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© Peter Gill
© Peter Gill
In August 2005, a team surveying for blue whales in the Solomon Islands had an unusual encounter. For the most part their trip had been in rough weather, but they enjoyed so calm on their approach to Rennell Island.

Initially the blow of a large whale was sited, a sperm whale. As they approached smaller cetaceans could be seen accompanying it. It was only after the sperm whale had dove that the smaller whales approached the boat and were identified.

They were Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris); their long beaks and arched mouth-lines visible in the photographs. On animal surfaced less than ten metres from the vessel and circled for several minutes. All animal showed recent scarring from the bite marks of cookie-cutter sharks, a feature commonly seen in tropical species and especially associated with Blainville’s. in typical beaked whale fashion, they surfaced at a step angle, lifting their beaks out of the water. It was noted that the tip and underside of the jaws appeared quite pale. There were three whales in the group and all were estimated to be around five metres long.

The sighting happened in water 2,500m deep.

Many thanks to Peter Gill of the Blue Whale Study, Australocetus Research, Australia for this account.
     

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