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Harbour Porpoise
Picture Florian Graner and text:
Rudolf Svensen
Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena
phocoena ) are found in coastal areas in the northern hemisphere.
The stock in the North Sea area counts approximate 340 000 specimen
of which about 90 000 in Norwegian waters. In Norway the Harbour
Porpoise occurs along the whole coast north to Spitsbergen and “The
Bear Island”. This tiny little whale appear usually alone or in
small schools even though more than one hundred specimen have been
spotted together.
The Harbour Porpoise usually feeds on herring and different types of
cods although it catches all types of fish.
The image below has been captured buy Florian Graner in Norway’s
longest and deepest fjord, The Sognefjorden. The Harbour Porpoise
has a very restless way of swimming, and it is not easy to spot for
scuba divers. It also has a very high developed type of sonar which
it uses to “see” under water, thus it do not have to get close to
the diver to satisfy its curiosity.
Unfortunately are several Harbour Porpoises killed every year by
illegal hunting and from drowning in fishing nets.
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