Porpoise Dolphin Species
There
are a few different porpoise dolphin
species.
They are relatively small cetaceans, generally measuring up to 2m long and weighing up to 200kg, but often less than 100kg.
They often live in coastal waters and swamps, estuaries, bays and coastal rivers. Most of them are slow swimmers, travel in small groups, and don't tend to follow boats, as do many oceanic dolphins.
Physiological features include at least 11 pairs of teeth, and small flippers. Although they are often called dolphins, they differ from real dolphins by having flattened teeth and no beak. They also have a more rounded head than real dolphins.
Finless
Porpoise
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Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) is only found along the coast and in coastal rivers in Iran, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, China, Korea and Japan.
It is a small animal, measuring up to 2m long and weighing about 40kg.
Harbor Porpoise
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Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) can grow up to 2m long and can weigh up to 75kg.
It is found in coastal waters and inlets in the Northern Hemisphere, in places like Alaska, British Columbia, eastern coast of Canada, around Iceland, many European oceanic coasts and western coast of northern Africa. It is classified as a vulnerable species.
Dalls
Porpoise
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It is found in the Pacific Ocean between about 40 and 60 degree latitudes north. They are not found in the Southern Hemisphere or in the Atlantic Ocean. There are about 1,000 000 individuals and the species is classified conservation dependent.
Burmeisters
Porpoise Dolphin
Burmeisters Porpoise
(Phocoena spinipinnis) weighs about 70kg and lives in coastal rivers
and along the coasts of South America (between northern Peru in west
and Rio de Janeiro in the east.Spectacled Porpoise
Spectacled Porpoise (Phocoena dioptrica) weighs up to 80kg and is only found in Antarctican waters and also along the eastern coast of southernmost South America.
Vaquita
Porpoise
Vaquita Porpoise (Phocoena sinus) is
probably the most vulnerable of all Cetaceas, due to its very small
distribution - it is only found in the Gulf of California and there are
only about 500 individuals, while about 30 individuals annually get
accidentally caught in shark and fishing nets.
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