The Beaked Whales, much like Sperm Whales, have existed for over 22 million years. In the beginning, they had more teeth in the lower jaw, but during the many centuries of evolution and due to its predilection for squid, the number of teeth in the lower jaw decreased to only 2 and sometimes look like the fangs of a wild boar. Of the 18 different species of Beaked Whales, 4 can regularly be seen off the coast of La Gomera.
1. Sowerby´s Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon bidens)
There is a story attached to the naming of Sowerby´s Beaked Whale. (All the beaked whales have 2 protruding teeth). James Sowerby, the Scottish painter, discovered a whale stranded in the Moray Firth in 1804. This whale had 2 protruding teeth and up until then, no one appears to have encountered a whale with this phenomenon and so the whale was named after its discoverer. It wasn´t until much later that it became clear that Sowerby´s Beaked Whale was one of many species of beaked whale. Adult Sowerby´s can be up to 5 metres long and in the ocean it is practically impossible to distinguish them from other beaked whales. They prefer cool, remote waters.
2. The Bottle-nosed Whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus)
Canadian author Erich Hoyt calls the Bottle-nosed Whale´s extreme curiosity a "fatal error" as they are not frightened to approach humans and boats. The Norwegians in particular have taken advantage of this characteristic and have butchered a great number of these whales - and in fact continue to do so. There is another reference to a "fatal error" in a book by Stephen Leatherwood and Randall R. Reeves entitled Whales and Dolphins. Bottle-nosed Whales will never abandon one of their own if it is wounded. The school remains at his/her side until it dies. As a result, the whalers only had to release a wounded whale in order to be able to catch about 30 of them. The Bottle-nose Whale has a convex forehead and a beak which is similar to that of the Bottlenose Dolphin. Adult whales are 8-10 metres in length and are usually whiteish or grey. Adult whales can easily be identified because they generally have a large number of scars and scratches. In addition, the forehead becomes much lighter in colour when the whales reach adulthood and, like humans, turns grey. The Bottle-nose whales travel in groups of between 5 and 15 animals. The females leave the males at certain times and then rejoin them. We do not know why. Bottle-nose whales can remain underwater for an hour. They eat starfish, squid and whatever crustaceans they can find.
3. Blainville´s Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon densirostris)
The Blainville´s Beaked Whale is easy to recognise because of its 2 protruding teeth which sometimes pierce through its forehead, looking like horns. The body is dark blue in colour and is covered in light-coloured patches. Adult whales are up to 4.5 metres long and prefer remote waters, but here in La Gomera they come within 5 miles of the coast and therefore we see them quite often. Some fortunate students from the University of Bremen in Germany have even managed to document the breastfeeding of young whales and their findings have been recognised by the scientific community as utterly extraordinary and unique. The coastal waters of La Gomera have become a privileged place for observing Beaked Whales.
4.Cuvier´s Beaked Whale (Ziphius cavirostris)
The Japanese call Cuvier´s Beaked Whale "baby face" (akabo kujira) because it really does look as if it has a baby´s expression. They can be up to 7 metres in length and the adult whales are easily recognisable because the head is white and the teeth in the lower jaw protrude. They are a light yellow colour and in the sun they also reflect reddish tints. Not much more is known about these whales. They can be seen relatively close to the coast of La Gomera in groups of up to 10.
5. True´s Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon mirus)
6. Gervais´Beaked Whale (Mesoplodon europaeus)