Cornish Biodiversity Network  -  Supporting Wildlife Recording

   A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z restore

Cornish Red Data (2009)

The descriptive text, below the map, is from the Cornish Red Data Book (2009). The map on this web page depicts the organisms distribution and shows the records made pre-2000 and those made since.

Mesoplodon bidens - Sowerby's Beaked Whale



Range & Status

Restricted to the North Atlantic with most records on the eastern side, and with no evidence of migration. This species is recorded mainly in deep offshore waters north and west of the British Isles and Ireland, between Scotland and the Faeroes, and west of Norway, although it occurs at least occasionally south to the English Channel Approaches (UK Biodiversity Group, 1999).

Strandings

Four strandings in the region in 1948 (1), 1975 (1), 1991* (1), 2002 (1).

*This animal beached at St. Just-in-Roseland and swam out with a rising tide.

Sightings

No sightings of this species.

Conservation

It is classed as Data Deficient (Taylor et al ., 2008d. Mesoplodon bidens . In: IUCN 2008. 2008 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 18 March 2009.) A UK Biodiversity Grouped Plan species.

Source:

I.J. Bennallick, S. Board, C.N. French, P.A. Gainey, C. Neil, R. Parslow, A. Spalding and P.E. Tompsett. eds. 2009. Red Data Book for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 2nd Edition.Croceago Press.

The Cornish Red Data Book Project was led by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Federation for Biological Recorders (CISFBR). The full text and species accounts (minus the maps) are available on the CISFBR website.