Whales, dolphins and porpoises

Whales, dolphins and porpoises are all within the same group of animals called cetaceans. These air-breathing mammals are found in all oceans of the world, including Canada’s three oceans. The easiest way to tell the difference between these animals is whether they have teeth or not. Cetaceans are subdivide into mysticetes (baleen whales) and odontocetes (toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises). 

• 24-30 metres in length.
• 75-130 tons in weight. 
• Found in all oceans, except the Polar Regions. 
• Blue/grey in colour.
• Small, triangular dorsal fin, very far back on the body.
• Black or blue/black coloured baleen.
• The largest animal on Earth…to ever exist!

• 18-24 metres in length.
• 50-85 tons in weight.
• Found in all oceans, except the Polar Regions. 
• Narrow V-shaped head.
• Dark colouration on the back and white underneath.
• Tall, sickle-shaped dorsal fin.
• Baleen on right side is white in the front and grey/black in the back, while the left side is all grey/black in colour.
• Second largest animal on Earth.

• 12-16 metres in length.
• 20-30 tons in weight.
• Found in all oceans, except the Polar Regions. 
• V-shaped head.
• Dark colouration.
• Tall dorsal fin that can be very pointed.
• Grey/black coloured baleen. 
• The oldest recorded age in the wild is 74 years old. It has been recorded to migrate over 4,000 kilometres (three-fourths of the width of the Atlantic Oceans) in just two months!

• 12-18 metres in length.
• 25-30 tons in weight.
• Found in all oceans up to sub-polar latitudes.
• Large, dark grey body, with long white pectoral flippers and a white underside coloured tail.
• Hooked-shaped dorsal fin.
• Black or brown coloured baleen.
• Humpback whales are very vocal. Males sing complex and long songs, sometimes for hours!

• Seven to 10 metres in length.
• Six to eight tons in weight.
• Typically found in temperate to boreal waters, but also in tropical and subtropical waters.
• Slender shaped body, with pointed head.
• Black coloured back, grey on sides and white underneath, with white band on pectoral fins.
• Yellow/white coloured baleen.

• Up to 15 metres in length.
• Up to 40 tons in weight.
• Found in the North Pacific Ocean.
• Grey coloured body with whitish blotches.
• Arching jaw (looks like a frown). 
• No dorsal fin.
• White/yellow coloured baleen. 
• The western Pacific population is critically endangered, while the eastern Pacific population thrives at over 20,000 individuals! Unfortunately, they are extirpated (locally extinct) in the Atlantic Ocean.

• 15-18 metres in length.
• Up to 70 tons in weight.
• Found in shallow coastal sub-tropical to sub-Arctic waters of the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.
• Arched jaw (looks like they are frowning).
• White callosities on sides and top of the head.
• No dorsal fin or ventral grooves.
• Black body with a white belly.
• Dark grey, brown or black baleen.
• Only 450 of these whales are estimated to remain in the North Atlantic.

• Up to 18 metres in length.
• Up to 70 tons
• Black body with a white patch on the belly.
• White callosities on top and sides.
• No dorsal fin.
• Dark grey, brown or black baleen.
• Population not well known; fewer than 50 thought to remain in the North Pacific.

• 11-18 metres in length (females are smaller than males).
• 20-57 tons in weight.
• Found in the offshore waters of the world, from tropical to subpolar waters. 
• Large square head, with small lower jaw with teeth.
• Brown/grey body with wrinkled skin.
• Bumpy, triangular dorsal fin.
• Females create lasting ties to one another. One average, 12 females and their young will create a family unit. 

• 3.5-5.5 metres in length.
• Up to 1,400 kilograms in weight.
• Found in the Arctic and sub-Arctic region. 
• White robust body shape with bulbous head. 
• No dorsal fin.

• Six to nine metres in length.
• Six to nine tons in weight.
• Found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.
• Bulbous forehead with a dolphin-like beak, and robust cylindrical body.
• Sickle-shaped dorsal fin.
• Dark grey to brown colour body.

