Porpoise SpeciesPorpoises belong to the toothed whales (Odontoceti) like dolphins. There are 6 different porpoise species, 5 of them live only in saltwater. The finless porpoise occurrs in rivers and salt water. Porpoise are very difficult to identify at sea because only the dorsal fin and small parts of the back come through the water surface for a short time. The blow is small and often audible rather than visible. Additionally most species avoid boats. Exceptions are the Dall's propoise and the finless porpoise. Fortunately there is only a small overlap in the inhabited areas of the different species. So the majority of them can be distinguished by the geographic region.
Dall's porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli).
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