Bodacious Dream Global Expedition

The Southern Right Whale (Eubalaena australis) is a baleen whale, one of three species of right whale, the other two are the North Pacific Right Whale and the North Atlantic Right Whale both of which are critically endangered. Southern Right Whales are found throughout colder waters of the southern hemisphere usually feeding quite close to shore. The Right Whale is a very large, muscular whale weighing far more than other whales of a similar length.

Length around 60 ft (18 m)
Weight 60,0000-160,000 lb (27,000-72,000 kg)

Right whales feed on small prey such as copepods, fish larvae, and pteropods. Right whales feed using a technique called skim feeding. The whale swims slowly at the surface with its mouth open allowing the water to flow through its long fine baleen plates. As with much smaller filter feeders, any small prey in the water will become trapped in the baleen.

A conspicuous feature of all three species of Right Whale are the white patches, called callosities found on the head. These patches are formed by colonies of whale lice or cyamids. Each individual whale has a unique pattern of these callosities and researchers can tell one animal apart by photographing the head. less ↑

The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) is a baleen whale. The humpback whale is found in every ocean. It spends the summer months feeding on small fish and plankton in high latitudes and then migrates towards the equator to breed and calve during the winter months.

Length 40-50 ft (12-16 m)
Weightaround 60,000 lb (27,000 kg)

The humpback has a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins, up to 12 feet (4 meters), and a knobbly head. The bumps on the top of the head are called tubercles or stove bolts and it is actually an enlarged hair follicle. A single short stiff hair comes out of each tubercle and while scientists don't know the use of these hairs, they could help the animal feel water currents.

Humpback whales have unique patterns on the underside of their tail or fluke which scientists can use to tell one individual apart from another. Using these patterns scientists often name individual animals and can track their entire lives.

Humpback feed in many coastal areas which make them a favorite whale for whale watching. This is combined with their curios nature and there often acrobatic displays, often jumping out of the water or breaching and slapping their long flippers on the water.
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The Common Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) is the smallest species of rorqual whale, one of the baleen whales. Minke whales are found throughout the world's oceans where they feed on plankton such as copepods and krill, and fish. Much less is known about the migrations, social behaviors, and life cycle of Minke whales compared to some of the larger whales.

Length 25-30 feet (7-10 m)
Weight 20,000-30,000 lbs (9,000-14,000 kg)

Minke whales typically have a splash of white on their pectoral fins visible in the photograph above which researchers take to calling "minke mittens". Minke whales are commonly sighted on whale watch tours as they frequent many of the same feeding areas as the other baleen whales. less ↑

The Sei Whale (pronounced SAY) (Balaenoptera borealis) is a baleen whale, the third-largest rorqual after the blue whale and the fin whale. It can be found worldwide in all oceans and adjoining seas, and prefers deep off-shore waters. The sei whale migrates annually from cool and subpolar waters in summer to temperate and subtropical waters for winter.

Length 60-70 feet (18-21 meters)
Weight 40,000-60,000 lb (18,000-27,000 kg)

The sei whale has a typical rorqual shape with a long torpedo shaped body. This allows these animals to reach very fast swimming speeds. Sei whales feed on small plankton in the water such as copepods and krill, unlike other rorqual whales, sei whales do not very deep and swim very close to the surface. It is possible to track their path under the water by the swirling "fluke prints" they leave behind.

The Sei whale looks very similar, and is closely related to the Bryde's whale, in fact for a long time it was believed they were one species. These two species can be told apart by the ridges that run from the blow hole to the snout, the Sei whale only has one while the Bryde's whale has three. less ↑

Bryde's Whale (Balaenoptera brydei) is a large rorqual whale, one of the baleen whales. Like other rorquals, Bryde's whales have a streamlined torpedo shaped body which allows them to reach high swimming speeds. Unlike other rorquals, and indeed most baleen whales, Bryde's whales prefer warmer temperate and tropical waters. Little is known about Bryde's whales.

