Whales

Layard’s Beaked Whale - Mesoplodon layardii

The Layard’s Beaked Whale, also known as the Strap-toothed Whale or Long-toothed whale, received its name to honour Edgar Leopold Layard, the curator of the South African Museum who wrote an initial description of its skull. Male whales can reach around 5,9 meters whereas females reach approximately 6,2 meters and likely weigh around 1000-1300 kilograms. Calves are born measuring 2,8 meters in length. This indicates that they are probably the largest species in the genus. It is a large whale, typical in appearance for its species, but with some of the strangest teeth of any mammal on earth today.

The male Layard’s Beaked Whales contain large strap teeth, being over some 30 centimeters in length and very closely overhang the jaw at a 45 degree angle. They curl upwards and backwards, sometimes so much that the whale can’t open it’s beak properly. The teeth have dorsally projecting denticles, which are apparently used for fighting. Barnacles quite frequently are found on the teeth as well. It is uncertain why the species would grow teeth that severely cut back on the size of prey it can consume. The melon on the whale is somewhat bulbous, and blends in to the beak shortly before the strap teeth. The beak itself is fairly long with a relatively straight mouthline. The coloration of this species is also unusual for this species of whale as most of the body is black except for a few white areas on the front of the beak, the throat, an area behind the head in a shape similar to a cape, and near the genitals. Young whales do not have this colouration and are usually dark above and light below. Their bodies are filled with scars and cookie cutter shark bites.

Its food habits have been examined by the means of the stomach contents of 14 stranded whales in 1996, from the coasts of South Africa and New Zealand. Males have a gape half the size of females, therefore their squid intake is limited to those weighing 100 grams or less. The presence of sub-Antarctic squid species suggested a northward migration to South African waters in late summer or autumn.

Not much is known about the social skills of the Layard’s Beaked Whale. This whale can be readily identified at sea, but is rarely seen in the wild. Generally these animals are difficult to approach, especially in large vessels. Limited observations suggest they sink slowly beneath the surface, to rise and blow again some 150 – 200 meters away.

The Layard’s beaked whale occurs throughout the Southern Ocean. It has been found in Argentina, Uruguay, the Falkland Islands, Namibia, Cape Province in South Africa, Western Australia, South Australia, New Zealand, and in Chile. The northernmost records of Layard's beaked whale stem from strandings along the southern Brazilian coast. It has been found to be one of the more widespread and common beaked whales in the Southern ocean. They can usually be found in groups of 5 to 15.