Dall's porpoises are black with a striking white patch on the belly and flank. They have a small triangular dorsal fin and the posterior margin of the tail flukes are fringed with a grayish-white band. Best viewing time: April to October
Dall's porpoises are black with a striking white patch on the belly and flank. They have a small triangular dorsal fin and the posterior margin of the tail flukes are fringed with a grayish-white band.
They are fast swimmers and avid "bow wave riders", often catching free rides on the bow-waves of passing boats.
Dall's porpoises were named after William H. Dall, an American zoologist who was one of the first to identify the species through detailed notes and drawings.
Dall's porpoises only live in the North Pacific Ocean from Japan to Southern California and as far north as the Bering Sea.
Sometimes it gets confusing when people use the words "dolphin" and "porpoise" because either word can be used to mean the exact same animals. These words often get mixed up by fishermen and scientists (though they may deny it!). However, each word refers to a specific family and should not be used interchangeably. Dolphins usually have beaks and more noticeable dorsal fins. Porpoises are usually smaller than dolphins and usually don't have pronounced melons or beaks. If you are lucky enough to look into a dolphin or porpoise mouth, you can tell the difference between the two families as dolphins have rather pointed teeth while porpoise teeth are shaped like spades. Unless you know a lot about dolphins and porpoises it is easy to confuse them.