Sowerby’s beaked whales are highly social animals, so are often seen travelling in pairs. Pods of up to ten individuals have been recorded in the wild. They use high frequency sounds to echolocate and to hunt for cephalopods and fish, which they eat using suction. As adults, they weigh up to 1,300 kilograms and reach up to 6.5 metres long.
Fun Fact – These whales have been recorded to dive for up to 28 minutes and travel up to 800 metres underwater!
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Ecology
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Threats
Sowerby’s beaked whales have become caught as bycatch in fishing equipment such as driftnets, which is traumatic or even fatal and can cause injuries to fishermen as well as whales. Ocean-based noise pollution such as sonar from boats also disrupts their echolocation, meaning they struggle to navigate and hunt.
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Conservation
These whales are listed on Appendix II of CITES, meaning trade must be regulated to ensure the survival of the species. Far more action is needed to determine the main threats and to discover more about this little-known whale species. The samples stored by Nature’s SAFE are an important step in preserving Sowerby’s beaked whales for the future.
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Preserved January 2024
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