The Zoochat Photographic Guide To Cetaceans

[Chlidonias]

Photo credits:

There are currently 63 species of cetacean depicted in this thread (out of the 97 species recognised here). They are illustrated by 131 photos, which have been taken by 46 members. Three species are represented by taxidermy or preserved specimens rather than live animals.

[I'll keep this post updated whenever new photos are added: latest update 29 July 2025]


One photo:
@alexkant
@BlobfishBoy
@Camparso
@carlos77 (preserved specimen)
@chrisroughley
@DaLilFishie
@Ding Lingwei (taxidermy specimen)
@Flyer.Nick
@FunkyGibbon
@GiornoPizza
@HowlerMonkey
@Javan Rhino
@JaxElephant
@lintworm
@Mantrize
@Newzooboy
@Noodles
@ocean_boy
@ralph
@Sicarius
@Tomek
@Veno
@Zoological Point

Two photos:
@aardvark250
@gentle lemur
@LaughingDove
@MegalodonEric
@Merintia
@WhistlingKite24
@YANG Zhuofan
@YuanChang
@ZooGirl101

Three photos:
@devilfish
@Jakub
@Maguari
@Pleistohorse

Four photos:
@bubblywums
@Hix
@Lucas Lang (one photo is of a taxidermy specimen)
@Najade
@Therabu
@Toki

Five photos:
@Chlidonias (two photos are of taxidermy specimens)
@RatioTile

Six photos:
@ThylacineAlive

Over ten photos:
@Giant Eland - 38 photos

 

[ThylacineAlive]

I have posted a couple photos of Northern Right-Whale Dolphins, adding another species and genus to the list:

Northern Right-Whale Dolphins - ZooChat
Northern Right-Whale Dolphins - ZooChat

I also do have videos of Burrunan Dolphins, but no photos I can upload sadly. I grabbed screenshots from the GoPro, but these aren't the best of quality and unfortunately the animals never were in the ideal position when it was on.

Burrunan Dolphin - ZooChat
Burrunan Dolphin - ZooChat

~Thylo

 

[Giant Eland]

I have gone through the whole thread and spruced it up a bit so it's more in line with the other Photographic Guides which will make it easier to keep it updated. Lots more photos have been added and others replaced, some taxonomy modified or annotated, and the new species have been added in.

There are now 59 species of cetaceans pictured out of the 97 species in the thread, which is over two-thirds of them (albeit three are only shown by taxidermy or preserved specimens), and the only family not represented is Cetotheriidae (the Pygmy Right Whale Caperea marginata). The main stumbling block for better representation are the beaked whales.

Nice work @Chlidonias !

I have just added photos of 12 different cetacean species here:
Portugal - Wildlife - Page 2 - ZooChat
2 of which are completely new to Zoochat (Pygmy Sperm Whale & Sowerby's Beaked Whale) with head shots now available for Northern Bottlenosed Whale.

 

[Chlidonias]

Nice work @Chlidonias !

I have just added photos of 12 different cetacean species here:
Portugal - Wildlife - Page 2 - ZooChat
2 of which are completely new to Zoochat (Pygmy Sperm Whale & Sowerby's Beaked Whale) with head shots now available for Northern Bottlenosed Whale.

I might need to go to the Azores...

I've added in the two new species, and some extra photos of others.