Cuvier’s Beaked Whale |Sanctuaire pour les mammifères marins Agoa

(Ziphius cavirostris)

Identity card

Taxonomy

Order: Odontocetes
Family: Ziphiidae
Species: Ziphius cavirostris

Measurements

5 to 7 m, weighing 1850 to 3000 kg

Lifespan

Up to around 60 years

IUCN status

Least Concern
(International Red List)

Data Deficient
(Martinique 2020 Red List, Guadeloupe 2022 Red List)

Habitat

It is found in tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans, where it lives in very deep open seas.

Diet

Consists of deep-sea pelagic fish, crustaceans and cephalopods. It can dive down to depths of 3000 m to feed and hunts during the day and night.

Reproduction

It reaches its sexual maturity between 7 and 11 years, when it attains a size of about 6 m. Gestation lasts one year with the female giving birth to a calf every two to three years.

Morphological characteristics for distinction at sea

Head: small, beak not very obvious, distinct melon. Mature males have two teeth protruding from the tip of the lower jaw.
Fins: small sickle-shaped dorsal fin, small rounded pectoral fins, caudal peduncle with a median notch
Spout: faint (2-3 times with 20-30 second breaks), bush-like, projected below 1 metre away and slightly forward/left
Swim sequence: arches its body before diving vertically without exposing its tail fin, rarely jumps
Colouring: grey to brown, light markings on the body and head, often with back scars

Click on the link to see Cuvier’s Beaked Whale in 3D:

Cuvier’s Beaked Whale in 3D

Did you know?

Cuvier's Beaked Whale is a champion diver. It can stay underwater without breathing for more than three hours. The last record-breaking dive was 3 hours 42 minutes in 2020.

Banner photo credit: Douane SGC-AG