Blainville's Beaked Whale

Blainville's Beaked Whale

Mesoplodon densirostris

Blainvilles beaked whale illustration

Protected Status

MMPA Protected
Throughout Its Range

Quick Facts

Weight
1,800 to 2,300 pounds
Lifespan
Unknown
Length
15 to 20 feet
Threats
Entanglement in fishing gear, Ocean noise
Location
New England/Mid-Atlantic, Pacific Islands, Southeast, West Coast
See Regulatory Actions
head of a solitary adult male Blainville’s beaked whale showing the high bottom jaw line and the erupted teeth.

About the Species

Blainville's beaked whales, sometimes known as the "dense-beaked whale," are little known members of the beaked whale family. They are found in tropical and temperate oceans throughout the world. Blainville's beaked whales are a deep water species, found mostly at depths of 3,300 feet.

Blainville's beaked whales, like all marine mammals, are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

NOAA Fisheries is committed to conserving and protecting Blainville’s beaked whales. Our scientists and partners use a variety of innovative techniques to study, learn more about, and protect this species.

Learn more about Blainville's beaked whales

MMPA Protected

  • Throughout Its Range

Scientific Classification

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