Cetacean Strandings in Florida

An overview of the 15 most common cetaceans to strand in Florida

In light of the recent whale stranding events so far this year in Florida, here is a brief summary of the most common whales and dolphins that strand along our Florida beaches [taken from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s 2011 Florida Cetacean Data Collection and Sampling Guide]

Baleen whales:

1.      North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis)

2.      Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

Toothed whales:

3.      Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus)

4.      Pygmy (Kogia breviceps)

5.      Dwarf Sperm whale (Kogia sima)

Beaked whales:         

6.      Gervais’ beaked whale (Mesoplodon europaeus)

Dolphins:

7.      Melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra)

8.      Pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhnchus)

9.      Rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis)

10.  Fraser’s dolphin (lagenodelphis hosei)

11.  Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus)

12.  Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncates)

13.  Pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata)

14.  Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis)

15.  Spinner dolphin (Stennella longirostris)

Additionally, there are a few species that have occasionally stranded in Florida (fewer than 5 between 2000-2010.

Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus)

Brydes whale (Balaenoptera edeni)

True’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon mirus)

Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris)

Harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

Pygmy Killer whale (Feresa attenuate)

False killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens)

Striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba)

Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene)

Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Mother_and_baby_sperm_whale.jpg