New UK mammal sighting

aeshna5 · #1 (**permalink**) 14-10-2011, 05:27 PM

Recently a new species has been identified to the UK list. A small porpoise sized whale in St. Mount's Bay, near Penzance, has been filmed/photographed + identified as a Dwarf Sperm Whale. It did strand but fortunately was refloated + swam off.

This is the 29th species of cetacean to be recorded in British waters + has only been recorded a few times in Europe (Spain, France).

Exciting find!

htcdude · #2 (**permalink**) 14-10-2011, 05:35 PM

Sounds good! Was there any exlpanation as to why it might be over here?

Nige

aeshna5 · #3 (**permalink**) 14-10-2011, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by htcdude

Sounds good! Was there any exlpanation as to why it might be over here?

Nige

No haven't seen any explanation, but it is a species which little is known about.

tcvarlh · #4 (**permalink**) 14-10-2011, 06:57 PM

Strange that its dorsal was almost pyramidal rather than falcate tho'.
h

The Woodman · #5 (**permalink**) 14-10-2011, 11:27 PM

Where did you see the dorsal fin Harry?

My Whales and Dolphins of the European Atlantic shows and describes the dorsals of the Pygmy and Dwarf quite markedly different.

This must be the contender for the rarest mammal in the UK, if not Europe.

Exciting find indeed, aeshna5.

tcvarlh · #6 (**permalink**) 15-10-2011, 03:41 AM

Hi Woodman, I took a decco at the Telegraph video: Video: Rare dwarf sperm whale sighted of Cornwall coast - Telegraph It just struck me that the dorsal was so obviously not sickle shaped. Of course that doesn't mean the creature is not a Dwarf Sperm but all the photos I have show a definite falcate dorsal. The head shape and the feeding motion is Dwarf Sperm. They look almost shark like as they bob their heads up and down snapping morsels up.
an interesting article :CMS: Kogia sima, Dwarf sperm whale suggests that many of the assumptions made of the two kogiids are incorrect, with ingestion being a mistake, they also seem to have been reversed as to their habitat.
It also seems as if their assumed solitary lifestyle is untrue too.
It's worth comparing this :CMS: Kogia breviceps, Pygmy sperm whale with the previous article. K. breviceps is much more likely found in British waters. But again with the falcate dorsal.
There does not seem to be a great amount of sexual dimorphism, given the facts known that is. Perhaps this animal was a youngster. I don't think the dorsal has been truncated accidentally by a boat screw as these whales appear not to approach boats.
This has me a little fascinated, I do so love puzzles.

Wonderful to get one around the coast.

h

The Woodman · #7 (**permalink**) 15-10-2011, 12:30 PM

Having now looked at the video and compared the attitude and profile of the animal in the water (coupled with my absence of knowledge of this species), it does look very similar to the image of the Dwarf Sperm Whale in the aforementioned book.

The described "small, falcate dorsal fin" is applied to the Pygmy Sperm Whale in the same publication.

Something different for a Saturday!