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Species Directory

Northern Bottlenose Whale

Overview Conservation & Management Science

Northern Bottlenose Whale

Hyperoodon ampullatus

640x427-Northern-Bottlenose-Whale.jpg

Protected Status

CITES Appendix I
Throughout Its Range
MMPA Protected
Throughout Its Range

Quick Facts

Weight
Up to 16,534 pounds
Lifespan
At least 37 years
Length
Estimated up to 36.7 feet for males and up to 28.2 feet for females
Threats
Hunting, Ocean noise
Region
New England/Mid-Atlantic
See Regulatory Actions
northern-bottlenose-whale.jpg

About The Species

Northern bottlenose whales are the largest members of the beaked whale family in the North Atlantic Ocean, where they prefer cold, deep, temperate to sub-arctic oceanic waters. Their scientific name (Hyperoodon ampullatus) is derived from the Latin word ampulla for the bottle shape of their beak.

Overall, the beaked whale family is cryptic and skittish, making it difficult to distinguish between them. Northern bottlenose whales, however, are the most extensively studied of the beaked whales because they used to be heavily hunted, making carcasses available for scientists to examine.

Although they were easy targets for whalers long ago and currently face threats from human-caused noise, northern bottlenose whales in the United States are not endangered or threatened. Like all marine mammals, they are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Status

NOAA Fisheries estimates population size for northern bottlenose whales in its stock assessment reports. A stock is a group of animals that occupy the same area and interbreed. There is little information on the abundance of this species worldwide, and data are insufficient to estimate population trends.

Protected Status

CITES Appendix I

  • Throughout Its Range

MMPA Protected

  • Throughout Its Range

Appearance

As adults, northern bottlenose whales can reach lengths of approximately 36.7 feet and weigh up to 16,534 pounds. Males may be slightly larger than females. Northern bottlenose whales have a large, long, robust body with a small, triangular, hooked dorsal fin that is located about two-thirds down their back. They have a distinctive, bulbous forehead (known as a melon) that is lighter in color and a well-defined, bottle-shaped beak; however, these characteristics may vary with sex and age. The melon becomes steeper and flatter as the whale ages. Adult males have a pair of relatively small, conical teeth that angle slightly forward and are visible on the tip of the lower jaw. A second pair of teeth is sometimes hidden in the gums behind the exposed pair of teeth, and 10 to 20 additional vestigial teeth can be found in the gums of the upper and lower jaw.

While at the ocean surface, northern bottlenose whales produce fairly small, bushy blows every 30 to 40 seconds that are about 3.3 feet tall and visible from a significant distance. Their coloration varies from dark gray to brownish to olive, and their skin may appear lightly mottled and covered with scars and/or other markings. The dorsal side is darker than the ventral side, giving it a counter-shading appearance. The face and melon often appear light gray to white. Mature females often have a white band around the neck.

Behavior and Diet

Northern bottlenose whales are usually found individually or in social groups averaging between four and ten individuals, but they have been occasionally seen in larger groups and loose aggregations of up to 50 animals. Groups may consist of various combinations and/or be segregated depending on age, sex, or life stage. Males are known to be combative, using their large heads to hit one another. This species does not tooth rake during aggressive encounters, unlike other species of beaked whales.

Regular dives of northern bottlenose whales range from less than 10 minutes to 60 minutes, commonly reaching depths of at least 2,600 to 5,000 feet, but they are likely capable of diving and holding their breath for up to two hours. While diving, they feed near the ocean bottom mostly on deep-sea cephalopods (e.g., squid), fish (e.g., herring), shrimp, sea cucumbers, and sea stars. Juvenile animals may feed on prey closer to the surface.

Where They Live

Northern bottlenose whales prefer cold, deep, temperate to sub-arctic oceanic waters usually greater than 6,500 feet. They are often associated with steep underwater geologic structures such as submarine canyons, seamounts, and continental slopes.

Northern bottlenose whales can be found throughout the North Atlantic Ocean and range from New England, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, England, and Europe up to Spitzbergen and down to the Azores and northern Africa (Canary Islands). They have been sighted from 30° North to close to the ice edge in the Arctic. Scientists have conducted long-term studies of a resident group off of Nova Scotia, Canada (a large submarine canyon called the “Gully”), and strandings have occurred in the Baltic Sea, Bay of Fundy, and Rhode Island. This species can travel more than 620 miles.

Lifespan & Reproduction

Northern bottlenose whales reach sexual maturity between seven and 11 years. A sexually mature female will give birth to a single calf every two or more years during the spring or summer (usually between the months of April and August). Gestation lasts about 12 months. Newborn calves are about 10 to 11.5 feet in length and weigh 660 pounds. These whales have an estimated lifespan of at least 37 years.

