18 Types of Whales in Alaska
18 types of whales from whales, dolphins and porpoises (infraorder Cetacea) have a verified observation record in Alaska. The most frequently recorded are Moose, Humpback Whale and Caribou. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
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18 types of whales from whales, dolphins and porpoises (infraorder Cetacea) have a verified observation record in Alaska. The most frequently recorded are Moose, Humpback Whale and Caribou. Here is the full list, ranked by how often each is reported on iNaturalist.
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Verified species, source iNaturalist
18 types of whales recorded in Alaska
18 whales species have a verified observation record in Alaska across whales, dolphins and porpoises (infraorder Cetacea), each with at least 10 confirmed sightings. The full list, ranked by how often each is recorded, is below.
| # | Species | Scientific name | Verified records |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moose | Alces alces | 7,464 |
| 2 | Humpback Whale | Megaptera novaeangliae | 2,853 |
| 3 | Caribou | Rangifer tarandus | 1,913 |
| 4 | Thinhorn Sheep | Ovis dalli | 1,397 |
| 5 | Orca | Orcinus orca | 1,116 |
| 6 | Mule Deer | Odocoileus hemionus | 1,102 |
| 7 | Mountain Goat | Oreamnos americanus | 875 |
| 8 | Muskox | Ovibos moschatus | 621 |
| 9 | Dall's Porpoise | Phocoenoides dalli | 352 |
| 10 | Beluga | Delphinapterus leucas | 258 |
| 11 | Grey Whale | Eschrichtius robustus | 136 |
| 12 | Fin Whale | Balaenoptera physalus | 131 |
| 13 | Harbour Porpoise | Phocoena phocoena | 115 |
| 14 | Bowhead Whale | Balaena mysticetus | 33 |
| 15 | Common Minke Whale | Balaenoptera acutorostrata | 24 |
| 16 | Pacific White-sided Dolphin | Aethalodelphis obliquidens | 13 |
| 17 | Sperm Whale | Physeter macrocephalus | 12 |
| 18 | Domestic Cattle | Bos taurus | 10 |
Plus 6 more recorded only rarely (fewer than 10 verified sightings). Counts from verified iNaturalist observations.
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Top Alaska Whale Gifts
The Moose (Alces alces) is the most commonly recorded, with 7,464 verified observations — about 41% of all whales reported in Alaska. If you spot a whale here, it is statistically most likely to be this one.
Alaska also hosts less common whales such as Bowhead Whale, Common Minke Whale and Pacific White-sided Dolphin, each recorded fewer than 100 times. These are the species worth a second look when you are out, since a sighting is more notable.