07.09.2026 – Measurements in meters

Whale and dolphin species vary in size. At up to 1.50 meters in length, the Hector’s dolphin is one of the smallest members of the dolphin family; it lives exclusively in New Zealand. In contrast, the blue whale—reaching lengths of up to 33 meters—is the largest marine mammal. It inhabits oceans worldwide and undertakes immense migrations to mate in warmer waters or to feed voraciously in the far north.

The dolphin species we observed included Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) with a length of 3.5–4 meters, Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) with 3.5 meters, and Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) with up to 2 meters.
All measurements are given in meters, not centimetres—contrary to what one cheeky young guest kept asking.
Other interesting measurements include the dorsal fins of the male orcas, which tower up to 2 meters high, and the penis of a sexually mature male sperm whale, which can grow to two meters in length. It is anchored to the pelvic bone and, when flaccid, lies in an S-shape within the abdominal cavity. Humpback whale flippers can even reach 3 meters in length.

by Claudia Gomes

Sightings of the day