Threats

Hunting

Fishermen discovered spermaceti (a waxy substance used in oil lamps, lubricants, and candles) in northern bottlenose whales in the 1850s, which started a commercial whaling fishery for the species. The species was also hunted for pet food. Whalers exploited the curiosity and social bonds of these animals, which were often attracted to stationary vessels and stayed with wounded or injured members of their pod. The fishery closed in the 1970s. During this time, whalers killed more than 80,000 northern bottlenose whales.

For the last several decades, northern bottlenose whales have remained unexploited, except for the animals killed in the Faroe Islands drive fishery. In Canada and Norway, these whales were hunted for meat and oil until the population was depleted.

Ocean Noise

This species may be sensitive to underwater sounds and man-made noise. Deep-diving cetaceans like northern bottlenose whales use sound to feed, communicate, and navigate in the ocean. Sound pollution threatens them by interrupting their normal behavior and driving them away from areas important to their survival.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Cetacea
Family Ziphiidae
Genus Hyperoodon
Species ampullatus

What We Do

Conservation & Management

All northern bottlenose whales are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Our work protects this species by:

  • Reducing interactions with commercial and recreational fishing gear.
  • Implementing requirements to reduce serious injuries and mortalities.
  • Minimizing the effects of vessel disturbance, noise, and other types of human impacts.
  • Educating the public about the threats beaked whales face.
Learn more about our conservation efforts

Science

Our research projects have helped us better understand northern bottlenose whales and the challenges they face. Our work includes:

  • Stock assessments.
  • Acoustic monitoring.
  • Satellite tagging and tracking.
  • Shipboard surveys.
Learn more about our research

How You Can Help

Keep Your Distance

Keep Your Distance

Be responsible when viewing marine life in the wild. Observe all small whales from a safe distance of at least 100 yards and limit your time spent observing to 30 minutes or less.

Learn more about our marine life viewing guidelines > 

Marine Life In Distress

Report Marine Life in Distress

Report a sick, injured, entangled, stranded, or dead animal to make sure professional responders and scientists know about it and can take appropriate action. Numerous organizations around the country are trained and ready to respond. Never approach or try to save an injured or entangled animal yourself—it can be dangerous to both the animal and you.

Learn who you should contact when you encounter a stranded or injured marine animal >

Report a Violation

Report a Violation

Call the NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline at (800) 853-1964 to report a federal marine resource violation. This hotline is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for anyone in the United States.

You may also contact your closest NOAA Office of Law Enforcement field during regular business hours.

In the Spotlight

Management Overview

Like all marine mammals, the northern bottlenose whale is protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. NOAA Fisheries is working to conserve this species to ensure populations remain stable.


Conservation Efforts

Overseeing Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response

We work with volunteer networks in all coastal states to respond to marine mammal strandings. When stranded animals are found alive, NOAA Fisheries and its partners assess the animal’s health and try to return it to the water. When stranded animals are found dead, our scientists work to understand and investigate the cause of death. Although the cause often remains unknown, scientists can sometimes identify strandings due to disease, harmful algal blooms, vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglements, pollution exposure, and underwater noise. Some strandings can serve as indicators of ocean health, giving insight into larger environmental issues that can have implications for human health and welfare.

Learn more about the Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program

Photo of a northern bottlenose whale's beak. The whale is out of the water.

A northern bottlenose whale stranding in the Faroe Islands. Photo: Erik Christensen (CC BY-SA 3.0).

Marine Mammal Unusual Mortality Events

Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, an unusual mortality event (UME) is defined as "a stranding that is unexpected; involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population; and demands immediate response." To understand the health of marine mammal populations, scientists study unusual mortality events.

Get information on active and past UMEs

Get an overview of marine mammal UMEs

Addressing Ocean Noise

NOAA Fisheries is investigating all aspects of acoustic communication and hearing in marine animals, as well as the effects of sound on beaked whale behavior and hearing. In 2016, we issued technical guidance for assessing the effects of anthropogenic sound on marine mammal hearing.

