Twitter email print. We are continuing to monitor dalls porpoise to better understand their role in a changing prince william sound. Dalls porpoise of alaska.
dall porpoise alaska
Dalls porpoises are common in the north pacific ocean and can be found off the us.
Dall porpoise alaska. Dalls porpoise can be seen in offshore and onshore waters and commonly in sounds and inland passages. Theyre considered the fastest swimmers in their family reaching speeds of up to 30 knots 34mph. Journal of mammalogy 1949 doi. These porpoises are considered the fastest swimmers among small cetaceans reaching speeds of 34 miles per hour over short distances.
Expert advice alaska species guide dalls porpoise. Dalls porpoise cruising along at 25 mph dalls porpoises can outpace many small boats look for the rooster tail spray they leave in their wake. A key feature is their white sided dorsal fin. The dalls porpoise is easily identified by its very unique black and white markings and is named for the naturalist who first discovered them wh.
Five biologists were aboard at one time or another. The dall porpoise phocoenoides dalli in alaska. The dalls porpoise is found in alaska coastal waters as far north as the bering sea. The head is rounded and small while the body is muscular and powerfully built.
Dalls porpoise may be expanding into new territory in prince william sound because of the decline of their main predator killer whales following the exxon valdez oil spill. Dalls porpoise playing with our tour boat off the kenai peninsula in alaska loading. They live an average of 15 20 years. Dalls porpoise somewhat resemble mini orcas growing to a mature size of up to 8ft in length weighing in under 500lbs.
The colorations vary with geographic regions as well as the stage of life. Dalls porpoise is the only member of the genus phocoenoidesthe dalli and truei types were initially described as separate species in 1911 but later studies determined that the available evidence only supported the existence of one species. Abstract in the summer and fall of 1947 and the fall of 1948 the fish and wildlife service research vessel black douglas cruised in waters from vancouver island british columbia to attu island alaska. West coast from california to the bering sea in alaska.
Autoplay when autoplay is enabled a suggested video will automatically play next. Currently these two color morphs are recognized as distinct subspecies dalls porpoise phocoenoides dalli dalli and trues porpoise. Adults have more distinct coloration. They prefer deep water and will use underwater canyons and deep channels to approach the coast.
They are mostly black on the upper body with large oval shaped white sides and bellies.
