Cetaceans of British Columbia

Cetaceans of British Columbia

Cetacea is the scientific term for the group of marine mammals that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. At least twenty-five species of cetaceans can be found off the coastline of British Columbia.

Images are to scale! A person = 1.8 m (6 ft.)

Whales

Blue whale
Balaenoptera musculus
Highest Species at Risk Act (SARA) status: Endangered.

Fin whale
Balaenoptera physalus
Highest SARA status: Threatened.

Sei whale
Balaenoptera borealis
Highest SARA status: Endangered.

North Pacific right whale
Eubalaena japonica
Highest SARA status: Endangered.

Sperm whale
Physeter macrocephalus
Highest SARA status: No status.

Humpback whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Highest SARA status: Special Concern.

Dwarf sperm whale
Kogia simus
Highest SARA status: No status.

Pygmy sperm whale
Kogia breviceps
Highest SARA status: No status.

Hubbs’ beaked whale
Mesoplodon carlhubbsi
Highest SARA status: No status.

Stejneger’s beaked whale
Mesoplodon stejnegeri
Highest SARA status: No status.

Cuvier’s beaked whale
Ziphius cavirostris
Highest SARA status: No status.

Baird’s beaked whale
Berardius bairdii
Highest SARA status: No status.

Minke whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Highest SARA status: No status.

Grey whale
Eschrichtius robustus
Highest SARA status: Special Concern.

Dolphins and porpoises

Killer whale
Orcinus orca
Highest SARA status: Endangered.

Northern right whale dolphin
Lissodelphis borealis
Highest SARA status: No status.

Striped dolphin
Stenella coeruleoalba
Highest Species at Risk Act (SARA) status: No status.

Common dolphin
Short-beaked: Delphinus delphis
Long-beaked: Delphinus capensis
Highest SARA status: No status.

Short-finned pilot whale
Globicephala macrorhynchus
Highest SARA status: No status.

Dall’s porpoise
Phocoenoides dalli
Highest SARA status: No status.

False killer whale
Pseudorca crassidens
Highest SARA status: No status.

Risso’s dolphin
Grampus griseus
Highest SARA status: No status.

Pacific white-sided dolphin
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
Highest SARA status: No status.

Harbour porpoise
Phocoena phocoena
Highest SARA status: Special Concern.

Learn more about SARA.