Arnoux's beaked whale is one of the two species in the genus Berardius. The other one - Baird's beaked whale - has similar features and the two would have been indistinguishable if they had one and the same geographic distribution. Arnoux’s beaked whales are only found in the southern hemisphere and have most often been seen in the South Pacific. These stunning creatures easily make it to the top list of the deepest diving cetaceans as they can dive for an hour at a time, predating on deep-water and bottom-dwelling fish, cephalopods, and crustaceans. The deepest recorded dive is 1,777 metres (5,830 ft).

One of the most prominent features of the Berardius genus species is the front teeth that are visible even when the mouth is fully closed. The Baird's and Arnoux beaked whales are the only whales in the family Ziphiidae, both sexes of which have erupted teeth. Presumably, these teeth are mostly used by males for fighting. As many other beaked whales, not much is known about their behavior and quirks as they are difficult to be observed in the wild. However, even though they can reach lengths of ~9 metres once mature, Berardius whales have been sighted breaching, rocketing high above the surface.

That is why I wanted to picture such a huge animal with its back shining in the air! We have certainly got used to see sleek dolphins cutting through the oceans and doing the most breathtaking flips, but beaked whales can outscore them easily (if they feel like that, of course!).