Marine Mammal Species Information
The Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin
(Tursiops truncatus)
[ intana
] [ skeleton
]
The Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin can reach a length of up to 12.5
feet and a weight of up to 1,435 pounds. Most specimens of the bottlenose
dolphin are smaller, averaging about 9 feet and weighing about 500
pounds. The bottlenose dolphin is further broken down into an inshore
and offshore species. The offshore species tends to be larger. They
are known to ride the surf and have been seen jumping clear of the
water as high as 15-20 feet. Most bottlenose dolphins occur in groups
of anywhere from single animals to several hundred individuals where
the larger groups break down into smaller groups with no more than
a dozen animals in each. Populations of these mammals can be found
along most coastal and inshore waters including some of the enclosed
seas such as the Black Sea, Mediterranean etc... There is also an
offshore population that lives along the edges of the continental
shelf. The coastal habitat of bottlenose dolphins has become hazardous
to their health due to chemical pollution, human interaction and
commercial fishing activities. People occasionally feed the wild
animals that can cause infection and gastrointestinal problems.
This occasional feeding leads the dolphins to become habituated
to human interaction and many of those dolphins will later get into
trouble with fish hooks and fish lines. A dolphins normal diet consist
of fish, squid and krill.
MMC has assisted with the rescue of (10) Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins.
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Short-Finned Pilot Whale
(Globicephala macrorhynchus)
The Short-Finned Pilot Whale can reach a length of 21.5 feet and
weigh as much as 4 tons. Pods range in size from 10 to 30 and may
congregate in the hundreds on rare occasions. There is a Long-Finned
Pilot Whale and this species can be found in the colder waters of
the North Atlantic as well as the colder waters of the southern
oceans. The short-finned pilot whale is mostly found in warmer waters.
Pilot whales tend to follow the migrations of their favorite prey,
squid, though they are also considered nomadic by nature. Pilot
whales feed mostly on squid, but are known to eat fish as well.
Unfortunately, pilot whales tend to strand both individually and
in mass herds.
MMC has assisted in the rescue of (15) Short-Finned Pilot Whales.
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Pygmy Killer Whale
(Feresa attenuata)
The Pygmy Killer Whale can reach a length of 8.5 feet and weigh
up to 375 pounds. Pods range in size from 15 to 25. Pods often swim
abreast in perfectly coordinated "chorus lines" and, when
alarmed, bunch together to rush away. They are known to avoid boats
and little is known about this species except for data collected
during stranding events. They are very aggressive and evidence suggests
that they prey on other marine mammals in the wild as well as fish
and squid. They can be found in deep warm waters, rarely close to
shore.
MMC has assisted with the rescue of (2) Pygmy Killer Whales.
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Sperm Whale
(Physeter macrocephalus)
The Sperm Whale is the largest of the toothed whales. Males can
grow to 60 feet and weigh 50 tons. Females are usually smaller and
can reach a length of 39 feet. Sperm whales usually travel in groupings
made up of "bachelor pods" (young sexually inactive males),
"breeding pods" (females with young of both sexes) and
"Older Males" which tend to be either solitary or travel
in groups of up to six animals, joining the breeding pods for a
few hours at a time during the breeding season. Sperm whales possess
a single blowhole located left of its midline and far forward on
its head. Its head may take up from 1/4 to 1/3 of its total body
length. Their skin is usually wrinkled. Sperm whales have been known
to remain submerged for over 2 hours. Sperm whales have the slowest
reproductive rate for all whales. Gestation lasts for about 15 months
and a calf will nurse for approximately 2 years. A female will probably
not become pregnant again until 9 months after weaning. Hence, the
entire process occurs only about every 4 years. Sperm whales feed
on fish and squid. They are found throughout the worlds oceans though
distribution is patchy.
MMC has assisted with the rescue of (1) female newborn sperm whale.
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Atlantic Spotted Dolphin
(Stenella frontalis)
The Atlantic Spotted Dolphin can reach a maximum length of 7.5
feet and weigh up to 310 pounds. They are found in pods of anywhere
from 5 to 15 and may form temporary groups of a few hundred. The
Spotted Dolphin closely resembles the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin;
however, the latter tends to be more slender. As the name "spotted
dolphin" suggests, the adult animal is dorsally marked with
numerous greyish-white spots and ventrally with darker spots. They
are frequently seen jumping clear of the water, and riding the bow
wave of moving vessels, though in areas where tuna fishing occur,
some individuals flee from boats. Spotted dolphins are usually found
further offshore than bottlenoses. These dolphin will feed on fish,
squid and other invertebrates. This species of dolphin is thought
to inhabit a range of the Tropical Atlantic but have been found
as far north as Maine and as far south as Columbia.
