Sighting of a large group of pygmy sperm whales (Kogia breviceps) and a recent record of a dwarf sperm whale (K. sima) in the Azores

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F67985823%3A_____%2F25%3A00642114" target="_blank" >RIV/67985823:_____/25:00642114 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/68378271:_____/25:00642114

Result on the web

<a href="https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315425100830" target="_blank" >https://doi.org/10.1017/S0025315425100830</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0025315425100830" target="_blank" >10.1017/S0025315425100830</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Sighting of a large group of pygmy sperm whales (Kogia breviceps) and a recent record of a dwarf sperm whale (K. sima) in the Azores

Original language description

The family Kogiidae, comprising the pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps) and the dwarf sperm whale (K. sima), represents some of the least-known cetaceans worldwide. Their small size, deep-diving behaviour, and elusive surface activity result in very few live sightings, particularly in the North Atlantic Ocean. Here, we report two significant observations from the Azores in July 2025: a group of six K. breviceps, the largest reported group size of this species, and a confirmed sighting of K. sima off Pico Island representing only the sixth record for the archipelago. Photographic evidence and expert validation confirmed the identification of K. sima based on body proportions. We also review records of both species, including other live encounters and strandings, across the Macaronesian archipelagos (Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands, and Cape Verde). Together, our observations and synthesis document an exceptional group size for K. breviceps, emphasise the rarity of K. sima in the region, and highlight the value of whale-watching platforms and citizen science for monitoring elusive cetaceans.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10617 - Marine biology, freshwater biology, limnology

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM

ISSN

0025-3154

e-ISSN

1469-7769

Volume of the periodical

105

Issue of the periodical within the volume

Nov 18

Country of publishing house

GB - UNITED KINGDOM

Number of pages

6

Pages from-to

e129

UT code for WoS article

001616470000001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105022196524