cetaceans

During whale watching, it is possible to launch with these magnificent animals. We remind you, however, that they are not systematic and depend on the character of the animals encountered. A forced launch is never a good launch. And when the whales gratify us with jumps, fin strokes, etc., the spectacle seen from the boat can be just as impressive.

The order of cetaceans countscurrently in the world about 87 species listed in 2 suborders: odontocetes (toothed whales) and mysticeti (baleen whales). Mysticetes count the largest animals on our planet, up to more than 30 meters for the blue whale. Instead of teeth, they have baleen (a type of large hair made of keratin) which they use to filter water and scavenge prey, such as krill and other small crustaceans. They also have two breathing holes called a blowhole.
Odontocetes have teeth that they use to capture larger animals like squid or fish and have only one breathing hole also called a blowhole.

16 species of cetaceans are present in French Polynesia, the most frequently observed are the spinner dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin, the tropical pilot whale, the rough-toothed dolphin, the spotted dolphin and the Electra dolphin. It is also possible to meet killer whales, sperm whales as well as Cuvier's and Blainville's beaked whales, all of which belong to the group of odontocetes. Minke whale and humpback whale representing baleen whales.

Like us, cetaceans are mammals, they suckle their young, breathe air and are warm-blooded. They can gather in groups ranging from a few individuals to several dozen or be solitary.

Some species can migrate several thousand km to reach their feeding or breeding grounds.

Cetaceans are capable of making a wide variety of sounds for communication, ranging from impulsive (clicks, twitches, buzzing) to continuous (hissing, screaming, bellowing) or a succession of both. Some species are gifted with echolocation, which consists of the emission of sound waves that bounce off nearby objects and allow them to be located.

To learn more about the sounds emitted by cetaceans, go to the equipment page (hydrophones)

HUMPUP WHALE megaptera novaeangliae

Mysticete - Balenopteridae family

Common in Polynesia from late August to late November

Each year the humpback whale migrates from the Antarctic, which is its feeding area, to go north to the warm waters of the islands of French Polynesia where it comes to mate or give birth to its calf.

At adult size, individuals measure on average between 14 and 17 m and weigh about 35 to 40 tons. Females are larger than males by 1m to 1.5m. At birth, the calf measures between 4 and 5 m for a weight of 700 kg to 1 ton.

Its name Megaptera comes from its long pectoral fins, 1/3 the length of the animal ("Mega" in Greek meaning large and "ptera" wing). Novaeangliae for New England, which is the area where it was first named.

The humpback whale has a caudal fin with a serrated edge, the ventral side of which has a coloring and pattern unique to each individual. The latter is used for identification.

Spinner Dolphin stenella longirostris

Dauphin à long bec, stenella longirostris

Odontocete - Family Delphinidae

Common in Polynesia all year round

Its streamlined and hydrodynamic shape as well as its smooth and very supple skin which absorbs the turbulence of the water, make it an animal gifted for speed. Its bluish gray back is darker than its belly. It has a fairly long beak called the rostrum from which it takes its name and measures between 2 m and 2.50 meters for a weight of 45 kg to 80 kg.

An incomparable acrobat, at over 30 km/h, the spinner dolphin manages to jump very high out of the water and perform incredible acrobatic tricks, which distinguishes, among other things, from other dolphins. The female is easily differentiated by her dorsal fin curved forwards and not backwards as in the male. It lives in groups of 20 to 100 individuals.

Rough-toothed Dolphin steno bredanensis

Odontocete - Family Delphinidae

Observation possible in Polynesia all year round

It measures between 2 m and 2.50 m for a weight that can reach 170 kg. It is distinguished above all by its pinkish-white belly with a darker dorsal "cape" (grey tending to brown until behind the fin) and medium gray sides. The shorthand is a forehead dolphin almost flat, we notice the conical shape of its beak (without a pronounced melon). It feeds on squid, octopus and fish. Gregarious and very playful, the steno travels in groups of 20 to 50 individuals, and willingly comes near ships where it likes to evolve on the bow wave

ELECTRA DOLPHIN peponocephala electra

Dauphin d'électre, peponocephala electra

Odontocete - Family Delphinidae

Observation possible in Polynesia all year round

This dolphin, which measures between 2 m and 2.50 m, can weigh up to 200 kg. It has a dark but not entirely black coat, with a distinct darker "saddle" on the dorsal fin, preceded by a dark "cloak" on the top of the back. It has a fairly distinct little snout below the melon and a V-shaped lower jaw.

It can be confused with the Pygmy Killer Whale (feresa attenuata) which is about the same size. These two dolphins are definitely differentiated by the end of the pectoral fins, which are much more pointed in the meponocephalus, and more rounded in the pygmy killer whale.

Gregarious, the Electra dolphin often lives in herds of 40 to 200 individuals. Not very shy, but rather distant, it comes quite willingly to the bow wave of the boats, and sometimes jumps with a certain enthusiasm. Sociable, it often rubs shoulders with groups of Fraser's dolphins, shorthand dolphins and many other cetaceans.

BOTTLE DOLPHIN tursiops truncatus

Odontocete - Family Delphinidae

Observation possible in Polynesia all year round, especially in the Tuamotus and the Marquesas Islands

The tursiops measures between 2 m and 4 m and can weigh up to 600 kg It is probably the most familiar of the small cetaceans. This dolphin usually lives in groups of 2 to 15 individuals, although some groups of more than 100 individuals are sometimes observed, especially on the high seas.

It is characterized by a large sickle-shaped dorsal fin, a large solid body of harmonious proportions, and a head with a clearly marked melon. The rostrum is short and very rounded, as if truncated, hence its scientific name truncatus. Close up, we notice the lower jaw longer than the upper, and the line of the mouth curved upwards, giving the completely false impression that the animal is smiling.

