5.7m / 18-18.7ft
Weight: 1,100-1,300kg / 2,425-2,866lb
19. Hector’s Beaked Whale
Named after Sir James Hector, a museum curator in New Zealand, this small beaked whale is poorly understood. It has a strong body with a small, triangle-shaped fin on its back.
Like many beaked whales, we know very little about its life and habits because it spends most of its time in deep water far from shore.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon hectori
Conservation status: Data Deficient
Where found: Southern Hemisphere, primarily in cooler waters
Length: 4.2m / 13.8ft
Weight: est. 1,000kg / 2,205lb
20. Hubbs’ Beaked Whale
This rare beaked whale has a distinct beak and white coloration on its body. Male Hubbs’ Beaked Whales possess two visible teeth used in mate competition.
Like others of its kind, they spend most time deep underwater, complicating study and observation in their habitat.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon carlhubbsi
Conservation status: Data Deficient
Where found: North Pacific Ocean
Length: 4.9-5.2m / 16-17ft
Weight: est. 1,200kg / 2,646lb
21. Humpback Whale
Named for its humped back, the Humpback Whale is recognized for its long flippers and active behaviors like breaching. Often the highlight of whale-watching tours, it showcases impressive jumps and splashes.
Males sing complex songs lasting up to 30 minutes, traveling up to 25,000 kilometers annually from cold feeding to warm breeding waters.
Scientific name: Megaptera novaeangliae
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Oceans and seas worldwide
Length: 12-16m / 39.4-52.5ft
Weight: 25,000-30,000kg / 55,115-66,138lb
22. Narwhal
Often dubbed the “unicorn of the sea,” the male Narwhal has a long, twisted tusk, up to 3 meters long. This tusk is an extended tooth growing through the upper lip.
Narwhals live in icy Arctic waters, hunting fish, squid, and shrimp. They are related to beluga whales and sometimes form mixed groups with them.
Scientific name: Monodon monoceros
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Arctic waters around Greenland, Canada, and Russia
Length: 3.95-5.5m / 13-18ft
Weight: 800-1600kg / 1764-3527lb
23. North Atlantic Right Whale
The North Atlantic Right Whale, with fewer than 500 individuals left, is one of the world’s most endangered large whale species. It has a thick body, no dorsal fin, and callosities on its head.
Swimming slowly at an average of 6 km/h, it was dubbed the “right” whale for hunting due to its slow speed, tendency to float when killed, and large blubber supply for oil, contributing to its endangered status.
Scientific name: Eubalaena glacialis
Conservation status: Critically Endangered
Where found: Western North Atlantic, from Florida to the Gulf of St. Lawrence
Length: 11-18m / 36-59ft
Weight: 40,000-100,000kg / 88,185-220,462lb
24. North Pacific Right Whale
Similar to its Atlantic cousin, the North Pacific Right Whale has a wide, flat back with no fin and large, triangle-shaped flippers. This whale was heavily hunted in the past, and its numbers remain very low today.
Both the North Pacific and North Atlantic Right Whales are closely related to the Southern Right Whale, and together they make up the three species of right whales in the world.
Scientific name: Eubalaena japonica
Conservation status: Endangered
Where found: North Pacific Ocean
Length: 15-18m / 49-59ft
Weight: 50,000-100,000kg / 110,231-220,462lb
25. Northern Bottlenose Whale
The Northern Bottlenose Whale, recognized by its bulging forehead and long beak, is a deep-diving species, reaching depths over 2,300 meters and staying underwater for over two hours.
Their curiosity about boats made them targets for past hunters. They inhabit the cold North Atlantic waters.
Scientific name: Hyperoodon ampullatus
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Where found: North Atlantic Ocean
Length: 6-9.8m / 20-32ft
Weight: 5,800-7,500kg / 12,786-16,535lb
26. Omura’s Whale
Discovered by scientists in 2003, Omura’s Whale is a small baleen whale named after Japanese expert Hideo Omura. It has a sleek body with a ridge along its back to the dorsal fin.
Notably, its lower jaw is differently colored—lighter on the right side—possibly aiding in feeding. These whales inhabit coastal waters of the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.
Scientific name: Balaenoptera omurai
Conservation status: Data Deficient
Where found: Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean
Length: 10-11.5 m / 33-38ft
Weight: 4,536-12,000 kg / 10,000-26,455 lb
27. Perrin’s Beaked Whale
Recognized as a separate species in 2002, Perrin’s Beaked Whale is one of the rarest whales. Most information comes from beached specimens, as it is rarely seen in the wild. Like other beaked whales, it likely dives deep for food and spends little time surfacing.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon perrini
Conservation status: Endangered
Where found: Eastern North Pacific Ocean
Length: 4-4.5m / 13-14.8ft
Weight: est. 1,200kg / 2,646lb
28. Pygmy Beaked Whale
The smallest of all beaked whales, the Pygmy Beaked Whale is known from just a few strandings and rare sightings at sea. Its elusive nature and habit of diving deep make it very hard to study.
