Cuvier's Beaked Whale

Cuvier's beaked whale, or goose-beaked whale, is the most widely distributed of all beaked whales. It is among the largest of them, 4.5–8 m long and 1,800–3,100 kg. Colour varies: adult males are typically dark grey with a slightly lighter or even white head, females range from dark grey to reddish brown with less pronounced head lightening, and calves are black or dark blue with a lighter underside. Newborns are about 2–3 m long (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is pelagic, living in deep offshore waters far from coasts, typically deeper than 1,000 m, and is often found near continental slopes, submarine canyons and seamounts, where its prey are abundant. It is a remarkable diver, with recorded dives to nearly 3,000 m and lasting over three and a half hours. Groups are usually two to seven animals, sometimes up to 30–40, and breeding and calving occur all year.