Unidentified Beaked Whale
This cetacean is known only from some thirty sketchy sightings at sea.
Classification: This species cannot be named until a stranded animal can be examined and then identified.
Local Names: None.
Description: The Unidentified Beaked Whale has a low, triangular dorsal fin and a long, wide beak. The melon not as bulbous as in other species. Females and young are grey-brown in colour, fading to pale grey on the undersides. The male has a broad white/cream swathe across the body; the head, beak and 'neck' areas are reddish brown or tan in colour while the dorsal region and flanks behind the light swathe are black-brown or chocolate-brown in colour. It appears to measure between 5-5.5m in length.
Recognition at sea: This species is very difficult to distinguish at sea due to the little amount of information that is available. The blow is not visible.
Habitat: The Unidentified Beaked Whale has so far only been spotted in deep, warm waters of the Eastern Tropical Pacific. The sightings have originated from Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Ecuador, Peru and Colombia. This species appears to favour deep water.
Food & Feeding: It is thought that this species preys mainly on squid.
Behaviour: The Unidentified Beaked Whale has been seen in groups of two-eight individuals, travelling tightly at a moderate pace. It appears to be lethagic at the surface, sluggish and does not participate in any acrobatic activities such as breaching or lobtailing. Seems to simply 'roll away' at the surface, disappearing easily and quickly.
Longevity: Unknown.
Estimated Current Population: Unknown.
The Influence of Man: Unknown.
Source: CETACEA
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