• Four to 6.5 metres in length.
• 1.8-3.5 tons in weight.
• Found in tropical waters to sub-tropical waters of the world, and temperate waters.
• Robust body with bulbous head and no beak.
• Wide-rounded dorsal fin.
• Black body with anchor-shaped white patch on throat and lighter markings on belly.

• Up to 10 metres in length.
• Up to 11 tons in weight.
• Found in all oceans from tropical (in lower densities) to polar oceans. 
• Mainly black bodied with white bellies and oval white patch behind each eye, and grey saddle patch behind the dorsal fin.
• Tall pointed dorsal fin at midpoint. In males it is tall and straight, while females and juveniles have a curved fin.
• The shape of the dorsal fin and saddle patch, as well as any scars, allow researchers to differentiate between individual killer whales. 

• 4.4-5.5 metres in length.
• Up to 2,900 kilograms in weight.
• Found in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean.
• Grey coloured body with paler underside.
• Bulge on forehead and beak.
• Small, curved dorsak fin with rounded tip.

• Up to 5.5 metres (Female) and 6.9 metres (Male) in length.
• Up to 3,000 kilograms in weight.
• Found in most oceans worldwide.
• Dark grey to red/brown body with a paler underside.
• Short beak with a curved mouth line.
• Curved dorsal fin.
• Two pleats running along the throat to form a V-shape.

• Up to 5.3 metres (male) and 5.4 metres (female) in length.
• Gray to brown colouration on dorsal side and paler ventral side.
• Rounded and sloping melon head.
• Small and wide dorsal fin.
• Males have teeth visible on the tip of their lower jaw.

• Up to 12 metres in length.
• Up to 12,000 kilograms in weight.
• Found in the North Pacific Ocean.
• Gray or brown in colour with paler belly, with some white patches.
• Rounded, bulbous head and cylindrical beak.
• Small protruding teeth from their lower jaw.

• Up to 2.5 metres in length.
• Up to 180 kilograms in weight.
• Found in the North Pacific Ocean.
• Black back, light grey flanks, white belly and two grey stripes along the length of the body.
• Sleek, tapered body.
• Short beak with black lips.
• Black and grey dorsal fin that is tall and curved.

• 2.4-2.8 metres in length.
• 180-230 kilograms in weight.
• Found in the North Atlantic Ocean.
• Robust and sleek body shape.
• Black back, grey stripes along flanks, white underside, white patch below fin, and tan or yellowish patch on tail.
• Short, thick beak.
• Tall and curved dorsal fin.

• 2.5 to three metres in length.
• 180-275 kilograms.
• Found in the North Atlantic Ocean.
• White, grey and black body with white stripe on sides.
• Short, thick beak.
• Tall dorsal fin with broad base.

• 1.7-2.4 metres in length.
• Seven to 110 kilograms in weight.
• Found in tropical to warm-temperate waters.
• Slender and streamlined body.
• Long pointed beak and black eye mask.
• Large dorsal fin.
• Hourglass pattern on sides, tan or yellow patch forward of dorsal fin, and grey towards rear.
• Black back with V-shaped saddle below dorsal fin. 

• 1.8-2.5 metres in length.
• 90-150 kilograms in weight.
• Found in tropical to warm-temperate waters.
• Long prominent beak.
• Tall pointed tip dorsal fin.
• Grey body with light grey patch from above eye to dorsal fin, two stripes from eyes to flipper and eye to anus along body sides, and white underside.

• Up to four metres in length.
• Up to 500 kilograms in weight.
• Found from the tropics to sub-polar regions.
• Body is grey/brown to white in colour and are usually heavily scarred.
• Blunt, rounded head with no beak.
• Tall dorsal fin that is slightly curved.

• 1.4-1.6 metres in length.
• 61-76 kilograms in weight.
• Found in the North Atlantic and North Pacific Oceans.
• Small robust body shape.
• Small, round beakless head.
• Broad, triangular dorsal fin.
• Dark brown or grey back colour, white belly, and dark stripe from corner of the mouth to pectoral flipper.

• Up to two metres in length.
• Up to 220 kilograms in weight.
• Found in North Pacific Ocean.
• Black in colour with large white patches on sides and belly.
• No beak.
• Triangular dorsal fin with grey or white tip.