Cetaceans of French Polynesia

Twenty species of cetartiodactyls - or cetaceans - are regularly found in the Polynesian marine environment. These include four mysticete species - commonly called ‘baleen whales’ - and 16 odontocete species or ‘toothed whales’ - three species of sperm whales, two species of beaked whales and 11 species of dolphins. Eight of the most commonly observed species are displayed below…