the whales
Killer Whale
The top predator
The killer whale or orca is a toothed whale and has a distinctive black and white colouration. The most recognisable characteristic is a large, oval white patch behind each eye. They also have a greyish patch in the form of a saddle falling to both sides behind the dorsal fin, and a white, inverted trident on their belly. Killer whales have the tallest dorsal fins of all cetaceans: adult females and juveniles of both sexes have falcated fins, while adult males have erect dorsal fins that can reach up to 2 m tall!
WHY ARE THEY HERE?
Killer whales are a resident species to Norwegian waters, and thus they are born, grow, reproduce, and spend their last days in these waters.
When can we see them?
They can be seen in the area year round, but are more common during the winter months, when they approach coastal waters to feed on the wintering herring. They also feed on other fish species, like salmon, and even on marine mammals.
What can we see?
Killer whales are very social and playful animals, and can often be seen interacting with each other and displaying aerial behaviours like breaching and tail slapping. We see them in groups of usually around 10 individuals, although large congregations of dozens of animals have been seen, including adults, juveniles, and calves of both sexes, especially during the winter months.
Orca Fun Facts
Killer whales are not whales nor killers! They are the biggest member of the dolphin family. The name “killer whale” originated in the XVII Century from early Spanish whalers, who called them “whale killers”, because they saw them hunting big baleen whales. The Spanish-to-English translation shifted the adjective from the rear to the front; hence, the name “killer whales”.
the whales
Humpback Whale
The most iconic whale
The humpback whale is the most iconic of the baleen whales and one of the easiest to identify due to its extremely long pectoral fins (representing a third of their body length), the hump on its back, and the wart-like growths on the upper and lower jaws. Humpback whales are dark on their dorsal area and light, or almost white, on the ventral side. The pectoral fins and the underside of the tail fluke may be entirely white or have white areas.
WHY ARE THEY HERE?
Typically, humpback whales migrate from the cold waters even near the ice edge, where they feed during the summer, to subtropical waters, where they give birth and mate during the winter.
When can we see them?
They can be seen year round but mostly during the winter season.
What can we see?
Humpback whales are famous for their aerial display, and it is common to see them breaching out of the water or hitting the water surface with their long pectoral fins or tail fluke.
Humpback Whale Fun Facts
Humpback whale songs are audible up to 32 km away, and each song can be up to 20 minutes in length. The whales are known to repeat the same song over and over again for hours.
the whales
Pilot Whale
Long finned pilot whale
It is another toothed whale and, taxonomically, belongs to the dolphin family. There are two identified pilot whale species in the world, the long-finned (Globicephala melas) and the short-finned (Globicephala macrorhynchus) pilot whales, but only long-finned are seen off Andenes. They are black on the dorsal side and light on the ventral area, having a bulbous, rounded head without a beak. The dorsal fin is falcated and they have a greyish area around it. The pectoral flippers are long and can make up about 20 percent of the body length.
Why are they there?
Long-Finned Pilot whales are resident to the Norwegian Sea and spend their lives in these waters.
When can we see them?
Pilot whales can be seen throughout the year. They are found in deep waters, so it is not rare to see them in the Bleik Canyon during our trips. In the summer months it is possible to see young babies, which you will recognise because they have vertical lines along the body!
What can we see?
Because of their night feeding habits, pilot whales are not very active during the day. They are very social and live in large groups. We see them in groups of 15 to 40 animals and it is common to see them interacting, taking their heads out of the water – a behaviour known as “spyhopping” – and may curiously approach us.
Pilot Whale Fun Facts
Their skin is so shiny, especially in young individuals that have a lighter colouration, that when you take a picture of them chances are you will be reflected and can see yourself in it!
Together with humans, pilot and killer whales are the only mammals to go through menopause!
the whales
Fin Whale
The Second largest whale
The fin whale is a baleen whale and the second largest of all cetaceans after the blue whales, both in length and weight. They are black or dark brownish-gray on the back and lighter grey on the belly. They have a unique colouration pattern: the head colouring is asymmetrical. The right side of the lower jaw, the right lip, and the right side of the baleen plates are white. There tends to be several light grey V-shaped “chevrons” on the back behind the head, which can be used to identify animals individually.
WHY ARE THEY HERE?
Fin whales in our waters are found especially along the continental shelf of Northern Norway and up to Spitsbergen, in Svalbard.
When can we see them?
Typically, fin whales migrate from warm to colder waters on a seasonal basis, feeding in cold waters during the summer months and reaching warm waters in the winter for breeding purposes.
What can we see?
