Northern Bottlenose Whale

Hyperoodon ampullatus

The Northern Bottlenose Whale is the largest member of the beaked whales in the North Atlantic and the second largest of the toothed whales. The Northern Bottlenose Whale has a long but rotund body shape, with a grey back and a light underside. The most distinctive feature of the Northern Bottlenose Whale is the head with a pronounced beak and a bluff melon that is white and flattened on males but grey and bulbous on females. The dorsal fin is up to 30 cm high and situated on the lower part of the back approximatley 2/3 of the length form the snout. The flippers are small and rounded at the top, the fluke has a smooth edge. Adult males have two teeth at the tip of the lower jaw,the females remain toothless. Species with no functional teeth are assumed to feed by creating a low-pressure environment in their mouth, a technique known as suction feeding.

Behaviour

Northern Bottlenose Whales are deep sea whales and normally stay in deep waters. Animals that come close to shore will frequently encounter problems and the Northern Bottlenose Whales are among the species that most often strand. Like sperm whales Norhtern Bottlenose Whalesy are able to reach great depths in the search of food and can stay submerged for at least one hour. They usually travel in groups averaging four individuals. The Northern Bottlenose Whales can be very curious and hunters would take advantage of that as well as the fact that they will never leave a wounde partner, wounded animals were left in the sea to attract others.

Whaling and Population Size

A population decline in some areas may have occured due to whaling, the species was hunted for oil and amber. Whaling was extensive from 1890 to 1920. The species has been protected for more than 25 years. Estimated population size in the North Atlantic is 50.000 to 100.000 animals.

To learn more about the Northern Bottlenose Whale visit Wikipedia