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Cetaceans
Chiles registers the 50 % of the species of cetaceans of the world. Nomads of the Seas will cover the X and XI Region of Chile where you can find a great diversity of cetaceans. Several cetaceans species, including 11 species of Mysticetes, three species of Beaked Whales, 11 dolphins species, the Burmeister’s porpoise and Sperm Whales among others have been documented for this area. We highlight the presence of the endemic Chilean dolphin and the Peale’s dolphin both target of our Whalewatching and research program.
Some of the most typical cetaceans seen in the area are:
(Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda)
The Blue Whale is the largest animal ever to live in our planet’s history. The Pygmy Blue Whale probably occurs largely in the Southern Hemisphere. They have been reported from Chile east to Australia, from the tropics to 60°S.
Blue Whales characterize by the huge size, extended shape, a flat U-shaped head, a very small dorsal fin set far back on the body and the mottled blue-gray color that appears aquamarine underwater. It can reach 33 meters of length and weight approximately 120 tons. The Pygmy Blue Whale has shorter, broader baleen, and a shorter caudal peduncle.
They feed principally on zooplankton, been krill the main prey. The largest individuals probably consume six tons of krill a day, that’s why they require larger prey patches than other balaenopterids. It is not gregarious specie, usually it can find alone or in pairs of mother and calf, but they congregate in feeding zones. Blue Whales were the most hunted animal by humans in the 20th century, but now they are protected worldwide. Recent discoveries confirm the presence of this specie in the area that Nomads of the Seas is navigating.
(Megaptera novaengliae)
Perhaps the most familiar of the great whales. Humpback Whales are found worldwide in all major oceans, inhabiting primarily on coastal and continental shelf waters.
The migration of this species is the longest of any mammal, with some whales making a round-trip journey of 10.000 miles (16.000 km) from summer feeding areas in higher latitudes to tropical mating and calving grounds. It is easy to recognize by the particular dorsal fin with a hump, the extremely long flippers, the tubercles on head and the serrated fluke with a variable white pattern on underside that help to identify individually.
The length is about 12 to 17 meters and weight approximately 30 tons. Humpback feeds on krill and a variety of small fishes, they feed alone or cooperatively, they have developed some of the most diverse and spectacular feeding techniques of all baleen whales, been the most impressive the “bubble-netting”.
Humpback Whale is one of the most energetic large whales, is well known for its acrobatic displays with its spectacular breaching, lobtailing and flipper slapping, and for its popular haunting songs.
(Balaenoptera physalus)
The Fin Whale is the second largest animal on earth. It is a cosmopolitan species, been more common in the southern hemisphere and least common in tropics.
Fin whale is sleek and large in size reaching 26 meters, weighting approximately 80 tons. It has a variably dorsal fin that is often pointed or falcate, the body is dark gray above and cream-colored below. The blowholes surface briefly before dorsal fin emerges, and rarely raises the fluke while diving.
A diagnostic characteristic to identify is the asymmetrical pigmentation of the lower jaw, black on the left and white on the right. Fin whale feeds on krill and various small fishes. These whales are usually found traveling alone or in small groups. They are indifferent to boats, neither avoids nor approaches them. It’s a fast swimmer, capable of reaching speeds over 19 mph (30 km/h).
(Balaenoptera bonaerenis)
The Minke Whale is the smallest and most abundant of the rorcuals. It is highly variable in appearance and it is recognize subspecies.
The Antarctic Minke Whale appears to have circumpolar distribution in the Southern Hemisphere. As befits its name, it summers largely in waters surrounding Antarctica. Its winter grounds appear to range between about 7°S and 35°S, and it is possible that some whales occasionally reach or even cross the Ecuador.
Minke Whales have a small sleek body and a sharply pointed head. The falcate dorsal fin appears at the surface simultaneously with the blowholes. The body is dark gray or black above and white or cream-colored below. Antarctic Minke Whale presents a maximum length of 10.7 m (35’) unlike 7.8 m (26’) from Minke Whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata).
They occasionally approach boats, apparently out of curiosity. These whales are the frequent targets of predation by Killer Whales.
(Physeter macrocephalus)
The Sperm Whale, the largest of the toothed whales, is an animal of extremes. It dives deeper, and for longer, than any other whale (with the possible exception of bottlenose whales). Among the cetaceans, it displays the greatest difference in size between males and females.
Its distribution is cosmopolitan and patchy, tends to be most abundant in certain areas. The Sperm Whale is one of the easiest whales to identify at sea, at a distance its angled, bushy blow is usually sufficient for identification. At close range, its huge, squarish head (typically measuring a third of the body length) and wrinkly, prune-like skin is unmistakable.
An adult can weight 20 to 50 tons, and the maximum length to males is 18.3 m (60’) and 11 m (36’) to females. Sperm Whales are thought to forage mainly on or near the ocean bottom, feeding on giant and medium-size squid, octopuses, and demersal rays and sharks.
The social organization of Sperm Whales is really interesting; the stable long term groups of females form the core units of the Sperm Whales society.
(Orcinus orca)
The Killer Whale is the largest member of the dolphin family. The Killer Whale’s exposure on television, in movies, and at oceanaria has made the species an icon. Orcas are one of the most wide-ranging mammals on earth, though distribution is patchy. Seen more often in cooler waters than in tropics and subtropics.
