Baird's beaked whale

How it lives

Baird's beaked whales are the largest beaked whales. Groups are usually about 5 to 20, but up to 50 have been recorded. They dive 1,000 to 3,000 m (3,300 to 9,800 ft) to feed. Typical dives last 11 to 30 minutes, and one whale stayed under for 81.7 minutes. Whaling records show females living up to 54 years and males up to 84. Females mature at about 10 to 15 years and males at about 6 to 11.

Where it goes

Baird's beaked whales live in cold, deep North Pacific water, mostly over continental slopes and seamounts deeper than about 1,000 m (3,300 ft). Their range reaches from the Sea of Okhotsk and Japan to southern Alaska and Baja California. Sources differ on seasonal movements, and no single route is known.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

No worldwide estimate exists. For the California, Oregon and Washington stock, NOAA reports numbers as stable or slightly increasing. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern. Japan still hunts Baird's beaked whales commercially. At least 4,000 have been taken historically, and older sources describe peaks above 300 a year after World War II and later quotas of around 60 a year. I could not confirm the current Japanese quota.