Beaked Whale

About the Beaked Whale

The deepest-diving mammals, reaching 2,992 meters and holding their breath for 3 hours 42 minutes. Over 20 species exist, but most have never been seen alive. They are the least understood large animals on Earth. New species are still being discovered. They use suction feeding to catch squid. They have evolved to avoid orcas by diving extremely deep for very long periods. They are sensitive to military sonar, causing mass strandings. Their bodies show compression damage from extreme depth. Some species are known only from skulls that washed ashore. They may be the most mysterious family of mammals.