Mifupa

Fuu (Sw Skull Key)

Ngozi (Sw Skin Key)

G. Cuvier, 1823. Rech. Oss. Foss., Nouv. ed., 5(1):350.

Between Fos and the mouth of the Galégon, Department des Bouches-du-Rhône, France.

Found in offshore waters of all oceans except in high polar waters.  In the Philippines, sighted in Sulu Sea, and Tañon Strait (Dolar et al., 1997, WWF-Phil. unpubl. data), and one was accidentally caught in a drift gillnet in the eastern Sulu Sea on 10 June 1996 (specimen at SUML/IEMS).

Found mostly in deep offshore waters. Because of its wide distribution and frequent stranding, it is one of the most known beaked whales (Jefferson et al., 2008).  Seen mostly in groups of 2-7 animals but can also occur alone.  Prefers to feed in deep waters mostly on deep-sea squids but occasionally also on fish and crustaceans.

Uncommon in the Philippines. Considered to be the most common and most abundant of all beaked whales, worldwide. Abundance is likely to be well over 100,000.  However, there is no information on population trends of this species (Taylor et al., 2008).

http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/philippine_mammals/photos/2009%20Photos/Skull%20Photos%20(2009)/SP251Ziphius_cavirostris.jpg

http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/philippine_mammals/maps_distribution/SP251Ziphius_cavirostris.gif

http://archive.fieldmuseum.org/philippine_mammals/photos/2009%20Photos/SP251Ziphius_cavirostris1.jpg

Ziphius cavirostris G. Cuvier, 1823

Common Names: Cuvier's beaked whale, goose-beaked whale