Sowerby's Beaked Whale

Adventure step • Meet the species

Overview

Sowerby's beaked whale is one of the most mysterious deep-sea mammals swimming in the cold waters of the North Atlantic. With its slender body and characteristic long, narrow beak, this whale is a master deep-diver that can hold its breath for over an hour. The species was first discovered in 1800 when a stranded individual was found on the Scottish coast, and it is named after the English naturalist James Sowerby. Despite having been known for over 200 years, scientists still know very little about its lifestyle, as it is rarely seen at the surface and lives in remote ocean areas. This beaked whale is approximately 4-5 meters long and weighs between 900 and 1,400 kilograms. The body is dark gray to grayish-brown on the upper side and somewhat lighter on the underside, often with peculiar light patches that may be scars from fights or parasites. The most distinctive feature is the two narrow teeth that only the male possesses, which protrude in the middle of the lower jaw like small tusks. These teeth are probably used for dominance battles between males, as many older males bear scars on their bodies. The female has no visible teeth at all, making it easy to distinguish between the sexes if one gets the chance to see them up close. Sowerby's beaked whale is an exceptional diver that regularly seeks food at depths between 200 and 1,500 meters below the ocean surface. It lives mainly on squid and deep-sea fish that it catches in complete darkness. To navigate and find prey in this dark realm, the whale uses echolocation – it sends out clicking sounds and listens for echoes that bounce back from objects in the water. A dive can last over 30 minutes, and some researchers believe the species can dive even deeper and longer than we have observed so far. When whales come up to the surface to breathe, they are often very cautious and show only a small part of the head and back. This species is extremely difficult to study in the wild because it avoids vessels and rarely shows itself at the surface. Most of our knowledge comes from stranded individuals, meaning many aspects of their lives remain a mystery. Sowerby's beaked whale occurs from the Arctic Ocean down to the Canary Islands, with particularly many observations off Norway, Iceland, and Scotland. The species is considered sensitive to underwater noise from military sonar and seismic surveys, which can disrupt their echolocation and cause strandings. Climate change's impact on deep-sea environments may also threaten their future.