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| Subspecies: | Unknown |
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| Est. World Population: | |
| CITES Status: | NOT LISTED |
| IUCN Status: | Not Applicable |
| U.S. ESA Status: | NOT LISTED |
| Body Length: | |
| Tail Length: | |
| Shoulder Height: | |
| Weight: | |
| Top Speed: | |
| Jumping Ability: | (Horizontal) |
| Life Span: | in the Wild |
| Life Span: | in Captivity |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Females) |
| Sexual Maturity: | (Males) |
| Litter Size: | |
| Gestation Period: | |
Habitat:
At-sea sightings of Gray’s Beaked Whales primarily occur in deep waters seaward of the continental shelf edge, in slope and oceanic habitats. There have been occasional sightings of animals in shallow, nearshore areas, but those are considered atypical (Dalebout et al. 2004). The austral summer represents the calving season in New Zealand, and a summer peak in strandings of females may be associated with inshore movements related to calving or nursing (Thompson et al. 2013).
The dive behaviour of the species is not well documented, but it is likely to reach depths exceeding 1,000 m as shown for other mesoplodonts such as Mesoplodon bidens (Visser et al. 2022) and M. densirostris (Baird et al. 2006). Its diet is assumed to mostly comprise deep-water cephalopods and fish (MacLeod et al. 2003, Thompson et al. 2014). Mean carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values for 11 Gray’s Beaked Whales stranded in New Zealand were -17.95‰ and 13.03‰ respectively (Peters et al. 2022), and for 12 Gray’s Beaked Whales stranded in Argentina were -14.4‰ and 16.5‰ respectively (Riccialdelli et al. 2017). There is evidence for spatial separation with other Mesoplodon species, and trophic differentiation from other beaked whale genera such as Ziphius and Hyperoodon, which may act to reduce interspecific competition (Riccialdelli et al. 2017). There is also clear niche separation with sympatric sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), with Gray’s Beaked Whales predating smaller sized prey (Peters et al. 2022).
Sightings of live Gray’s Beaked Whales usually involve solitary individuals or small groups of 2–8 animals, with a mean of 3.1 animals (Dalebout et al. 2004). Mass strandings are common in the species, involving up to 28 animals (Patel et al. 2017). With the exception of mother-calf pairs, whales within stranded groups are unrelated, suggesting that both sexes disperse from their natal groups (Patel et al. 2017).
The dive behaviour of the species is not well documented, but it is likely to reach depths exceeding 1,000 m as shown for other mesoplodonts such as Mesoplodon bidens (Visser et al. 2022) and M. densirostris (Baird et al. 2006). Its diet is assumed to mostly comprise deep-water cephalopods and fish (MacLeod et al. 2003, Thompson et al. 2014). Mean carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values for 11 Gray’s Beaked Whales stranded in New Zealand were -17.95‰ and 13.03‰ respectively (Peters et al. 2022), and for 12 Gray’s Beaked Whales stranded in Argentina were -14.4‰ and 16.5‰ respectively (Riccialdelli et al. 2017). There is evidence for spatial separation with other Mesoplodon species, and trophic differentiation from other beaked whale genera such as Ziphius and Hyperoodon, which may act to reduce interspecific competition (Riccialdelli et al. 2017). There is also clear niche separation with sympatric sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), with Gray’s Beaked Whales predating smaller sized prey (Peters et al. 2022).
Sightings of live Gray’s Beaked Whales usually involve solitary individuals or small groups of 2–8 animals, with a mean of 3.1 animals (Dalebout et al. 2004). Mass strandings are common in the species, involving up to 28 animals (Patel et al. 2017). With the exception of mother-calf pairs, whales within stranded groups are unrelated, suggesting that both sexes disperse from their natal groups (Patel et al. 2017).
Range:
There is a single stranding of the species in Europe, which is also the only known record for the Northern Hemisphere. It comprised a 4.6 m female that stranded near Kijkduin-Loosduinen in the Netherlands in December 1927 (Boschma 1950), and is considered to represent an extralimital vagrant record (Weir 2022).
Globally, the Gray’s Beaked Whale occupies cool temperate Southern Hemisphere waters, primarily between 30 and 55°S latitude (Dalebout et al. 2004, Riccialdelli et al. 2017, Westbury et al. 2021). Records are documented around New Zealand, Australia, Namibia and South Africa, South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay), and offshore archipelagos located within that range including the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Pitman and Taylor 2020). Although predominantly occurring north of the Antarctic Polar Front, it has sometimes been seen south to 65°S latitude, and it occasionally penetrates the sea ice (Dalebout et al. 2004, Thompson et al. 2014).
Globally, the Gray’s Beaked Whale occupies cool temperate Southern Hemisphere waters, primarily between 30 and 55°S latitude (Dalebout et al. 2004, Riccialdelli et al. 2017, Westbury et al. 2021). Records are documented around New Zealand, Australia, Namibia and South Africa, South America (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay), and offshore archipelagos located within that range including the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (Pitman and Taylor 2020). Although predominantly occurring north of the Antarctic Polar Front, it has sometimes been seen south to 65°S latitude, and it occasionally penetrates the sea ice (Dalebout et al. 2004, Thompson et al. 2014).
Conservation:
Gray’s Beaked Whale is a vagrant in Europe and consequently no specific monitoring plans or action plans apply to it in the region. All Mesoplodon species are included in Appendix II (species that are not necessarily threatened with extinction but may become so unless trade is closely controlled) of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which requires an export permit or re-export certificate for international trade.
While not specifically mentioned, it is included amongst all cetacean species in Appendix III (protected species) of the Bern Convention, and in Annex IV (species requiring strict protection across its entire natural range within the EU) of the EU Habitats Directive. It is included in two regional management agreements in Europe, comprising the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area (ACCOBAMS), and the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS). These agreements aim to maintain favourable conservation status of cetacean species within their defined areas, managing threats and working towards the long-term sustainability of populations.
While not specifically mentioned, it is included amongst all cetacean species in Appendix III (protected species) of the Bern Convention, and in Annex IV (species requiring strict protection across its entire natural range within the EU) of the EU Habitats Directive. It is included in two regional management agreements in Europe, comprising the Agreement on the Conservation of Cetaceans of the Black Sea, Mediterranean Sea and contiguous Atlantic area (ACCOBAMS), and the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas (ASCOBANS). These agreements aim to maintain favourable conservation status of cetacean species within their defined areas, managing threats and working towards the long-term sustainability of populations.