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Harbour Porpoise

Mammals

The harbour porpoise is one of eight extant species of porpoise and one of the smallest species of cetacean. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, making it the most familiar porpoise to whale watchers, and it often ventures up rivers, having been seen hundreds of kilometers from the sea; the species may be polytypic, with geographically distinct populations representing distinct races, including Phocoena phocoena phocoena in the North Atlantic and West Africa, Phocoena phocoena relicta in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, an unnamed population in the northwestern Pacific and Phocoena phocoena vomerina in the northeastern Pacific.

Facts
Classification
Diet
Piscivore 2
System (Realm)
Marine and Freshwater 3
Relationship to People
Hunted or Fished 3
Living or Extinct
Yes 3
Derived from this species' own Conservation Status: this atlas's IUCN category list has no Extinct value, so a set conservation-status is itself evidence of living status.
Identification
Distinguishing Appearance
Small, robust body with a short, blunt beak and a medium sized triangular dorsal fin; back dark gray fading to lighter gray on the sides, with a white belly and throat and a dark gray chin patch. 1
Scientific Name
Phocoena phocoena 1
Conservation Status
Least Concern 3
Comparison
NatureServe Rank
G4 Apparently Secure 4
CITES Appendix
Appendix II 5
Partially Attested
Population Estimate
700,000 3
Source states this as a floor value, at least 700000, not an exact count.
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Phocoenidae, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life

In Biome

Estuary, Biomes
Source Harbour porpoise, Wikipedia

In Ecosystem

Wadden Sea, Ecosystems
Source Harbour porpoise, Wikipedia
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Belgium

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Canada

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Denmark

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

France

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Greece

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Ireland

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Netherlands

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Norway

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Poland

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Senegal

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Spain

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sweden

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Ukraine

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Harbor Porpoise, NOAA Fisheries
  • Overview
    Phocoena phocoena
  • Appearance section
    Harbor porpoises have a small, robust body with a short, blunt beak and a medium-sized triangular dorsal fin.
View the Source
2. EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014)
3. Harbour porpoise, Wikipedia
  • Conservation status section
    Although the species overall is considered to be of Least Concern by the IUCN, they consider the Baltic Sea and Western African populations critically endangered.
  • Population status section
    The harbour porpoise has a global population of at least 700,000.
  • system (MediaWiki batch-API article extract states it plainly)
    This porpoise often ventures up rivers, and has been seen hundreds of kilometres from the sea.
  • article text (relationship to people), EntityId 283483
    Harbour porpoises were traditionally hunted for food, as well as for their blubber, which was used for lighting fuel.
  • In Ecosystem: Wadden Sea, Description
    Many anomalously white coloured individuals have been confirmed, mostly in the North Atlantic, but also notably around Turkish and British coasts, and in the Wadden Sea, Bay of Fundy and around the coast of Cornwall.
  • In Biome: Estuary, Ecology
    They inhabit fjords, bays, estuaries and harbours, hence their name.
View the Source
4. NatureServe Explorer: Phocoena phocoena
NatureServe ExplorerGlobal rank (roundedGRank)
Quote, Global rank (roundedGRank)
"roundedGRank": "G4"
View the Source
5. Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of Zoology: Phocoena phocoena (Animal Diversity Web)
Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan Museum of ZoologyConservation Status: CITES
Quote, Conservation Status: CITES
CITES Appendix II
View the Source
Wikidata: Harbour Porpoise
Wikidata Q27027, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeChild Taxon Of: PhocoenidaeView the Source
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