The general coloration ranges from very dark gray above, becoming more or less lighter at the level of the head and on the flanks, to a pale belly, ranging from gray to white and pinkish. Often, the lips are lighter than the rest of the rostrum, the tip of which is frequently white. It feeds on fish, crustaceans, octopus and squid.

TROPICAL Whale pilot whale macrorhynchus

Globicéphale tropical, globicéphala macrorhynchus

Odontocete - Family Delphinidae

Observation possible in Polynesia all year round

The pilot whale measures on average between 4.50 m and 5.50 m but adults can reach 7 m. It weighs 1.5 to 2.5 tons. Its color ranges from dark gray to black, except for a thin white "tie" from throat to navel, and sometimes a light gray "saddle" behind the fin.

It has the particularity of having a head without a rostrum which is domed in the shape of a melon. It lives in groups social of 10 to 40 individuals, offshore and rarely comes close to the coast. It is often seen in the company of bottlenose dolphins offshore and is more frequently sighted during humpback whale season.

It feeds squid and other cephalopods, fish. It is known as the "cheetah of the sea" when it chases squid in the depths at high speed.

ORC orcinus orca

Odontocete - Family Delphinidae

Rare sighting but possible in Polynesia all year round

The killer whale is a large cetacean that can exceed 9 m in length. Its weight varies from 4 to 8 tons. It has black and white spots on the belly, with a light eye "spot" and possibly a gray "saddle" behind the fin. The killer whale can be found in all the oceans of the world, from polar waters to tropical waters, in bays to the open seas. Unlike many other dolphins, it has a rounded head without a rostrum and has a large white patch behind the eye.

It is a formidable hunter whose jaws are armed with 40 to 52 robust, sharp and conical teeth.Usually, it is a female who leads the mixed family groups varying from 2 to 5 individuals, even if it happens that slightly larger groups are observed

sperm whale physeter macrocephalus

Odontocete - Family Physeterididae

Rare sighting but possible in Polynesia all year round

The sperm whale is the largest odontocete on the planet, it measures from 15 m to 20 m for a weight of 30 to 60 tons. There is a significant difference in size between males and females, the latter being a third smaller and half as heavy as the males, not exceeding 12 m for a weight of 10 to 15 tons.

It is dark gray, sometimes brown, with a lighter area around the jaws and spots on the belly. The head is very characteristic with an almost square melon (male), provided with a vent opening at the front left. It can therefore be recognized from a distance by its breath inclined towards the left front, low (2 to 5 m high).

The sperm whale likes deep waters where it can dive to find its food, especially cephalopods. It can descend to more than 1000m and remain submerged for about 80 minutes, but the average immersion is 30 to 45 minutes for depths of 300 to 600 meters.

This is a nomadic species, the males, which generally have a solitary life, migrate during the austral summer (December-April) towards polar waters. They will then join the groups of females and young that remained in tropical and subtropical waters during the breeding season.

The sperm whale uses clicks to locate its prey and communicate, unlike other odontocetes it does not hiss or cry. It is found in groups of 1 to 20 individuals.

CUVIER'S BEAKED WHALE Zyphius cavirostris

Baleine à bec de cuvier, zyphius cavirostris

Odontocete - Family Zyphiidae

Rare sighting but possible in Polynesia all year round

It is the most abundant but also the most misunderstood cetacean. Cuvier's whale can be 6-7m long and weigh 2-3 tons.

It is a mainly oceanic species that travels in groups of at least 2-3 individuals. It prefers open sea areas with canyons, mountains and submarine cliffs, where it can feed on deep sea squid and fish, its preferred diet. This species is characterized by a robust body of medium gray color that may appear brown, with a light to white patch, from head to fin in older individuals, and straight stripes. It has a small, rounded head, as well as a short beak and curved mouth that gives this whale its typical S-shaped grin.

In general, the body of adults is covered with scratches probably due to aggression during the mating period.

According to current knowledge, Cuvier's beaked whale holds the record for apnea and depth since it has been recorded hunting at almost 3,000 m (2.992m exactly) during an apnea of more than 130 min! She is at the top of the podium of the best freedivers in front of the sperm whale, itself preceded by the elephant seal

BLAINVILLE'S BEAKED WHALE mesoplodon dentirostris

Baleine à bec de blainville, mesoplodon dentirostris

Odontocete - Family Zyphiidae

Rare sighting but possible in Polynesia all year round

The Blainville beaked whale (or Blainville mesoplodon) measures between 4 m and 5.50 m and weighs about 1 ton. It frequents warm and temperate waters all around the globe, where it lives alone or in small groups.

This is probably the most widely distributed species of Mesoplodon. It can be found in deep waters, often off distant oceanic islands but can occasionally approach shores. It feeds on cephalopods and deep-sea fish. We have little information about its abundance (about 30,000 in the eastern Pacific). Its color is medium gray that can appear brown, with straight, whitish stripes behind the head, in males. It is found in small groups of 2 to 12 individuals.

MINKE'S ROCK balaenoptera acutorostrata

Rorqual de Minke, balaenoptera acurostrata

Mysticete - Balenopteridae family

Rare sighting but possible in Polynesia

The minke whale is the smallest member of the rorqual family, measuring between 7 and 9 m and weighing 5 to 8 tonnes. Its dorsal is placed at 2/3 of the body and has a pronounced hook. The minke whale has a small and very pointed head. Its inconspicuous breath still reaches a height of 2 m. It feeds on krill, juvenile herring and zooplankton.

It is present in all the oceans, in coastal waters and in the open sea. However, it seems that this species prefers the icy waters of the polar regions. Since only a few animals have been sighted, very little is known about their behavior compared to other whales in the area.