Speeding Beaked whales!!

By Catarina Fonseca10/09/2016Beaked Whales, Cetaceans, Sowerbys Beaked Whales

During our tour this morning we had a very special sighting: a group of 5 Sowerby’s beaked whales!

Sowerby’s beaked whale / Mesoplodon bidens

These elusive whales were the first species of beaked whale to be described back in 1804. It is possible to find them in the temperate and subartic waters of the North Altantic, and here in the Azores we see them mostly during the summer.

Sowerby’s beaked whale / Mesoplodon bidens

These whales measure up to 5 meters and only have two teeth that, in the males, erupt in the lower jaw at a position well behind the tip of the beak.

Sowerby’s beaked whale / Mesoplodon bidens

Keep tuned for more news of our tours! 🙂

About Catarina Fonseca

Catarina is Marine Biologist and was Main Guide and Technical & Scientific Director at TERRA AZUL from 2014 to 2017. She is dedicated, knowledgeable and a passionate friend to animals and humans. We hope she can come back soon to wildlife experiences with us. , and everyday works on ensuring the highest educational and conservation standards during spractice. She also contributes collecting Data collection for MONICET – The Azores Islands Cetaceans Research & Conservation long-term monitoring project.