Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammal
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Ziphiidae
- Genus
- Tasmacetus
Habitat
This species inhabits deep offshore waters of the Southern Hemisphere, primarily around New Zealand, southern Australia, and South America. They prefer depths exceeding 1,000 meters in temperate to subantarctic oceans, avoiding coastal areas.
Diet
Shepherd's beaked whale primarily feeds on deep-water squid and fish, such as lanternfish, using echolocation to locate prey in the dark depths. They perform extended dives lasting up to 45 minutes to hunt, typically feeding at night when prey is more active.
Behavior
They live in small groups of up to 5 individuals, exhibiting social behavior within pods while being generally elusive and avoiding boats. Shepherd's beaked whales are deep divers, spending significant time foraging at great depths, and they show little territorial behavior in their vast ocean habitats.
Conservation Status
The IUCN classifies Shepherd's beaked whale as Data Deficient due to limited data on population trends. Major threats include entanglement in fishing gear and noise pollution from shipping.