|07-07-2019| Sowerby's Beaked Whale, Sperm whales and Risso's dolphins, Azores!
Today we found a Beaked whale jumping several times. There were at least two animals (maybe 3) but only one of them was jumping. It was a Sowerby's Beaked whale (Mesoplodon bidens).
Looking better at the pictures we could see that it was a male: if you look at its beak, you can see the tooth. Only male-Beaked whales have these fangs.
After several jumps, the Beaked whales dived. They don't usually spend too much time at the surface.
Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) were in the area too.
We could see adult females with juveniles. The behavior that they showed looked like they were breastfeeding.
The whales dived, showing their tails (flukes).
Smaller animals were on sight too, this time Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus). A pod of 6-8 animals near the shoreline.