Facts About Cuvier's Beaked Whale
Cuvier's beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) holds the record for underwater depths that mammals can dive to and for the length of time they can stay underwater without coming up for air. Sometimes they are known as Goose-beaked whales and are members of the beaked whale, or Ziphiidae family.
Physical Description
They can grow to 15-23 feet in length and weigh 4,000 to 6,800 pounds and are regarded as a medium-sized whale. Their bodies are robust and round and have a curved, triangular dorsal fin situated towards the end of its back.
Although it is a beaked whale its beak is not greatly noticeable. It has a sloping, concave shaped, goose-like head and a large blowhole. It has a slightly upturned jaw-line which makes it look as if it is smiling. The jaw has two small teeth which protrude from the bottom jaw which can be used as weapons when fighting. It is not unusual for their body to be covered in scratches and scars.
Around their eyes they have s dark coloured patch and their face is whitish. The coloration of their backs varies from a brownish red to a dark grey. Their undersides are paler. The brownish red coloration is caused by microscopic creatures and algae. With age they tend to become paler and there heads develop a more noticeable indentation on the heads and more scarring accumulates, especially in males. They have a natural life span of around 60 years
Difficulties With Identifying Cuvier’s Beaked Whales
Beaked whales look very similar and even with different species of beaked whales it can be difficult to tell them apart, even when they are dead, particularly with those members of the genus Mesoplodon. It can also be difficult to make meaningful observations of live ones at sea. When they blow at the water's surface they have a less noticeable blow than other whales and they take fright quickly making it difficult to observe and identify them. They also lack an easily visible physical characteristic that can be used identify them.
They rarely breach or are active on the water's surface so they are not observed as much as other whales. They also have a small blow when they spout out water which reaches only about 3 feet in height and is angled slightly in front of it. This, and the relatively short duration of the blow which occurs in roughly 20-30 second intervals makes it difficult for it to be seen.
They can grow to 15-23 feet in length and weigh 4,000 to 6,800 pounds and are regarded as a medium-sized whale. Their bodies are robust and round and have a curved, triangular dorsal fin situated towards the end of its back.
Although it is a beaked whale its beak is not greatly noticeable. It has a sloping, concave shaped, goose-like head and a large blowhole. It has a slightly upturned jaw-line which makes it look as if it is smiling. The jaw has two small teeth which protrude from the bottom jaw which can be used as weapons when fighting. It is not unusual for their body to be covered in scratches and scars.
Around their eyes they have s dark coloured patch and their face is whitish. The coloration of their backs varies from a brownish red to a dark grey. Their undersides are paler. The brownish red coloration is caused by microscopic creatures and algae. With age they tend to become paler and there heads develop a more noticeable indentation on the heads and more scarring accumulates, especially in males. They have a natural life span of around 60 years
Difficulties With Identifying Cuvier’s Beaked Whales
Beaked whales look very similar and even with different species of beaked whales it can be difficult to tell them apart, even when they are dead, particularly with those members of the genus Mesoplodon. It can also be difficult to make meaningful observations of live ones at sea. When they blow at the water's surface they have a less noticeable blow than other whales and they take fright quickly making it difficult to observe and identify them. They also lack an easily visible physical characteristic that can be used identify them.
They rarely breach or are active on the water's surface so they are not observed as much as other whales. They also have a small blow when they spout out water which reaches only about 3 feet in height and is angled slightly in front of it. This, and the relatively short duration of the blow which occurs in roughly 20-30 second intervals makes it difficult for it to be seen.
Swimming and Diving
When swimming near the surface the head and body tend to roll quite high out of the water. To prepare for a deep, vertical dive they tend to arch their back more which will often reveal their flukes.
Cuvier's beaked whales have great deep sea diving abilities and can easily reach depths of 3,300 feet and stay there for between 20-40 minutes. Incredibly, a study by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography discovered that Cuvier's beaked whales can dive to depths of 9,816 feet and can stay underwater for up to 138 minutes. They hold deep sea diving record for mammals for also for staying under water without coming up for air. They have two ventral grooves in their throat which allows them to create a vacuum in their mouth which is used to suck in their prey. These remarkable feats enable them to hunt deep for food which consists of squid, octopus, supplemented with fish and crustaceans.
Social Groups
Cuvier's beaked whales are often found either on their own or in groups of 2 to 12 individuals, and occasionally groups of up to 25 have been observed. Lone whales are usually males.
Breeding
Males reach sexual; maturity when they have grown to between 18-20 feet in length. Females achieve sexual maturity when they have grown to length of about 20 feet when they are usually when they are between 7-11 years old.
