Beaked Whales: Ziphiidae

Beaked whales live in every ocean of the world. The only place they are not found is under the permanent ice pack at either pole.

Beaked whales are mainly deep water whales. They can be found beyond the continental shelf in water as shallow as 660 feet (200 meters) and as deep as 9,900 feet (3,000 meters). Most live at depths of 3,300 to 9,900 feet (1,000-3,000 meters). These whales are often found around underwater formations such as canyons, shelf edges, and seamounts. A seamount is an underwater mountain that does not break the surface.

Not enough is known about most species of beaked whale to give them a conservation rating. However, four species, the northern bottlenose whale, the flathead bottlenose, Baird's beaked whale, and Arnoux's beaked whale, although not vulnerable to extinction, are listed as in need of conservation efforts.