Northern Bottlenose Whale

What is it: 

Growing to a length of up to 9.5 m, the northern bottlenose whale is recognisable by its short, dolphin-like beak, large, bulbous head (flatter in old males), and erect, hooked fin situated two-thirds along the back. On surfacing, it has a bushy blow, 2 m high, and slightly forward-pointing. The chocolate brown or dark grey upper parts become paler with age.

The northern bottlenose whale is a beaked whale (family Ziphiidae) that has a very distinctive bulbous melon (forehead) and a dolphin-like beak. Northern bottlenose whales are deep-water specialists found in the North Atlantic Ocean. They occur in small numbers off the Northern Isles and Western Isles of Scotland, and off the west coast of Ireland.

 

Links to Scotland's Marine Atlas: 
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