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| Distribution |
In the state, essentially found only in the colder waters of the Labrador Current, south to Cape Hatteras. There are a very few stranding records south of Cape Hatteras, including as far south as New Hanover County.
Colder waters of the Atlantic, Pacific, and even the Arctic oceans. On the Atlantic, ranges south regularly only to NC. |
| Abundance |
Fairly common as strandings, but quite rare as seen offshore from ships or boats -- with very few such sightings. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History mammal collections (2021) lists 92 stranding records for NC, among the most for any species in the state other than Common Bottlenose Dolphin. Nearly all strandings are for Dare and Currituck counties, and thus not uncommon north of Cape Hatteras (though seldom seen alive from boats), but very rare southward. |
| Seasonal Occurrence |
There were 77 strandings along the NC coast through 1995 (Webster et al., 1995) -- all from January to May, with the highest number in March. The NMNH strandings (92) are remarkably all from January to early June, peaking in March; there are none in fall or early winter. This is a migratory species, ranging south to our state, only in midwinter and into spring, before heading back northward. |
| Habitat |
Cold waters inshore of the Gulf Stream. Although it perhaps might be regular offshore within a few miles of shore, it is presumably not seen from shore because of its very small size. |
| Behavior |
The species is only about 5 feet long, and thus when it makes a 'dive' or roll at the surface, often all one sees is the large, triangular dorsal fin and only a small part of the body. |
| Comments |
This was the second-most frequent stranding species in the Webster et al. (1995) compilation, as well as in the NMNH database, far behind Common Bottlenose Dolphin. This suggests that the Harbor Porpoise is not uncommon in our waters in winter or early spring, though it is seldom seen because of its small size. Some porpoises are taken accidentally in fishing gill nets. Note that this species and the Dall's Porpoise of the Pacific Coast are the only true porpoises (family Phocoenidae) in North American waters; all other species called 'porpoises' by the public are actually dolphins (in the family Delphinidae). |
| Origin |
Native |
| NC List |
Official |
 State Rank |
S3S4M |
| State Status |
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| Global Rank |
G4G5 |
| Federal Status |
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| subspecies |
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| other_comName |
Common Porpoise |
| synonym |
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