Dall Porpoise Alaska What Wildlife Will I See In Juneau Alaska Juneau Tours And
Currently these two color morphs are recognized as distinct subspecies dalls porpoise phocoenoides dalli dalli and trues porpoise.
Dall porpoise alaska. These porpoises are considered the fastest swimmers among small cetaceans reaching speeds of 34 miles per hour over short distances. They are mostly black on the upper body with large oval shaped white sides and bellies. Five biologists were aboard at one time or another. Dalls porpoise can be seen in offshore and onshore waters and commonly in sounds and inland passages.
Adults have more distinct coloration. Twitter email print. Dalls porpoise playing with our tour boat off the kenai peninsula in alaska loading. Autoplay when autoplay is enabled a suggested video will automatically play next.
Dalls porpoise may be expanding into new territory in prince william sound because of the decline of their main predator killer whales following the exxon valdez oil spill. The dalls porpoise is found in alaska coastal waters as far north as the bering sea. They live an average of 15 20 years. Theyre considered the fastest swimmers in their family reaching speeds of up to 30 knots 34mph.
The head is rounded and small while the body is muscular and powerfully built. Journal of mammalogy 1949 doi. Expert advice alaska species guide dalls porpoise. Dalls porpoise of alaska.
The dall porpoise phocoenoides dalli in alaska. We are continuing to monitor dalls porpoise to better understand their role in a changing prince william sound. A key feature is their white sided dorsal fin. West coast from california to the bering sea in alaska.
They prefer deep water and will use underwater canyons and deep channels to approach the coast. Dalls porpoise somewhat resemble mini orcas growing to a mature size of up to 8ft in length weighing in under 500lbs. Abstract in the summer and fall of 1947 and the fall of 1948 the fish and wildlife service research vessel black douglas cruised in waters from vancouver island british columbia to attu island alaska. Dalls porpoise cruising along at 25 mph dalls porpoises can outpace many small boats look for the rooster tail spray they leave in their wake.
Dalls porpoises are common in the north pacific ocean and can be found off the us.