Dall's Porpoise by Ghirin

Dall’s porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli), also known as the white-flanked porpoise, is a robust porpoise with a striking black and white piebald pattern. It is reported to be a fast cetacean (reaching speeds up to 55 km/hr for short periods) and regularly rides the bow waves of ships when the vessel is moving at a minimum of 26 km/hr. Dall’s porpoises are also known for sending up “rooster-tail” water sprays when they surface.

Dall’s porpoises are native to the northern Pacific Ocean and range from Japan to California. Unlike several other porpoise species, Dall’s porpoise is regularly reported in open oceanic waters. It often forms groups of two to twelve individuals, but these small schools have been known to merge into groups of several thousand.

Their diet consists mainly of squid, fish, and krill.

*Inspired by the Zoo Tycoon Brains Trust at the Zoo Tek Forums.

References:

Walker’s Mammals of the World. Nowak, 1999.

Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide the World’s Wildlife. Burnie and Wilson, 2001.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/wildfacts/factfiles/128.shtml

Updated August 18, 2018 by Cricket so that screenshot would show up again.

Created by Ghirin 2004