Ziphius cavirostris is a toothed whale and can be recognised as such by the single blowhole and the presence of teeth (rather than baleen). It is a member of the beaked whale family with the characteristic V-shaped crease on the throat and the short dorsal fin set relatively far back. Cuvier's beaked whale is a medium-sized beaked whale that can reach up to 7.5 m in length.The lower jaw has a single pair of teeth (exposed only in adult males). It has an indistinct beak and a concave forehead in front of the blowhole. Cuvier's beaked whale has a dark brown or grey dorsal and lateral colouration with lighter areas around the head and belly. Adults are often covered with a wide array of white scratches and scars.Cuvier's beaked whale may be confused with the northern bottlenose whale Hyperoodon ampullatus but can be recognised by its indistinct beak and its concave forehead. Cuvier's beaked whales are usually found in small groups of up to 7 individuals but may be seen alone. It rarely breeches, and when diving, it will often show the tail flukes. Dives may last up to 40 minutes long (Kinze, 2002).