Learn more about ocean noise


Regulatory History

Northern bottlenose whales are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Key Actions and Documents

Actions & Documents Incidental Take

Incidental Take Authorization: Scripps Institution of Oceanography Low-energy Marine Geophysical Survey in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

NOAA Fisheries issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to Scripps Institution of Oceanography to incidentally harass, by Level B and Level A harassment, marine mammals during a low-energy marine geophysical survey in the Northwest Atlantic…
  • Notice of Issued IHA
  • Notice of Proposed IHA
  • Issued IHA (pdf, 11 pages)
  • IHA Application (pdf, 100 pages)
  • Monitoring Report (pdf, 44 pages)
  • References Cited (pdf, 19 pages)
Notice
,
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Published
06/15/2018

Incidental Take Authorization: United States Geological Survey Geophysical Survey in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean

NOAA Fisheries issued an incidental harassment authorization (IHA) to USGS to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, marine mammals during geophysical survey activities associated with a the USGS’s Mid-Atlantic Resource Imaging Experiment …
  • Notice of Final IHA
  • Notice of Proposed IHA
  • Issued IHA (pdf, 14 pages)
  • IHA Application (pdf, 111 pages)
  • Final EA (pdf, 88 pages)
  • EA Finding Of No Significant Impact (pdf, 8 pages)
  • Public Comment on Proposed IHA (pdf, 8 pages)
  • Monitoring Report (pdf, 58 pages)
  • References (pdf, 34 pages)
Notice
,
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Published
08/10/2018

Incidental Take Authorization: U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) along Atlantic and Gulf Coasts (2018-2025)

NOAA Fisheries has issued regulations pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) to govern the taking of marine mammals incidental to the training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area…
  • Correction to Final Rule
  • Notice of Final Rule for 2 Year Extension
  • Notice of Proposed Rule for 2 Year Extension
  • Notice of Receipt of Application for 2 Year Extension
  • Notice of Final Rule
  • Correction to Proposed Rule
  • Notice of Proposed Rule
  • Notice of Receipt of Application for LOA
  • LOA for Testing (pdf, 40 pages)
  • LOA for Training (pdf, 36 pages)
  • Revised Application for Extension (pdf, 132 pages)
  • References for Extension (pdf, 6 pages)
  • Notification and Reporting Plan (pdf, 4 pages)
  • Final Biological Opinion
  • LOA Application (PDF, 560 pages)
  • Environmental Impact Statement
  • Monitoring and Reporting
  • Ship Strike Analysis (PDF, 3 pages)
  • Draft Notification and Reporting Plan (PDF, 4 pages)
Proposed Rule
,
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
Foreign
Effective
11/14/2018

Incidental Take Authorization: U.S. Navy Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (2013 -2018)

NOAA Fisheries issued regulations under the MMPA to govern the unintentional taking of marine mammals incidental to training and testing activities conducted in the Atlantic Fleet Training and Testing (AFTT) Study Area from November 2013 through…
  • Notice of Final Rule
  • Notice of Proposed Rule
  • Notice of Receipt of Application for LOA
  • Issued LOA - Training
  • Issued LOA - Testing
  • Revised LOA Application [pdf, 337 pages]
  • Original LOA Application [pdf, 335 pages]
  • Navy Strategic Planning Process for Monitoring
  • Integrated Comprehensive Monitoring Program [pdf, 73 pages]
  • Stranding Response Plan [pdf, 13 pages]
  • Press Release [pdf, 2 pages]
  • EIS
  • 2014 Monitoring Report [pdf, 27 pages]
  • 2015 Monitoring Report
  • 2016 Monitoring Report
Final Rule
,
New England/Mid-Atlantic
Southeast
Foreign
Published
12/04/2013
  • Current page 1
  • Page 2
  • Next

More Information

  • Permits and Authorizations for Protected Species
  • Marine Life Viewing Guidelines
  • Marine Mammal Protection

Science Overview

Stock Assessments

Determining the population size of the northern bottlenose whales helps resource managers gauge the success of NOAA Fisheries’ conservation measures. Our scientists collect and present these data in annual stock assessment reports.

The beak and melon of a northern bottlenose whale at the water's surface.

A northern bottlenose whale surfaces in Nova Scotia. Photo: Whitehead Lab (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Shipboard Studies

NOAA Fisheries conducts research cruises to collect information on beaked whale stocks, such as habit preferences and feeding ecology. These studies also help us estimate the abundance of beaked whales. Information from this research can be used in management actions to protect these animals.

Acoustic Science

Our research is also focused on acoustics—the physics of the properties of sound. We study the basic acoustic behavior of cetaceans and fish, mapping the acoustic environment and finding better ways to find cetaceans using acoustic technologies. Our acoustic research also assesses the degree to which human-caused activities are changing the underwater soundscape, how these changes may potentially impact marine animals in their acoustic habitat, and what measures can be taken to mitigate these potential impacts.

Learn more about acoustics science

More Information

  • Population Assessments
  • Scientific Research Permitting
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