Beaked Whales

Beaked whales are members of the cetacean family Ziphiidae, noted as being one of the least-known groups of mammals because of their deep-sea habitat, reclusive behavior and apparent low abundance. There are 24 species currently recognised (with the last only added in 2021), but only three species of beaked whales that have been commercially hunted are reasonably well-known: Baird's beaked whales and Cuvier's beaked whales were subject to exploitation off the coast of Japan, while the northern bottlenose whale was extensively hunted in the northern part of the North Atlantic in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

The first time the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale was documented alive was late 2020. Reports of the possible discovery of the new beaked whale species off the coast of Mexico have been confirmed in June 2024 via genetic analysis of a skin biopsy of the whale.