Length 40-50 feet (12-15 m)
Weight 24,000-40,000 lb (10,000-18,000 kg)

Bryde's whales appear very similar to the Sei whale, and indeed until the 1970s they were considered to be the same species. The major feature distinguishing Bryde's from Sei whales is the three ridges running from the blow hole to the edge of the rostrum, opposed to the Sei whale's single ridge. less ↑

The Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is the second largest species of rorqual only smaller than a blue whale. The fin whale is not only the second largest type of whale, it is actually the second largest animal to ever exist on earth, only smaller than a blue whale. The fin whale has a very streamlined body which allows it to reach very high speed, earning it the name, the Greyhound of the Sea. Some of its other names are Finner, Finback, Razorback, and Common Rorqual.

Length 70-90 feet (21-24 m)
Weight 60,000-160,000 lb (27,000-72,000 kg)

The fin whale is found throughout the world's oceans though it migrates to areas of high productivity in the high latitudes in the search for small fish and squid during the summer months and then migrates to warmer waters in the winter. Little is known about the migrations and social structure of the fin whale.

Fin whales are the only asymmetrically colored mammal on earth with different coloration patterns on the right and left sides. In particular the lower right jaw is bright white; scientists believe the whale may use this flash of white to disorientate their prey. Fin whales also have a swirl of tan and grey pigment over their shoulder called the chevron which is unique to each animal and can be used to identify individuals. This patterning can be seen in the photograph above. less ↑

The Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is the largest species of whale. It is a baleen whale, and more specifically a rorqual whale, related to other rorquals such as the fin whale and humpback whale. The Blue whale is not only the largest species of whale, it is also the largest animal that has ever existed on earth. Like other rorqual whales, blue whales have long pleats on the underside of the throat and a streamlined body which allows the blue whale to reach extremely high swimming speeds.

Length 70-100 feet (21-30m)
Weight 200,000-240,000 lb (90,000-108,000 kg)

Blue whales feed almost entirely on small crustaceans called krill. They are found throughout the world's oceans however their distribution and migrations are variable and much less well understood than other whales.

The Blue whale's scientific name was given to it by Carl Linnaeus, the divisor of the scientific naming scheme and the father of modern taxonomic. This scientific name means the "Flying Mouse Whale" which researchers think is meant to be a joke! less ↑

The Sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus, is the largest species of toothed whale. Sperm whales are found throughout the world's oceans in sex segregated social groups. Females live in set social groups with other female relatives and offspring near the tropics while males migrate widely to high latitudes forming loose social groups based on age with older mature males traveling alone.

Length Females 36-40 ft (11-12 m) Males 50-60 ft (15-18 m)
Weight 40,000-100,000 lb (18,000-45,000 kg)

Sperm whales are one of the deepest diving animals on earth and able to dive to depths of at least 9,800 feet (3,000 m) and remain down for up to two hours. Sperm whales feed almost exclusively on deep sea squid. less ↑

Commerson's Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) is a small dolphin found off the southern tip of South America around Tierro del Fuego and the Falkland Islands. A second population is geographically isolated around the Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean. These two populations likely split 10,000 years ago and are separated by 3,000 miles.

Length 4.25-5.75 ft (1.3-1.7 m)
Weight 75-130 lb (35-60 kg) less ↑

The Heaviside's Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus heavisidii) is a small dolphin that is found off the coast of Namibia and the west coast of South Africa. Despite its relatively rare status, the Heaviside's dolphin is the more commonly sighted cetaceans off the coast of Namibia.

Length 5.25-5.75 ft (1.6-1.7 m)
Weight 90-165 lb(40-75 kg)

There is some debate over the correct naming of this species. Though its scientific name is heavisidii, a Captain "Haviside" may have been the first person to bring a specimen back to England from Namibia. While the species may have been originally named for Haviside, it was mispelt to the name of a prominent surgeon, Captain Heaviside who was well known for collecting cetaceans and other animals. less ↑

The Peale's Dolphin (Lagenorhynchus australis) is a small dolphin found in the waters around Tierra del Fuego at the foot of South America. This dolphin prefers shallow waters and is often associated with kelp forests. The Dusky Dolphin is also found in some parts of the Peale's Dolphin's range and the two species can be difficult to tell apart in the field.

