Animal profile

Dall's Porpoise

Phocoenoides dalli

MammaliaCool deep coastal and offshore watersLeast Concern

Field profile

Dall's porpoise is a heavily built black-and-white porpoise of about two metres, thicker through the body than any other porpoise. It lives in cool North Pacific waters and feeds on small fish and squid. It is among the fastest of all small cetaceans.

Published field notes

2023-01-02

Dall's Porpoise

Dall's porpoise throws a rooster tail of spray

At speed, this porpoise does not leap. It surfaces so fast that water is forced up into a distinctive fan of spray behind the head, a signature visible from a long way off and unlike anything other porpoises produce.

Read with evidence →