It is easy to identify by a tall erect dorsal fin, which is more prominent in adult male, and the distinctive black and white color pattern. The maximum length is 7.9 m (26’) to females and 9 m (30’) to males.
Killer Whales eat a diet ranging from small schooling fish and squid to large baleen and sperm whales. Single animals may be encountered but close-knit family groups, known as pods, are typical. Two or more pods may come together temporarily to form superpods, which may contain 150 or more whales.
Despite their name, Killer Whales do not harm people in the wild, and aggression within a pod is rare.
(Lissodelphis peronii)
The Southern Right Whale Dolphin is easy to identify at sea. It is the only dolphin in the southern hemisphere without a dorsal fin and also has a striking black and white body pattern.
This specie has a circumpolar distribution between 40°S and 55°S, inhabit pelagic waters, normally in waters colder than 70° F (20° C).
They generally come near to shore only in areas where the continental shelf is narrow or where productivity on the shelf is especially high. The maximum length is 3.07 m (10’).
Right whale dolphins are generally gregarious, and schools of several hundred to more than a thousand are not unusual. Individuals and small groups sometimes travel with larger groups of other species.
(Phocoena spinipinnis)
Burmeister’s Porpoise is one of the most abundant small cetaceans that inhabit southern South American coasts. The Spanish name for this porpoise "marsopa espinosa" meaning "spiny porpoise" refers to the series of tubercles present in the male’s dorsal fin.
The body is robust with a small blunt head and relatively large flippers; the coloration is gray dark or black being lightly clearer in the zone ventral. It feeds on small fishes and squids. Possibly, it is the specie most damaged by the fishing interaction, because frequently it results entangled in nets of handcrafted fishing.
They are difficult to sight due to its shy behavior; it tends to be wary of boats. In the zone, a great number of these animals is sighted frequently.
(Cephalorhynchus eutropia)
The Chilean dolphin is an endemic specie and one of the smallest of all cetaceans. Its distribution is restricted to coastal and shallow waters. Confusion is most likely to occur with the Burmeister’s Porpoise , but the dorsal fin shape (rounded edge) is a good distinguish feature of specie.
The body is small, chunky and blunt-headed without beak, body color is dark with white lips, throat and belly. It feeds on fishes, crustaceans and cephalopods.
Little is known about the specie, and although Chilean laws prohibit killing of dolphins, they are taken for bait in the king crab fishery. Numerous observations of Chilean dolphins in the area suggest that there is at least some resident pods.
(Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
Commerson’s Dolphin is a striking animal and is relatively easy to identify at sea. Its distribution appears to be continuous along the southern coasts of South America. Also occurs around the Falkland Islands and Kerguelen Island.
The body is similar to a porpoise but its behavior is unmistakably dolphin-like. Body color is grey, black and brown which turns starkly black and white coloration when is adult and a black patch is located on the undersides that makes possible to differ between sexes.
It forages close to sea floor feeding on various species of fish, squid, shrimp and starfishes. Is a fast swimmer and often active, breaches frequently and bowrides alongside or behind the vessels.
(Feresa attenuata)
The Pygmy killer whale is rarely seen in the wild, though it inhabits tropical and subtropical waters around the globe.
It has a robust body that narrows towards the dorsal fin, hence the name "attenuata" meaning "thinning". It is similar in size to many dolphins, but is most likely to be confused with Melon-headed whales. Is mostly gray to black, with a dark cape on the side, the lips are also edged with white and some individuals have a white chin.
Eat mostly fish and squid, although they occasionally attack other marine mammals specially seals and small cetaceans.
It is known to avoid the boats, though bowriding, spyhopping, lobtailing and breaching have all been reported. In the area, local people sight them often.
(Lagenorhynchus australis)
Peale’s Dolphin is a common animal in the southern South America. Its distribution is restricted to the coastal waters of Chile and Argentina including Tierra del Fuego and the Falkland Islands.
Is relative easy to identify at sea due to its color pattern, Peale’s has a dark face and chin, white armpits and only a single grayish white body stripe on each side but sometimes can be confused with Dusky Dolphin through much of their range.
Food and feeding habits unknown, although the stomach contents of some specimens recovered in southern Patagonia, include several species of fish, cephalopods, mollusks and crustaceans.
The specie is quite poorly known, and although law prohibit killing of dolphins, they are taken for bait in the king crab fishery. Frequently have been observed bowriding vessels.
(Tursiops truncatus)
Bottlenose Dolphin is widely distributed in cold temperate to tropical seas and is easily to sight along the Chilean coast.
Its body size, shape and coloration vary among individuals according to the geographical region in which it lives. However, there appear to be two main varieties: a smaller inshore form and a robust form that lives offshore.
The inshore form feeds primarily on a variety of fish and invertebrates from both the littoral and sub-littoral zones, whereas mesopelagic fish and oceanic squids are commonly reported as the diet of animals of the offshore form.
It is well known for its acrobatic and active displays at the surface. Is a powerful swimmer and groups may provide mutual assistance to one another; sometimes cooperate with local fishers. Although it is fairly common and widespread but the population suffers direct and indirect catches, live captures, intentionally killing, among others.
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