Length 6.5-7.25 ft (2-2.2 m)
Weight around 225 lb (115 kg) less ↑

The Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is a species of dolphin.There are now believed to be two species, the Long-beaked Common Dolphin (D. capensis), and the Short-beaked Common dolphin (Delphinus delphis). The Short beaked variety is more common and distinguishing the two can be difficult in the field. Common dolphins occurre throughout warm-temperate and tropical oceans, with the possible exception of the Indian Ocean. There are more Short-beaked Common Dolphins than any other dolphin species in the warm-temperate portions of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is also found in the Caribbean and Mediterranean Seas.

Length 5.75-8 ft (1.7-2.4 m)
Weight 155-245 lb (70-110 kg) less ↑

The Southern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis peronii) is a small and slender species of dolphin found in cool waters of the southern hemisphere. Its slender, dorsal fin-less shape and distinct color pattern make this dolphin easily recognizable. It is not very well known in part due to its range in remote areas of the southern hemisphere.

Length 6-9.5 ft (1.8-2.9 m)
Weight 130-220 lb (60-100 kg) less ↑

The Harbor Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) a small animal found in coastal areas of the northern hemisphere. This porpoise often ventures up rivers and has been seen hundreds of miles from the sea. This species may be shy and avoid vessels but can often be sighted from the shore in certain areas.

Length 4.75-6.25 ft (1.4-1.9 m)
Weight 125-145 lb (55-65 kg) less ↑

Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) is an ocean dolphin. Risso's Dolphins are found on continental shelf areas throughout the world. Their greyish white scared bodies are instantly recognizable; animals lighten with age as they acquire more scars. Risso's dolphins feed exclusively on squid, often diving very deep at dawn and dusk as their prey migrates vertically.

Length 8.5-12.5 ft (2.6-3.8 m)
Weight 660-1,100 lb (300-500 kg) less ↑

The Pilot Whales are two species, the Short-Finned Pilot Whale and the Long-Finned Pilot Whale, which make up the genus, Globicephala, part of the Dolphin family. The two species are not easily distinguishable at sea however of the two, the long-finned tends to prefer colder waters, and the short-finned pilot whale is found in warmer tropical and subtropical waters. They feed on squid and fish such as mackerel, diving to very deep depths in seach of their prey.

Length 12-21 ft (3.6-6.4 m)
Weight 2,000-8,000 lb (900-3.600 kg)

Pilot whales are highly social and live is large social groups. They use complicated calls made up of clicks and whistles to communicate. Pilot whales are the most common species to strand themselves. It is thought that the strong social bonds contribute the whole pods stranding themselves. less ↑

The Killer Whale or Orca (Orcinus orca), or less commonly, Blackfish, is the largest species of the dolphin family. These animals are referred to as whales but they are in fact part of the dolphin family. Instantly recognizable, Orcas are found in all oceans from Arctic and Antarctic cold water to the warm waters of the Tropics.

Length 18-32 ft (505-9.8 m)
Weight 5,200-18,000 lb (2,300-8,000 kg)

Orcas live is strong family groups which are lead by a mature female. Both male and female offspring remain with their maternal family group. Killer Whales are extremely intelligent and have been shown to be able to learn and teach new behaviors, usually new hunting techniques.

Different groups of killer whales are often referenced to have a particular culture based on their behaviors and food. The most well know are the resident fishing-eating whales and the transient mammal-eating whales of the northeast Pacific. The resident whales focus on hunting fish, particularly salmon, in a relatively fixed area and use complex vocalizations made of up clicks and whistles. In contrast the transient whales hunt mammals, seals and other small whales and dolphins. These whales live in smaller pods which travel more widely in the search for food and use much quieter vocalizations for communication. These examples are some of the best studied cultures however other cultures exist in other regions. Scientists believe that several subspecies of Killer Whale may exist, especially around Antarctica, as it is thought that breeding does not cross these cultural lines. less ↑