Although they often breed in the spring, breeding and calving can take place throughout the year. After a 12 month gestation period the mother gives birth to an individual calf and will calf again every 2-3 years. The calves are between 6.5-9 feet in length when born, weighing around 550-660 pounds and are black or dark blue in colour.
Habitat
Cuvier’s beaked whales can be found in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters and have occasionally been observed in more northerly waters. They appear to like the deep waters of the open sea where there are depths greater than 3,000 feet with underwater seamounts, banks and canyons.
Threats to Cuvier’s Beaked Whale
Cuvier’s beaked whale faces a number of threats to its well being although the The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classes it as ”Least Concern ver 3.1.” They are known to become entangled in fishing nets and equipment and to have suffered from ship strikes. Noise from ships, submarines and other human sources may also cause them trauma or interfere with their own sonar system which may cause them to become stranded on beaches or confuse them when hunting.
In U.S waters they are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service implemented the Pacific Offshore Cetacean Take Reduction Plan which is designed to give cetaceans greater protection and to reduce bycatch.
© 18/04/2014 zteve t evans
When swimming near the surface the head and body tend to roll quite high out of the water. To prepare for a deep, vertical dive they tend to arch their back more which will often reveal their flukes.
Cuvier's beaked whales have great deep sea diving abilities and can easily reach depths of 3,300 feet and stay there for between 20-40 minutes. Incredibly, a study by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography discovered that Cuvier's beaked whales can dive to depths of 9,816 feet and can stay underwater for up to 138 minutes. They hold deep sea diving record for mammals for also for staying under water without coming up for air. They have two ventral grooves in their throat which allows them to create a vacuum in their mouth which is used to suck in their prey. These remarkable feats enable them to hunt deep for food which consists of squid, octopus, supplemented with fish and crustaceans.
Social Groups
Cuvier's beaked whales are often found either on their own or in groups of 2 to 12 individuals, and occasionally groups of up to 25 have been observed. Lone whales are usually males.
Breeding
Males reach sexual; maturity when they have grown to between 18-20 feet in length. Females achieve sexual maturity when they have grown to length of about 20 feet when they are usually when they are between 7-11 years old.
Although they often breed in the spring, breeding and calving can take place throughout the year. After a 12 month gestation period the mother gives birth to an individual calf and will calf again every 2-3 years. The calves are between 6.5-9 feet in length when born, weighing around 550-660 pounds and are black or dark blue in colour.
Habitat
Cuvier’s beaked whales can be found in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters and have occasionally been observed in more northerly waters. They appear to like the deep waters of the open sea where there are depths greater than 3,000 feet with underwater seamounts, banks and canyons.
Threats to Cuvier’s Beaked Whale
Cuvier’s beaked whale faces a number of threats to its well being although the The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species classes it as ”Least Concern ver 3.1.” They are known to become entangled in fishing nets and equipment and to have suffered from ship strikes. Noise from ships, submarines and other human sources may also cause them trauma or interfere with their own sonar system which may cause them to become stranded on beaches or confuse them when hunting.
In U.S waters they are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) and the U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service implemented the Pacific Offshore Cetacean Take Reduction Plan which is designed to give cetaceans greater protection and to reduce bycatch.
© 18/04/2014 zteve t evans
References and Attributions
Facts About Cuvier's Beaked Whale by zteve t evans - © 18/04/2014 zteve t evans
File:Wal Cuviera.jpg From Wikipedia - Cuvier's Beaked Whale - Author Bardrock - Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
File:Cetacea range map Cuvier's Beaked Whale.PNG From Wikipedia, Cuvier's Beaked Whale - Author: Pcb21 - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
OAA Fisheries - Cuvier's Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris)
NOAA Fisheries - Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)
Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Wade, P. & Pitman, R.L. 2008. Ziphius cavirostris. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. Downloaded on 18 April 2014.
National Geographic – Elusive Whales Set New Record for Depth and Length of Dives Among Mammals
Facts About Cuvier's Beaked Whale by zteve t evans - © 18/04/2014 zteve t evans
File:Wal Cuviera.jpg From Wikipedia - Cuvier's Beaked Whale - Author Bardrock - Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.
File:Cetacea range map Cuvier's Beaked Whale.PNG From Wikipedia, Cuvier's Beaked Whale - Author: Pcb21 - Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license
OAA Fisheries - Cuvier's Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris)
NOAA Fisheries - Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA)
Taylor, B.L., Baird, R., Barlow, J., Dawson, S.M., Ford, J., Mead, J.G., Notarbartolo di Sciara, G., Wade, P. & Pitman, R.L. 2008. Ziphius cavirostris. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. Downloaded on 18 April 2014.
National Geographic – Elusive Whales Set New Record for Depth and Length of Dives Among Mammals