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Bottlenose Whales

Bottlenose Whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus)
During the summer, Bottlenose Whales frequent the northern seas from Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen to the east and west coasts of Greenland, and in winter they sometimes go as far south as the Mediterranean Sea.
It is generally conceded that the harpooners and crews who pursue Bottlenose Whales in small boats are engaged in the most hazardous occupation of all whalemen. Because of the suddenness and unbelievable speed of the dive of one of these whales when harpooned, an accidentally entangled line may result in the capsizing of the boat or in the drowning of any seaman who is caught by a loop in the line and carried downward in the icy water.
The fore part of the head of the male Bottlenose rises abruptly from the short rostrum, or beak. A tolerably deep A-shaped groove is present on the throat. Old males have a single tooth, usually more or less worn, at the extremity of each lower jaw, while some young males have two teeth, barely visible.
Full-grown and aged males attain at least 30 feet. The color changes with age. Calves are black or grayish black with a leaden-gray tinge. As the animals approach maturity, yellowish-white or whitish spots appear on their flanks and underparts.
The confluence of these spots in aged females usually produces a marbled effect and sometimes an almost uniform yellowish-white coloration, or occasionally a white band around the neck. Old males are readily recognized by an irregular whitish patch on the forehead and a white dorsal fin. Very old and large males may become almost yellowish white.
It is believed, that Bottlenose Whales must  dive to great depths to find squids, their principal food. Occasionally they capture herring and other fish, and at times they rummage around on the bottom taking whatever happens to be available.
Usually these whales remain submerged only 10 to 20 minutes, but harpooned animals have been known to stay under water from one to two hours. When they come to the surface after a prolonged dive, the forcibly discharged breath can be heard in still or foggy weather a mile away.
Another species (H. planifrons), believed to be closely related to the North Atlantic Bottlenose, frequents the Antarctic waters chilled by pack ice and at times wanders northward along the south and west coasts of Australia.

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