Cetacean of the Black and Mediterranean Sea
Cetacean Species Identification and threats
Hey! Did you know that:
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The terms "whales" and "dolphins" are vernacular terms commonly used to designate a variety of different species belonging to the order of Cetacea. There are close to 90 species of cetaceans that can be split into two main families (suborders): Odontocetes (toothed whales) and Mysticetes (baleen whales).
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Let's see if you can recognise some of them
Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)
WEIGHT
136 to 635 Kg
LIFESPAN
40 to 60 years
LENGTH
1,8 to 3,9 meters
THREATS
Fisheries entanglements and gear ingestion, Illegal feeding and harassment, Habitat alteration, Ocean noise, Chemical contaminants, Oil spills and energy exploration, Disease, Biotoxins, Vessel strikes
REGION
New England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Islands, Southeast, West Coast
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Striped Dolphins
(Stenella coeruleoalba)
WEIGHT
158 Kg (males); 149 Kg (females)
LIFESPAN
Up to 58 years
LENGTH
2,7 meters (males); 2,4 meters (females)
THREATS
Entanglement in fishing gear, Hunting, Chemical contaminants, Disease
REGION
New England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Islands, Southeast, West Coast
Short beak common Dolphin
(Delphinus delphis)
WEIGHT
Adults average about 77 Kg
LIFESPAN
About 40 years
LENGTH
About 6 feet
THREATS
Entanglement in fishing gear, Hunting
REGION
New England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Islands, Southeast, West Coast
Risso's Dolphins
(Grampus griseus)
WEIGHT
498 Kg
LIFESPAN
35 years or more
LENGTH
2,4384 to 3,9624 meters
THREATS
Entanglement in fishing gear, Hunting, Ocean noise, Environmental contamination
REGION
Alaska, New England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Islands, Southeast, West Coast
Cuvier beaked whale
(Ziphius cavirostris)
WEIGHT
2000 to3000 kg
LIFESPAN
60 years
LENGTH
4 to 7 meters
THREATS
Entanglement in fishing gear, Hunting(Outside United States), Vessel strikes, Ocean noise
REGION
Alaska, New England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Islands, Southeast, West Coast
Fin whale
(Balaenoptera physalus)
Family: Balaenopteridae
Species: Balaenoptera physalus
Length: 20 to 24 meters.
Weight: 40 to 85 metric tons.
Life expectancy: 75 to 100 years.
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Diet: Feeds on euphausids and also on capelin and sand lance, and juvenile herring.
Sperm whale
(Physeter macrocephalus)
WEIGHT
15 tons (females) versus 45 tons (males)
LIFESPAN
Up to 60 years
LENGTH
12 meters (females) to 15,8496 meters (males)
THREATS
Vessel strikes, Entanglement in fishing gear, Ocean noise, Marine debris, Climate change, Oil spills and contaminants
REGION
Alaska, New England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Islands, Southeast, West Coast