When we are on our whale watching tours it is fairly common to spot Dalls Porpoise. They are often seen slowly rises to the surface, but can take off at high speeds, reaching speeds of over 50KMPH. This speed is used for feeding, socialising and for escaping Biggs Orca. The have a thick body and distinct black and white colouring. We have two species of porpoise in our area, the Dalls and the Harbour Porpoise. Although they resemble dolphins in some ways they are not closely related. Dolphins have elongated heads, forming their beak, while porpoise have a much flatter head. Dolphins have cone shaped teeth, while porpoises have spade shaped teeth. In addition dolphins tend to be seen in larger groups and are generally more social. An interesting development is that Harbour and Dalls Porpoise do sometimes interbreed, leading to a Hybrid, which has been documented in our area.
