Special Issue Survey of Cetaceans in Captive Care

2. Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises: Presentation of the Cetaceans 301Lagenorhynchus albirostris – White-beaked dolphinSubpolar to cold temperate, North Atlantic • deep oceanic waters • groups of 7 to 35; up to several hundred •active, leaping and breaching; often associated with baleen whales and Atlantic white-sided dolphin; travellong distances • unsuccessfully kept in captivity so far; one rehabilitation from stranding successfulLagenorhynchus obliquidens – Pacific white-sided dolphin *Cold temperate to temperate, North Pacific • deep offshore waters; sometimes near shore • herds ≥ 100;up to thousands • highly gregarious, acrobatic, playful, leaping, and somersaulting; often associatedwith Risso’s, Northern right whale dolphins, and many other species • very trainable, especially at aerialbehaviours; successfully kept in captivity; recent successful breedingLagenorhynchus obscurus – Dusky dolphinCold temperate to temperate, Southern hemisphere • coastal • groups £ 20; up to several hundreds orthousands • highly social and gregarious; very acrobatic; high individual to individual fidelity; oftenassociated with common and southern right-whale dolphin and pilot whales • moderately successful incaptivity; no breeding so farLipotes vexillifer – Baiji or Yangtze River dolphin • IUCN status: Critically endangeredYangtze River system and connected large lakes • shallow water • pairs to 6; up to 13 • shy animal; shallowsurfacing • population near extinction; probably only few individuals still alive; creation of semi-naturalreserve for breeding and conservation purposes in China without success; probably extinct before the end ofthe decade • one male remained in captivity for 22 years until 2002; no female survived; no breedingLissodelphis borealis – Northern right whale dolphinCold temperate to warm temperate, North Pacific • oceanic waters • herds of 100 to 200; commonly up to3,000 • highly gregarious; fast swimmers; deep divers; often associated with Pacific white-sided dolphins •very small number unsuccessfully kept in captivity so farLissodelphis peronii – Southern right whale dolphinSubantarctic to cold temperate, southern hemisphere • oceanic waters and deep coastal areas • groups of2 to 30; most commonly herds of 200, sometimes up to 1,000 • highly gregarious; energetic swimmers;common aerial display; possibly deep divers; often associated with hourglass, dusky, and Pacific white-sideddolphins, and pilot whales • no information on suitability for captivityMesoplodon bidens – Sowerby’s beaked whaleCold temperate to temperate, North Atlantic • deep oceanic waters • single or pairs, maybe up to 15 • rarepelagic species; discrete and shy • one unsuccessful attempt to keep a stranded calf in captivity; unusualswimming patterns; did not adapt to confinement and injured itself by bumping into walls • probablyunsuitable for captivityMesoplodon densirostris – Blainville’s beaked whaleTemperate to tropical waters around the world • deep oceanic waters • single or pairs; sometimes groups of3 to 7 • rare pelagic species; discrete and shy • unsuccessful attempts to keep it in captivity from stranding;probably unsuitable for captivity3.15 3.05 354 306 5º-15º2.50 2.36 198 145 10º-20º2.11 1.93 85 78 10º - 15º2.16 2.53 125 167 10º-25º3.10 2.30 113 8º-19º2.97 2.30 116 1º-20º5.50 5.05 ~1,400 5º-20º6.40 4.71 ~1,400 15º-28º