The smallest whale in the world

Vaji is the smallest whale in the world, with an average length of 34.9 cm for males as adults; females are slightly larger at 40.6 cm; juveniles weigh 0.15 to 0.17 m, and adults weigh around 2.5 to 4.5 kg. The mouth and eyes of the vaji are surrounded by black. Its pectoral fins are small and wide, usually growing on the light-colored part of the body, with a small protrusion on the front edge of the dorsal fin, a medium gray or dark gray color on the back, and a grayish-white abdomen, with a more pronounced concave carving in the middle of the caudal fin and a more pointed end.

Some Vajis will have dark stripes spreading from the chin to the pectoral fins. The body pattern of juvenile Vajis is similar to that of adult Vajis, only darker in color. With 17 to 20 single pointed teeth on each upper and lower jaw, the Vaji typically grows in waters 11 to 50 meters deep, 11 to 25 kilometers from shore, and prefers high nutrient muddy water. Mostly found in the Gulf of California in Mexico, it is a genus of porpoise in the family Porpoeae.

Vaji habits

Like other whales, the vaquita generally surfaces to breathe, although it usually rolls forward in a slow swimming position, keeps its caudal fin in the water while diving, does not have the sharp breathing sounds of other whales, does not spout significantly, and does not make a lot of noise, communicates and navigates by sonar, and eats mainly bony fish and squid. Vaquita are usually found in small groups of one to three or eight to ten, and these small groups occasionally form large schools, although they are still mostly solitary.