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White-beaked dolphin

Lagenorhynchus albirostris
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White-beaked dolphin breaching © Kjell-Arne Fagerheim
White-beaked dolphins live in the cold temperate and subarctic waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. They are fast, energetic swimmers and often ride the waves made by boats. These dolphins usually travel in groups of 5–30, but superpods of over 1,000 have been seen! With their sturdy build, curved dorsal fin, and mix of black, white, and grey markings, they are easy to spot but they can be confused with the Atlantic white-sided dolphin. White-beaked dolphins are typically found further north than most other dolphins and are the most common species in many northern waters.

Even though white-beaked dolphins are built for cold water, sea ice can be very dangerous for them. Sometimes, shifting pack ice traps dolphins, making it hard or even impossible for them to reach the surface to breathe. Sadly, this can lead to drowning or being crushed by the ice. In Svalbard, one group of trapped dolphins was even eaten by polar bears [1]. Around Newfoundland, 29 of these ice entrapments were recorded between 1979 and 1991, with up to 350 dolphins killed during that time [2].

White-beaked dolphin in Kolgrafafjörður, near the small fishing village of Grundarfjörður, Iceland © AlecOwenEvans/iStock

White-beaked dolphins are often seen riding the waves created by boats. While this ‘bow-riding’ behaviour can help save energy [3,4], dolphins are often seen going back to where they started from [5], suggesting it is more about play than travel. White-beaked dolphins have even been seen harassing larger whales, such as fin whales, to swim faster and create a wave they can ride.

White-beaked dolphin © Brian Gratwicke

The situation of white-beaked dolphins in the Faroe Islands

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The situation of white-beaked dolphins in Greenland

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The situation of white-beaked dolphins in Iceland

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The situation of white-beaked dolphins in Norway

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The situation of white-beaked dolphins in Denmark

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References

*Catches of white-beaked dolphin and white-sided dolphin are reported together in Greenland

[1] Aars, J., Andersen, M., Breniėre, A. et al. (2015).White-beaked dolphins trapped in the ice and eaten by polar bears. Polar Research, 34, 26612. http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/polar.v34.26612

[2] Dong, J. H., Lien, J., Nelson, D. et al. (1996). A contribution to the biology of the white-beaked dolphin, Lagenorhynchus albirostris, in waters off Newfoundland. Canadian Field-Naturalist,110, 278–287. https://doi.org/10.5962/p.357452

[3] Fiori, L., Davis, R.W., Würsig, B., & Orbach, D.N. (2024). Energetic savings of bow-riding dolphins. Scientific Reports, 14, 30056. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-81920-y

[4] Williams, T., Friedl, W., Fong, M., Yamada, R.M., Sedivy, P., & Haun, J.E. (1992). Travel at low energetic cost by swimming and wave-riding bottlenose dolphins. Nature 355, 821–823. https://doi.org/10.1038/355821a0

[5] Würsig, B., Thewissen, J. G. M., & Kovacs, K. M. (Eds.). (2017). Encyclopedia of marine mammals (3rd ed.). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2015-0-00820-6

 

Adult length 2.8 metres
Adult weight 300 kilograms
Max age 39 years
Eats a wide variety of fish, may also take crustaceans and squid
Group size generally fewer than 10, but sometimes several hundreds
Predators killer whales, polar bears
IUCN status least concern (2023)
NA abundance >300,000
Hunted in
167* dolphins/year mean 2019-2023
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Sound credit: Marianne Rasmussen, University of Iceland

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Do all white-beaked dolphins actually have white beaks?

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