MMC has assisted with the rescue of (11) Atlantic Spotted Dolphins.
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Rough-Toothed Dolphin
(Steno bredanensis)
The Rough-Toothed Dolphin can reach a length of up to 8.5 feet
and weigh as much as 330 pounds. Pods range in size of 10 to 20
and larger groups of several hundred may gather for a short period
of time. It's head has a unique shape; the long, narrow beak (rostrum)
blends into the forehead without a crease, unlike all other dolphins
with prominent rostrums. Little is known about this species but
is thought to mostly inhabit warm deep waters around the world where
sea temperature is above 77 Fahrenheit. This species is also considered
rare. Their diet consist of fish and squid.
MMC has assisted with the rescue of (34) Rough-Toothed Dolphin.
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Pygmy Sperm Whale
(Kogia breviceps)
The Pygmy Sperm Whale can grow to 11.5 feet long and weigh as
much as 880 pounds. Group sizes range from 3 to 6 animals. They
are often observed, if at all, bobbing quietly at the surface of
the water. If startled while in this position, they may defecate,
emitting a cloud of reddish-brown feces into the water. Beached
pygmy sperm whales have also been observed to defecate a fine chocolate-like
feces. Some photographs of this species show a light crescent at
the exact place where a larger fish may have a gill slit. In this
marine mammal, it is often referred to as a false gill. It is also
characterized by an underslung lower jaw, located well behind the
tip of the snout. These last two characteristics are similar to
a shark's appearance and are thought to be protection against actual
sharks. Pygmy sperm whales eat squid, fish and krill. Pygmy sperm
whales can be found mostly along the continental shelves near the
coast.
MMC has assisted with the rescue of (3) pygmy sperm whales.
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Minke Whale
(Balaenoptera acutorostrata)
The Minke Whale is the smallest and most abundant of the rorqual
(Large whales). It can reach a length of 33 feet and weigh up to
10 tons. Minke whales rarely travel in groups of more than 3 individuals.
Minke whales can be found in virtually all of the worlds oceans.
Some Minke whales have a white band around it's flippers though
this is not true of all animals. The Minke's diet consists of small
fish, plankton and krill.
MMC has assisted in the rescue of (1) Minke Whale.
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Gervais' Beaked Whale
(Mesoplodon europaeus)
The Gervais' Beaked Whale can reach a length of 17 feet and weigh
up to 2 tons. Little is known about this species and it has been
rarely sighted at sea. Conjecture is this species travel in small
groups or pairs. It is the most common Mesoplodon species to strand
along the Atlantic coast of the USA. Scarring on stranded animals
suggests fighting between the males. Known to eat squid. Females
teeth (2) never break the surface of the gums, but the males do
and are located 3" to 4 " from the tip of the jaw.
MMC has assisted in the rescue of (1) Gervais' Beaked Whale.
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Risso's
(Grampus griseus)
Risso's Dolphin can grow to 12 feet long and weigh up to 1,100
pounds. They are fairly abundant, with a wide distribution. They
are found in pods of anywhere from 3 to 50. There are reports of
temporary gatherings of several hundred. In the waters, they are
very acrobatic (breaching, cartwheeling, lobtailing, and spyhopping).
Primarily, they are squid eaters; hence, they have teeth only in
their lower jaw (a characteristic common to squid eaters). If sighted,
one might note the numerous scratches on the body of this species.
These scratches may have resulted from encounters with other grampus
or perhaps with the squid. Risso's dolphin have a crease down the
center of the forehead, from the blowhole to the upper "lip"
and is unique to this species.
MMC has assisted with the rescue of (1) Risso's Dolphin.
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Manatee
(Sirenian Trichechus)
The West Indian Manatee is the gentlest of creatures. They are
herbivores which means they only eat vegetation. Manatees can reach
a length of 10 feet and weigh up to 1,400 pounds. This species is
on the Endangered Species List. There are only about 2000 manatees
left in the USA. Many are killed by boats. Recent research suggests
that manatees do not hear boat motors under the water and therefore
do not know to get out of the way.
MMC has assisted in the rescue of (2) Manatees.
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