Harbor Porpoise
Phocoena phocoena
How did this skeleton get to the Visitor Center?
This skeleton was donated to the Hatfield Marine Science Center by a professor at Portland State University.
This is the smallest-toothed whale in Oregon. They can be timid and try to avoid surfacing near boats or bow riding, which many other species of porpoises are known to do.
Harbor Porpoise Facts
- Adult Size: Up to 170 pounds and 5.5 feet long
- Life Span: About 24 years
- Feeding Habits: Their main prey include herring, mackerel and other schooling fish, and occasionally octopus or squid.
- Mating and Offspring: Mating occurs in the summer. Gestation is 10 - 11 months, and young are born between May and July. Lactation lasts for 8 to 12 months.
- Frequency and Abundance Oregon Coast: Sightings are often of solitary animals, pairs or small groups of up to ten, along the surf line.