Short-beaked Common Dolphin (Delphinus delphis)

OTHER NAMES: Common Dolphin
Latin Etymology: Delphinus ("dolphin") delphis ("dolphin")

Adult Short-beaked Common Dolphib (Delphinus delphis) at The Lizard, Cornwall - September 2020

Featured Subspecies: Delphinus delphis delphis
Weight: 100-136kg  /  Length: 1.5-2.7m
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern 

Between them, the two species of Common Dolphin are the most abundant cetaceans in the world with an estimated 6 million individuals.  The two species relationship to each other is somewhat disputed, with current suggestions being they hold a more taxonomically complicated relationship to each other than originally thought. They are an incredibly social species, where I saw numerous groups of individuals together, they have been recorded coming together in hundreds and even thousands.

Related Species:
ORDER: Artiodactyla
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Delphinus
SUBSPECIES: D. d. delphis, D. d. ponticus

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A locally common species on the coast

 - Several pods seen on a boat trip off The Lizard, Cornwall, 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

OTHER NAMES: Common Porpoise, Puffing Pig
Latin Etymology: Phocoena ("big seal") phocoena ("big seal")

Harbour Porpoise (subspecies P. p. phocoena) at St Bee's Head, Cumbria - April 2011

Featured Subspecies: Phocoena phocoena phocoena
Weight: 61-76kg  /  Length: 67-85cm
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED/ IUCN Red List: Vulnerable 

The smallest species of cetacean found regularly in British Waters, they are unobtrusive feeders in coastal waters where they are usually solitary. Unlike more familiar dolphin species, they appear only very briefly to gain air; a momentary sliding out of the water quietly before vanishing back down again. They are found round much of the Northern Hemisphere but are currently classed as vulnerable due to population declines with threats including climate change, pollutions, overfishing and noise pollution all believed to be effecting them.

Related Species:
ORDER: Artiodactyla
Family: Phocoenidae

Genus: Phocoena
SUBSPECIES: P. p. phocoena, P. p. relicta, P. p. vomerina

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A widespread but scarce resident of coastal waters

 - An individual seen from St Bees Head .

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Beluga Whale (Delphinapterus leucas)

OTHER NAMES: Beluga, Sea Canary, White Whale
Latin Etymology: Delphinapterus ("dolphin without fin") leucas ("white")

 Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) at Gravesend - September 2018

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 700-1600kg  /  Length: 3-5.5m
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

Beluga have been one of my favourite mammals since childhood, but, given the fact they are restricted to the Arctic Ocean for the most part, I had assumed that if I ever got to see one, it would be through a planned trip to some cold Northerly place.  So it was something of a surprise for one to turn up in the Thames in September 2018, and what's more, stick around for long enough for me to go see it.   The pure white colour is the most iconic visual cue, but they have a number of other distinctive adaptations including a very flexible neck for a whale and an absense of a dorsal fin.  They are also highly social creatures, so it's somewhat sad that this individual has been separated from it's pod, and as of writing, is still in Thames on it's own - hopefully it finds its way home.

Related Species:
ORDER: Artiodactyla
FAMILY: Monodontidae
GENUS: Delphinapterus
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A very rare vagrant, 

 - Single vagrant individual seen in the Thames from Gravesend ,

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Megaptera ("giant wing") novaeangliae ("New Englander") 

Adult Humpback Whale (subspecies M. n. kuzira) on Half Moon Bay Pelagic - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: Megaptera novaeangliae kuzira
Weight: 40tns  /  Length: 14-17m
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The seventh largest species on earth, the Humpback is a huge and distinctive member of the rorquals - the ground the comprises the largest of the baleen whales. They are visually distinctive amongst this group due to the tubercles they have on their head and flippers, as well as having jagged edged to their tail flukes. Once bought to near extinction by the whaling industry, their numbers have substantially rebounded, but they continue to be affected by ship collisions, fishing gear entanglement and noise pollution.

Related Species:
Order: Artiodactyla (Infraorder: Cetacea)
Family: Balaenopteridae
Genus: Megaptera
SUBSPECIES: M. n. novaeangliae, M. n. kuzira, M. n. australis

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found off all coasts
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen on the Half Moon Bay Pelagic Trip

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus)

OTHER NAMES: Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin, Bottlenose Dolphin
Latin Etymology: Tursiops (Latin: Dolphin) truncatus ("cut off") 

Three Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) at Flamborough, Yorkshire - September 2023

Featured Subspecies: Tursiops truncatus truncatus
Weight: 150-650kg  /  Length: 2-4m  
UK STATUS NOT EVALUATED/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Probably one of the best recognised of all mammals, the Bottlenose Dolphin is the largest of the beaked dolphin and widely considered one of the most intelligent animals on the planet. Modern research has split Bottlenose Dolphins into three distinct species, with the Atlantic being the one found in British Waters. A lively, social and charismatic species, they can live in pods of a few indivuduals to hundreds.

Related Species:
ORDER: Artiodactyla
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Tursiops
SUBSPECIES: T. t. truncatus,  t. ponticus, T. t. gephyreus

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A widespread if scarce coastal species
 - Two pods een at Flamborough in September 2023

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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