The Northern Bottlenose Whale

The Northern Bottlenose Whale

When most people hear about the ocean they usually think of the same animals. These being sharks, dolphins, killer whales and any other popular marine life. But there are so many other interesting creatures that live in the water. One, for example, is the Northern Bottlenose Whale. This animal is one of the most loyal and friendly of its kind.

The Northern Bottlenose Whale is about 6 to 9 meters long when they are adults. Their head is shaped almost like an egg with a beak at the front like a dolphin. The beak is much larger on the males than the females. After being born they are a chocolate brown color and become a lighter brown as they grow older. The adults have a small light grey color circling their head. The males have been known to grow two sharp teeth for gathering food and protecting their families. These beautiful animals usually live to be 30 to 40 years old.

All of these whales can be found in the northern Atlantic Ocean. Many of them can be found around New York. They are spotted most in a place called the Gully. This is an area off the coast of Nova Scotia. A study done showed a total population of 10,000 Northern Bottlenose Whales. When these whales travel they are in groups called pods. In the winter they migrate south to an area between New York and the Mediterranean Sea, but remain in their region.

These mammals like to eat simple things. They do not hunt their food like sharks do. They take deep breaths and can dive down to 800 meters for 70 minutes to find their food. Since they do not have gills they have to come back up for air if they don't find anything. They like to eat things like squid and herring. If they cannot find these then they also feed on sea stars and sea cucumbers.

The Northern Bottlenose Whale breeds during all 12 months of the year. They like to wait until the spring or summer because the temperature is warmer. When they breed they do it in their groups so that the males can protect the females. The baby whale grows for 12 months before it is born and weighs about 12 pounds. After the calves are born they stay with their families for 2 years.

These mammals are very friendly. They play games with each other and are never alone. When they migrate they are usually in pods of 8 to 10 whales and talk to each other using low sounds. They have been known to swim close