During the summer fin whales are passing by these waters, and so we see them travelling and at relatively high speeds. Their blow is tall (between 4 and 6m), narrow, and column-shaped, and thus it can be seen at great distances. During the winter, they are feeding, which entails coming out of the water with their mouths open or engaging in circular movements on the surface. They rarely raise their flukes on a dive. And they occasionally breach.
Fin Whale Fun Facts
They are the fastest of all great whales capable of swimming up to 29,2 miles per hour (47 km/h).
They can live up to 130 years.
An adult Fin whale can hold enough water in her mouth to fill an 11 m by 4 m swimming pool!
the whales
Minke Whale
One of the smallest whales
The Minke whale is the second smallest and most abundant of the baleen whales. Minke whales can be distinguished from other species because they have a white ribbon on both pectoral flippers. The body is usually black or dark grey on the dorsal area and white underneath.
When can we see them?
Most Minke whales sightings occur during the summer months.
WHY ARE THEY HERE?
The migration pattern of Minke whales is similar to those of other baleen species. They travel to polar areas (of both hemispheres) during the summer months, returning to warmer waters in the winter, for breeding purposes.
What can we see?
Off Andenes, Minke whales are seen mostly as solitary individuals and do not display many aerial behaviours. We recognise them because the head and the dorsal fin can be seen at the same time, due to the small size.
Minke Whale Fun Facts
Minke whales produce a sound that scientists named “star wars” because it resembles the sound of the lightsaber! Listen
the whales
Risso´s Dolphin
Easy to identify
Risso’s dolphins are one of the easiest species to identify, as scars become white and accumulate over the years, giving them a unique aspect. Additionally, they are the only cetacean with a vertical ridge in the frontal part of their heads. Their dorsal fin is proportionally larger than in other dolphin species, and so sometimes they are confused with killer whales, when seen at a distance.
WHY ARE THEY HERE?
Sightings of Risso’s dolphins in polar and sub-polar waters are very rare, although they have been seen almost every year off Andenes since 2017. They are deep-divers like pilot whales, and they might be using the productive waters of the Bleik Canyon to feed.
When can we see them?
All records of Risso’s dolphins off Andenes are from the summer months.
What can we see?
Risso’s are often found in groups known as pods containing males and females that range in numbers from 10 to 30 individuals, and can also be spotted flying solo as solitary. Although very shy and timid, they have been known to interact with other species
Risso's Dolphin Fun Facts
Risso’s dolphins only have teeth in the lower jaw!
the whales
Atlantic White Sided Dolphin
A beautiful pattern
Atlantic white-sided dolphins are beautifully patterned. They have a narrow, bright white patch on the blanks, running backwards from below the dorsal fin to the flukes, becoming a yellow-brown blaze above a thin dark stripe. The belly and lower jaw are white, the sides are of a light grey, and the rest of the body is black or dark grey.
WHY ARE THEY HERE?
The Norwegian Sea is part of their natural distribution range and they are likely resident in these waters, spending most of their time offshore.
When can we see them?
We see them rarely, and most sightings occur during the summer months.
What can we see?
Atlantic white-sided dolphins are very active. It is common to see them engaging in aerial displays, like jumping completely out of the water and interacting with each other with a lot of body contact.
Atlantic White-sided Dohphin Fun Facts
They are often seen interacting with other species, including sperm whales!
the whales
White Beaked Dolphin
A short white beak
As the name indicates, the most distinguishable characteristic of this species is a short white beak. White-beaked dolphins are robust and have a black and white colouration: the flanks, belly, and area behind the dorsal fin are usually lighter than the rest of the body, although the specific pattern varies between individuals.
WHY ARE THEY HERE?
These waters are part of the natural distribution range, although they are not very abundant and are rarely seen.
When can we see them?
Most sightings have been in the summer months.
What can we see?
White-beaked dolphins are fast-moving and, usually, we only see them for a short period of time as they pass by. However, some aerial displays (behaviours exposing their bodies out of the water ) are not uncommon!
White beaked dolphin Fun Facts
White-beaked dolphins have been seen harassing whales to make them swim faster so they create a wake for the dolphins to swim in!
the whales
Harbour Porpoise
The smallest cetacean in Norwegian waters
The harbour porpoise is the smallest cetacean found in Norwegian waters. They are dark on the back and lighter on the belly, and sometimes they have spots-like patches on the sides. The head is rounded without a beak and the dorsal fin is triangular, which makes them easy to identify.
WHY ARE THEY HERE?
They are a resident species in Norwegian waters along the entire coast.
When can we see them?
As a resident species, they can be seen year-round.
What can we see?
They surface to breathe 2 or 3 times and quickly disappear underwater for a few minutes. They are shy and are usually seen alone or in small groups, so it is easy to miss them!
Harbour Porpoise Fun Facts
Harbour porpoises are the smallest of cetaceans who can dive to depths of over 400m!