Cuvier's Beaked Whale

After reading 'Kakera the Whale' by Maureen Goodwin the Justice League compared the two whales in the article the Cuvier's Beaked Whale and the Humpback Whale.

WALT - Compare and Contrast the Cuvier’s Beaked Whale and The Humpback Whale

Every year, between July and October whales visit the Cook Islands. These special visitors are often humpback whales there to have their babies in the warm waters surrounding the islands. However once a Cuvier’s Beaked whale was found stranded on Rarotonga Island. These two whales share many similarities and some differences, which would help you to identify them, if you are ever lucky enough to see one in the wild.

Mammals - Israel and Dev

Both whales are large mammals. The Cuvier's beaked whale can grow between 5-7 meters and the humpback whale can grow up to 15 meters. These whales are mammals because they go to the surface to breath whereas fish breathe through their gills.

Named after distinctive Body parts - Skye and Priscilla

The Cuvier’s Beaked Whale is named after the shape of it’s nose. The nose is a pointed shape that looks like a beak. The Humpback Whale is named after the arch shape it makes when it makes a big dive. The Humpback Whale can also make an arch shape when it comes to the surface to breathe. The Cuvier’s beaked whale was named after their discoverer George Cuvier who was a French zoologist.

Diet - Kalani and Sherlyn

Both whales have a diet made up of sea creatures. The Cuvier Whale feeds on several different types of octopus and squid that live in very deep waters. The Humpback Whales diet is plankton and small fish. The Humpback Whales feed in Alaska and in other cold waters.

Species of Whales - Arav and Anthony

The humpback whale and Cuvier’s beaked whale belong to a special family of whales. The humpback whale belongs to the baleen whale species alongside the Blue whale, Minke whale

and the right whale. The Cuvier’s beaked whale is a toothed whale belonging to the same family as the Sperm whale and the Beluga whale.

Conclusion - Chantelle

In the future you may want to attend a Marine Mammal Medic Course since it will provide you with instructions and tell you the right equipment to use if you ever come across a whale stranding. However there are no ways of preventing a stranding since it is a natural phenomenon and is not fully understood.