Harbour Porpoise Phocoena phocoena

The Harbour Porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is the smallest cetacean in British waters and the species most regularly encountered off Suffolk’s North Sea coast. Shy and inconspicuous, it rarely leaps clear of the water, and sightings typically involve brief glimpses of a dark, rounded back and small triangular dorsal fin. It is regularly seen from headlands and beaches along the Suffolk coast, particularly during calmer sea conditions, and feeds on fish and cephalopods in relatively shallow coastal waters. Bycatch in fishing gear remains a significant threat nationally, and strandings on Suffolk beaches are periodically recorded. Image: © dedwardsphotos, iNaturalist.

Find out more: Whale and Dolphin Conservation, The Mammal Society, Suffolk Wildlife Trust, iNaturalist