White-beaked dolphin

How it lives

It can live to more than 30 years. Groups are usually small, often under 10 animals (mean of 3.86 in 2016 surveys), though groups of 20 are noted elsewhere and hundreds or thousands have been recorded together. It is fast and powerful and often rides the bow waves of boats. It has been seen hunting alongside orcas and baleen whales.

Where it goes

It prefers shelf waters less than 200 m deep, but also occurs in deeper water off Greenland. Off Scotland sightings show a seasonal pattern, with a peak in July and more inshore sightings. No single migration route is described in the sources opened.

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

It is Least Concern (IUCN, 2018), with an unknown population trend. NAMMCO puts the overall population well over 300,000. Survey counts include about 91,277 around Iceland (2007), about 67,138 in the North Sea (2022), 2,747 in West Greenland and 2,140 in East Greenland (2015). It is abundant in the northern North Sea and is also found along the Dutch coast. Threats include accidental capture in nets and small-scale hunting in Norway, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Iceland.