Hector's
beaked whales are one of the smallest members of the
beaked whale family.
They have relatively short pale grey or white beaks.
Their triangular teeth are situated at the front of
the mouth and sometimes have barnacles attached to them.
Their blowhole is crescent shaped and their flippers
are short. The spindle-shaped body is dark grey or brownish
on the upper side whilst the underneath is pale grey
or white. A white area often surrounds their navel.
In adults there is notch in their flukes, although younger
animals have a slight one. Their tails are grey on the
upper side and males also have a white underside. Males
often have scars and scratches.
