Northern Bottlenose Whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus

Northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus.

The northern bottlenose whale, Hyperoodon ampullatus, is named for its short snout: ampullatus means "provided with a flask or bottle". However, its most distinctive feature is the bulbous forehead, which is more pronounced in males. The forehead is actually filled with oil and thought to be an adaptation for deep diving.

Sexual dimorphism is conspicuous in this species: males are larger, their foreheads are more bulbous, and they have two small teeth which protrude through the front of their lower jaw. Northern bottlenose whales are greyish black to light brown or yellowish with a whitish belly. Adults range in length from 7–9 m and weigh between 5.8 and 7.8 tonnes. Females bear one calf, every two or three years, after a gestation period of 12 months.


View of the bulbous forehead of the northern bottlenose whale,
Hyperoodon ampullatus.

Northern bottlenose whales travel in small pods of 4–10 individuals. By nature, they are very curious and social animals, traits that made them vulnerable to whaling. Thousands of animals were killed from 1850–1973 because they would approach whaling ships and when one pod member was harpooned, the others would remain with it, leaving them all vulnerable to predation.


A small pod of northern bottlenose whales.

Deep, pelagic arctic waters are home to northern bottlenose whales, which feed on arctic squid, fish, and echinoderms. These whales are normally found in waters deeper than 1000 m and can descend at a rate of 457 m per minute, often remaining submerged for two hours!