Phocoena phocoena (Harbour Porpoise)
Widespread throughout coastal waters of the Hebrides wherethey are resident throughout the year. The number of harbour porpoises in Hebridean waters is amongst the highest in Europe.
Additional Information
Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust
Cetacean Research & Rescue Unit
Convention on Migratory Species, Small Cetaceans Agreement, Baltic, NE Atlantic, Irish and North Seas
Convention on Migratory Species, Appendix 2
OSPAR Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the North-East Atlantic
EC CITES Annex A
Bern Convention Appendix 2
EU Habitats Directive Annex 2 & 4
Scottish Biodiversity List of species of principal importance for biodiversity conservation
The harbour or common porpoise is a small cetacean with a blunt short beaked head. It exhibits counter-shading with the animal being generally dark grey on the back and white on the belly. A short, wide-based, triangular dorsal fin, with small bumps on the leading edge is situated midway along the back. The flippers are dark, small and rounded at the tips. The straight mouth line is dark and slopes upwards towards the eye.
Identifying features
Body dark grey on back to white below.
Dorsal fin short, triangular, wide based, upright and set near middle of back.
Prominent median notch in flukes.
Upper jaw not extending much or at all past lower jaw.
Teeth blunt with expanded crowns, laterally compressed, small with 22 to 28 pairs of teeth in upper jaw and 21 to 25 in lower.
Maximum size to about 2 m.
Dean Russel and Catherine Wilding 2006. Phocoena phocoena. Harbour porpoise