Mammals
Andrews' Beaked Whale
Mesoplodon bowdoini · also called deep-crest beaked whale
Never confirmed alive at sea despite an entire scientific record built from stranded individuals, Andrews’ beaked whale remains one of the least documented marine mammals anywhere in the Southern Hemisphere.
Overview
Andrews’ beaked whale, Mesoplodon bowdoini, is a Data Deficient marine mammal native to ocean habitat across deep offshore waters of the Southern Hemisphere, including around New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa. Its near-total absence from confirmed live sightings, distinctive raised skull ridge, and reliance on deep, offshore squid hunting make it one of the most poorly understood large marine mammals found anywhere on Earth.
A whale that exists only in death
Every scrap of scientific knowledge about Andrews’ beaked whale comes from animals that stranded and died, since not a single confirmed sighting of a living individual has ever been recorded, leaving its behaviour and true population size almost entirely a mystery.
Status
Data Deficient, with population size and trends remaining almost entirely undocumented, reflecting the extreme difficulty of studying a species known mainly from a handful of strandings.
Andrews' Beaked Whale: common questions
Has Andrews' beaked whale ever been seen alive?
No confirmed sighting of a living individual exists, this species is known almost entirely from a small number of strandings studied by researchers over the years.
Why is it sometimes called the deep-crest beaked whale?
This species has a distinctively raised, thickened bony ridge on the skull in front of the blowhole, a feature that gives the species one of its alternative common names.
How can you tell a male Andrews' beaked whale from a female?
Adult males develop small teeth that erupt at the tip of the lower jaw, a feature typical of many Mesoplodon beaked whales, while females lack this visible tooth eruption.
Where is Andrews' beaked whale found?
This species is found across circumpolar temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere, including around New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa.