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Whale is the common name for large marine mammals of the order Cetartiodactyla (formerly Cetacea). They are subdivided into the Mysticeti, or baleen whales, and Odontoceti, or toothed whales. Smaller kinds of toothed whales are called dolphins or porpoises. Thirty-five whale species are found at least occasionally in Canadian waters — 9 species of baleen whales, and 26 species of toothed whales (mostly dolphins and porpoises). The commercial pursuit of whales was significant in early European exploration of Canada (see Whaling). Since the end of commercial whaling in Canada in 1972, whale watching has become popular. Whales found in Canada range in size from about 60 kg for the harbour porpoise to well over 100 tonnes for the blue whale, making it the largest animal ever known.
Whale Species in Canada
Baleen Whales
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Ocean(s) |
|
Balaenoptera musculus |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
|
Balaena mysticetus |
Arctic |
|
|
Common minke whale |
Balaenoptera acutorostrata |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
Fin whale |
Balaenoptera physalus |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
Eschrichtius robustus |
Pacific |
|
|
Humpback whale |
Megaptera novaeangliae |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
Eubalaena glacialis |
Atlantic |
|
|
Eubalaena japonica |
Pacific |
|
|
Sei whale |
Balaenoptera borealis |
Atlantic, Pacific |
Toothed Whales
|
Common Name |
Scientific Name |
Ocean(s) |
|
Atlantic white-sided dolphin |
Lagenorhynchus acutus |
Atlantic |
|
Baird’s beaked whale |
Berardius bairdii |
Pacific |
|
Delphinapterus leucas |
Arctic, Atlantic |
|
|
Blainville’s beaked whale |
Mesoplodon densirostris |
Atlantic |
|
Common bottlenose dolphin |
Tursiops truncatus |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
Common dolphin |
Delphinus delphis |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
Cuvier’s beaked whale |
Ziphius cavirostris |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
Dall’s porpoise |
Phocoenoides dalli |
Pacific |
|
Dwarf sperm whale |
Kogia sima |
Pacific |
|
Harbour porpoise |
Phocoena phocoena |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
Hubbs’ beaked whale |
Mesoplodon carlhubbsi |
Pacific |
|
Orcinus orca |
Arctic, Atlantic, Pacific |
|
|
Long-finned pilot whale |
Globicephala melas |
Atlantic |
|
Monodon monoceros |
Arctic |
|
|
Hyperoodon ampullatus |
Atlantic |
|
|
Northern right whale dolphin |
Lissodelphis borealis |
Pacific |
|
Pacific white-sided dolphin |
Lagenorhynchus obliquidens |
Pacific |
|
Pygmy sperm whale |
Kogia breviceps |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
Risso’s dolphin |
Grampus griseus |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
Short-finned pilot whale |
Globicephala macrorhynchus |
Pacific |
|
Sowerby’s beaked whale |
Mesoplodon bidens |
Atlantic |
|
Sperm whale |
Physeter macrocephalus |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
Stejneger’s beaked whale |
Mesoplodon stejnegeri |
Pacific |
|
Striped dolphin |
Stenella coeruleoalba |
Atlantic, Pacific |
|
True’s beaked whale |
Mesoplodon mirus |
Atlantic |
|
White-beaked dolphin |
Lagenorhynchus albirostris |
Atlantic |
