Porpoises: From predators to prey

Leopold, Mardik F.; Begeman, Lineke; Heße, Eileen; van der Hiele, Jaap; Hiemstra, Sjoukje; Keijl, Guido; Meesters, Erik H.; Mielke, Lara; Verheyen, Dorien; Gröne, Andrea
Journal of Sea Research (2015)

Along the Dutch shores hundreds of harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena are stranded each year. A recurrent phenomenon in the Netherlands is a surge of strandings in late winter and early…


Exposing the grey seal as a major predator of harbour porpoises

Leopold, M. F.; Begeman, L.; van Bleijswijk, J. D. L.; IJsseldijk, L. L.; Witte, H. J.; Grone, A.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2014)

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranding in large numbers around the southern North Sea with fatal, sharp-edged mutilations have spurred controversy among scientists, the fishing industry and conservationists, whose views about…


Bigg’s (transient) killer whale predation on Dall’s porpoise (Phocoenoides dalli) and harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

McInnes, Josh D.; Cullen, Kelsey D.; Browne, Lynette M.; Dehalt, Annette; Templeman, Nick M.
Technical Report for the Royal British Columbia Museum (2015)

(...) Two separate predation events were documented off the coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia between the years 2013-2014. Both predation events occurred on small cetaceans from the Phocoenidae family:…


Status of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in Danish waters

Teilmann, J.; Lowry, N.
Report of the International Whaling Commission (1996)

Harbour porpoises are widely distributed in the seas around Denmark. Total abundance in Danish waters is estimated as approximately 100,000 animals. Population density varies considerably by area. There are probably…