MAMMAL MONDAY # 36

MAMMAL MONDAY # 36

Happy Memorial Day! We’re not taking a vacation today, so that another mammal can enjoy the spotlight! Today we’re putting on our diving suits and taking a dip in the cold waters of the subarctic to meet this swimming mammal! Are you ready? Let’s do this!

MEET THE HARBOR PORPOISE!

   Range/Habitat: North Atlantic-North Pacific Ocean/ coasts, rivers

   Diet: Carnivores: fish, herring, capelin

   Length/Weight: 4 ½-6 ½ ft/ 110-200 lbs

   Conservation Status: vulnerable

Fun Facts:

• The Harbor Porpoise is also called the common porpoise.
• They prefer temperate and subarctic waters.
• They generally shy and elusive.
• Harbor porpoises tend to feed on the bottom.
• They use echolocation to help them find their prey.
• Harbor porpoises are black on top and white on the underside.
• Harbor porpoises have been known to travel into fresh water rivers.

These shy porpoises are wonderful! Scientists don’t know much about these porpoises because of their shy nature. Ocean dwelling animals are very hard to study since humans don’t have gills :)!