Like its beaked whale relatives, it likely hunts squid and small fish in the deep waters of the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon peruvianus
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
Length: 3.9-4.2m / 12.8-13.8ft
Weight: est. 1,100kg / 2,425lb
29. Pygmy Right Whale
The smallest of all baleen whales, the Pygmy Right Whale has a narrow snout and a sickle-shaped dorsal fin. Despite its name, it’s not closely related to the true right whales.
Very rarely seen in the open ocean, most of what scientists know about this mysterious whale comes from beached specimens. It lives in the cooler waters of the Southern Hemisphere.
Scientific name: Caperea marginata
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Southern Hemisphere
Length: 6-6.5m / 19.7-21.3ft
Weight: 3,000-3,500kg / 6,614-7,716lb
30. Pygmy Sperm Whale
Smaller than a bottlenose dolphin, the Pygmy Sperm Whale is one of the smallest toothed whales. Until 1998, scientists thought it was the same species as the dwarf sperm whale.
Like its larger cousin, the sperm whale, it has a waxy substance called spermaceti in its head that helps with finding food through sound. Its blowhole is located on the left side of its head rather than in the center.
Scientific name: Kogia breviceps
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Worldwide in tropical and temperate seas
Length: 3.5m / 11.5ft
Weight: 400kg / 882lb
31. Rice’s Whale
Until 2021, Rice’s Whale was thought to be a type of Bryde’s whale but is now known to be its own distinct species. It has three raised ridges on the top of its head and 40 to 70 throat pleats.
With only about 26 adult Rice’s Whales left in the world, it’s one of the most endangered whale species. Oil spills and ship traffic in the Gulf of Mexico threaten its survival.
Scientific name: Balaenoptera ricei
Conservation status: Critically Endangered
Where found: Gulf of Mexico
Length: 11.5-12m / 37.7-39.4ft
Weight: c. 14,000 / 35,274lb
32. Sato’s Beaked Whale
Only officially recognized in 2019, Sato’s Beaked Whale is the smallest member of the giant beaked whale group. Named after researcher Hal Sato, who helped identify it, this whale has the distinctive beak and streamlined body typical of beaked whales.
Very little is known about its behavior or lifestyle since it was only recently discovered as a separate species.
Scientific name: Berardius minimus
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Where found: North Pacific Ocean
Length: 6.9 m / 22.64 ft
Weight: est. 2,900kg / 6,393lb
33. Sei Whale
The third-largest rorqual whale after the blue whale and fin whale, the Sei Whale has a streamlined body that is dark gray or blue-gray with lighter coloring underneath.
It has a single ridge from its blowhole to the tip of its snout and a tall, sickle-shaped dorsal fin located about two-thirds down its back. Sei Whales prefer deep offshore waters and avoid both polar and tropical regions.
Scientific name: Balaenoptera borealis
Conservation status: Endangered
Where found: Worldwide in deep, offshore waters
Length: 14-20m / 45.9-65.6ft
Weight: 20,000-30,000kg / 44,092-66,139lb
34. Shepherd’s Beaked Whale
Shepherd’s Beaked Whale, unique among beaked whales, is the only species with functioning teeth in both jaws and one of the few that eats fish and squid.
Sightings are rare, with most knowledge derived from beached specimens. It inhabits the cooler Southern Hemisphere waters.
Scientific name: Tasmacetus shepherdi
Conservation status: Data Deficient
Where found: Southern Hemisphere
Length: 6-7m / 19.7-23ft
Weight: 3,000-3,480kg / 6,614-7,672lb
35. Southern Bottlenose Whale
Recognized by its large forehead and long beak, the Southern Bottlenose Whale is smaller than its northern cousin.
It’s one of the better-studied beaked whales and is often seen in groups. Known for its deep dives to hunt squid and krill, it’s one of the most commonly spotted beaked whales in Antarctic waters.
Scientific name: Hyperoodon planifrons
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Southern Hemisphere
Length: 7.5-8.2m / 24.6-26.9ft
Weight: 5,800-6,800kg / 12,786-14,991lb
36. Southern Right Whale
This baleen whale has wide flippers and a broad back without a dorsal fin. Found in cold Southern Hemisphere waters, it resembles its northern cousins.
Southern Right Whales often approach boats, engaging with whale watchers. Like other right whales, they were nearly hunted to extinction.
