Berardius bairdii have a limited range within the northern Pacific ocean. They can be found in waters near Japan and southern California and as far north as the Bering Sea. They prefer deeper water, beyond the 1000 meter line (Minasian, S.,K Balcomb, III and L Foster, 1984. Watson, L. 1981).

Biogeographic Regions: pacific ocean (Native )

occurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Transient

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: Temperate waters of the northern North Pacific and contiguous seas; three stocks recognized off Asian coast: Sea of Japan, Okhotsk Sea, and Pacific Ocean; off North America, occurs from Alaska to Mexico (Reeves and Mitchell 1992, 1993). See also IUCN (1991). Abundance uncertain, but not rare.

The average length of B. bairdii is 10.3 meters for males and 11.2 meters for females. Calves are about 4.5 meters at birth. They are medium to large sized whales and often grouped with the great whales. They are the largest of the Ziphiidae family. Their bodies are long and cylindrical with a characteristic beak where the lower jaw extends about 10 centimeters beyond the tip of the the upper jaw. Their blow hole is low and wide. Their heads are angled backwards when they breathe so that their front teeth and beaks are visible (Minasian et al. 1984; Watson 1981).

B. bairdii have two pairs of teeth, the first pair protruding 9 centimeters from the extended lower jaw. The second pair is roughly 20 centimeters behind the first and grow to about 5 centimeters. The teeth of the female are slightly smaller than those of the male. B. bairdii are a blueish grey color, often with a brown tinge. Their undersides are usually lighter with three patches of white on the throat, between the flippers, and near the navel and anus. These spots range in size from barely visible to an almost continuous stripe across the belly. Two grooves run along the underside of the jaw in a wishbone shape. Females tend to be lighter in color than males, who often have tooth scars on their beaks. B. bairdii have trangular fins about 30 centimeters tall and set far back on the body (Minasian et al. 1984, Watson 1981).

Average mass: 9000 kg.

Range length: 10.3 to 11.2 m.

Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry

Sexual Dimorphism: female larger

Average mass: 1.138e+07 g.

Length: 1000 cm

• Marine

From June to August, B. bairdii can be found in warm waters near Japan and California and near British Columbia in September. In the fall, the whales migrate north towards the Bering Sea and spend their winters in cold water near the Aleutian islands. This may be due to seasonal distribution of squid. They prefer deep water, beyond the 1000 meter line (Minasian,S.,K Balcomb, III and L Foster, 1984. Watson, L. 1981).

Aquatic Biomes: coastal

Habitat Type: Marine

Comments: Observed mainly over the continental slope and in pelagic areas with submarine escarpments and seamounts; deep diver (Reeves and Mitchell 1992, 1993). In most areas, occurs in waters deeper than 1000 m (IUCN 1991).

Non-Migrant: No. All populations of this species make significant seasonal migrations.

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make local extended movements (generally less than 200 km) at particular times of the year (e.g., to breeding or wintering grounds, to hibernation sites).

Locally Migrant: No. No populations of this species make annual migrations of over 200 km.

Seasonal movements are not well understood; evidently absent in winter from some continental slope areas that are inhabited in summer and fall (IUCN 1991).

These whales are deep divers and feed most often on squid, particularly Gonatus fabricii. They also eat octopus, lobster, crab, rockfish, and herring. Occasionally they eat starfish and sea cucumbers (Watson, L. 1981).

Animal Foods: fish; mollusks; aquatic crustaceans; echinoderms

Primary Diet: carnivore (Molluscivore )

Comments: Eats squid and deep-sea fishes; feeding dives of 1000 m or more apparently are routine (IUCN 1991, Reeves and Mitchell 1992, 1993).

Occurs in groups of typically 4-10, sometimes up to 30 (Reeves and Mitchell 1992, 1993).

Average lifespan

Status: wild: 71.0 years.

Most B. bairdii reach sexual maturity when they are about 9.4 meters long for males and 10 meters long for females. They mate in mid-summer in warm waters near Japan and California. The gestation period is thought to be approximately ten months, though pregnancies of up to 17 months have been reported. Calves are born between late November and early May. A mother will usually produce one calf every three years. The average lifespan is about 70 years (Minasian,S.,K Balcomb, III and L Foster, 1984. Watson, L. 1981).

Breeding interval: A mother will usually produce one calf every three years.

Breeding season: They mate in mid-summer in warm waters near Japan and California.

Average number of offspring: 1.

Range gestation period: 17 (high) months.

Average gestation period: 10 months.

Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); viviparous

Average number of offspring: 1.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)

Sex: male: 2922 days.

Average age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)

Sex: female: 4383 days.

Based on Japanese whaling data: mating may peak in October-November, with most births in March and April; gestation apparently lasts about 17 months; lactation probably lasts more than 1 year; males sexually mature at about 6-10 years, females at 10-14 years; apparent pregnancy rate is about 30%; may live several decades (see Reeves and Mitchell 1992, 1993).

CITES: appendix ii

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: data deficient

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: NNA - Not Applicable

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: NU - Unrankable

Rounded Global Status Rank: G4 - Apparently Secure

These whales have been a long time resource for Japanese coastal whaling industries. In the 1950's, due to new fishing technologies, up to 382 whales were taken each year. With declining numbers and emphasis on other species, the number of B. bairdii caught has diminished (Watson, L. 1981).

Comments: Harvested in limited numbers in Japanese waters; national catch limit was 60/year in 1988, formerly up to a few hundred (IUCN 1991, Reeves and Mitchell 1992, 1993).

Comments: Possibly a subspecies of B. arnuxii, in which case Berardius would be a monotypic genus (see Mead and Brownell, in Wilson and Reeder 1993).