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- Where to Watch in the UK
- Regional Groups
- Species Identification
- Recommended Boat Operators in the UK
- Sea Watch Surveys
- Marine Code of Conduct
- If you find a stranding
Species Identification Guide
Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)
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Length:
0.67-0.90m/2.2-3.0ft (newborn); 1.35-1.80m/4.5-5.9ft (adult).
Head and Beak:
The Harbour Porpoise has a short blunt head with no forehead or beak.
Fin and Markings:
Small central triangular fin; dark grey back, with paler patch on flanks.
ID:
Harbour Porpoise rarely leaps clear of water; normal view is glimpse of back and small fin.
Status and Distribution:
Harbour Porpoise are common and widely distributed in Northern Europe from Iceland and northern Norway south to Southern Ireland and Southwest England. Rare in the Baltic Sea, the southernmost North Sea, Channel, Bay of Biscay, Iberian Peninsula and Mediterranean. In main parts of their present range, recorded in all months of the year but, in coastal UK waters, peak numbers March to April and July to November.
View detailed distribution maps
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Media
Download Harbour Porpoise movie
Download Harbour Porpoise sounds