Scientific name: Eubalaena australis
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Southern Hemisphere
Length: 14-18m / 45.9-59.1ft
Weight: 60,000-80,000kg / 132,277-176,370lb
37. Sowerby’s Beaked Whale
Named after naturalist James Sowerby, this medium-sized beaked whale inhabits cold North Atlantic waters. It features a dolphin-like beak, round body, and notched tail.
Unlike most beaked whales that eat squid, Sowerby’s Beaked Whale primarily hunts fish and dives over 1 kilometer deep for food.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon bidens
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: North Atlantic Ocean
Length: 5.5m / 18ft
Weight: c. 1,300kg / 2,866lb
38. Spade-Toothed Whale
One of the world’s rarest whales, the Spade-Toothed Whale was known only from a few bone samples until 2010, when a mother and calf washed ashore in New Zealand.
This dolphin-sized beaked whale gets its name from its curved, spade-like teeth, which are only visible in males and can reach 23 cm (9 in) in length. It lives in the southern Pacific Ocean but is almost never seen alive.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon traversii
Conservation status: Data Deficient
Where found: South Pacific Ocean
Length: 5.5m / 18ft
Weight: 1,300 kg / 2,866 lb
39. Sperm Whale
The Sperm Whale, the largest toothed predator, is known for deep dives lasting up to an hour and reaching depths of 2,000 meters (1.24 miles).
Its block-shaped head contains spermaceti, historically used in oil lamps. The fictional Moby Dick from Herman Melville’s novel is a sperm whale.
Scientific name: Physeter macrocephalus
Conservation status: Vulnerable
Where found: Worldwide
Length: 11-20.5m / 36-67.3ft
Weight: 25,000-62,000kg / 55,116-136,686lb
40. Stejneger’s Beaked Whale
Also known as the “saber-toothed whale,” Stejneger’s Beaked Whale has a long beak and two prominent teeth in males that point upward and backward from the lower jaw.
Like other beaked whales, it dives deep and often has scars from bites by cookiecutter sharks. It lives in the cold waters of the North Pacific Ocean.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon stejnegeri
Conservation status: Near Threatened
Where found: North Pacific Ocean
Length: 5.3-5.5m / 17.4-18ft
Weight: 1,300-1,500kg / 2,866-3,307lb
41. Strap-Toothed Whale (Layard’s Beaked Whale)
The Strap-Toothed Whale has a truly unique feature—the male’s teeth grow as long straps that curl up and over the upper jaw.
These teeth may actually prevent the whale from opening its mouth fully, which might limit the size of prey it can eat. Despite this odd restriction, it feeds on deep-water squid, including the vampire squid, diving to great depths to find food.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon layardii
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Circumpolar in cool temperate Southern Hemisphere waters
Length: 5.9-6.2m / 19.4-20.3ft
Weight: 1,000-1,300kg / 2,204-2,866lb
42. Tropical Bottlenose Whale / Longman’s Beaked Whale
Until the 1990s, the Tropical Bottlenose Whale was known only from two skulls. It lives in the warm waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans and, like other beaked whales, likely dives deep to hunt.
Any sighting of this rare whale is considered a major event by scientists, as it’s one of the least-known large mammals on Earth.
Scientific name: Indopacetus pacificus
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: Tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans
Length: 7.6m / 25ft
Weight: est. 2,500kg / 5,512lb
43. True’s Beaked Whale
Named after Frederick W. True, a former curator at the United States National Museum, True’s Beaked Whale is a deep-diving species found in the northern Atlantic Ocean.
It’s almost always seen in waters deeper than 1,000 meters. From studying beached whales, scientists know that small fish make up most of its diet, unlike many other beaked whales that prefer squid.
Scientific name: Mesoplodon mirus
Conservation status: Least Concern
Where found: North Atlantic Ocean and parts of the Southern Hemisphere
Length: 5.4m / 17.7ft
Weight: c. 1,400 / 3,086lb
Whales: A Summary of Ocean Giants
In this blog, we’ve toured the world of whales, from the smallest dwarf sperm whale to the massive blue whale. We’ve looked at how these ocean giants are grouped in science, examined their special body features, and learned about many different kinds of whales that swim in our seas.
Whales play a key role in keeping ocean systems healthy. They help move nutrients through the water and even store carbon in their large bodies, which helps fight climate change.
Many whale types face threats today from human activities like ship strikes, fishing gear, and water noise. By learning more about these wonderful mammals, we can better work to keep them safe.
Next time you’re near the ocean, take a moment to think about the amazing whales swimming beneath the waves and what we can do to help them thrive.
