How big does a Harbour porpoise get? Here is an overview over the average adult age:
A grown Harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) reaches an average size of 1.53 meter (5′ 1″).
When born, they have an average size of 0 cm (0′ 0″). During their lifetime of about 15 years, they grow from 8.89 kg (19.6 lbs) to 52.72 kg (116.23 lbs). The Harbour porpoise (genus: Phocoena) is a member of the family Phocoenidae.
As a reference: Humans reach an average body size of 1.65m (5′ 5″) while carrying 62 kg (137 lbs). A human woman is pregnant for 280 days (40 weeks) and on average become 75 years old.
The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is one of six species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest marine mammals. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, and as such, is the most familiar porpoise to whale watchers. This porpoise often ventures up rivers, and has been seen hundreds of miles from the sea. The harbour porpoise may be polytypic, with geographically distinct populations representing distinct races: P. p. phocoena in the North Atlantic and West Africa, P. p. relicta in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, an unnamed population in the northwestern Pacific and P. p. vomerina in the northeastern Pacific.
Animals of the same family as a Harbour porpoise
We found other animals of the Phocoenidae family:
- Spectacled porpoise bringing 65 kilos (143.3 lbs) to the scale
- Finless porpoise with an average maximal age of 23 years
- Burmeister’s porpoise bringing 60 kilos (132.28 lbs) to the scale
- Dall’s porpoise with a size of 1.97 meter (6′ 6″)
- Vaquita with a size of 1.52 meter (5′ 0″)
- Australophocaena dioptrica bringing 65 kilos (143.3 lbs) to the scale
Animals with the same size as a Harbour porpoise
Not that size really matters, but it makes things comparable. So here are a couple of animals that are as big as Harbour porpoise:
- Sumatran serow with a size of 1.45 meter (4′ 10″)
- Hirola with a size of 1.6 meter (5′ 3″)
- Naemorhedus sumatraensis with a size of 1.45 meter (4′ 10″)
- Cheetah with a size of 1.48 meter (4′ 11″)
- Harbor seal with a size of 1.61 meter (5′ 4″)
- Sea otter with a size of 1.44 meter (4′ 9″)
- Sun bear with a size of 1.22 meter (4′ 1″)
- Eld’s deer with a size of 1.65 meter (5′ 5″)
- Dall sheep with a size of 1.42 meter (4′ 8″)
- Soemmerring’s gazelle with a size of 1.36 meter (4′ 6″)
Animals with the same life expectancy as a Harbour porpoise
Completely different animals, but becoming as old as a Harbour porpoise:
- Southern flying squirrel with an average maximal age of 12 years
- Maned wolf with an average maximal age of 15 years
- Hirola with an average maximal age of 15.17 years
- Red fox with an average maximal age of 15 years
- Heterohyrax antineae with an average maximal age of 12 years
- Red giant flying squirrel with an average maximal age of 16 years
- Servaline genet with an average maximal age of 17 years
- Mountain reedbuck with an average maximal age of 12.25 years
- Masked palm civet with an average maximal age of 18 years
- Golden jackal with an average maximal age of 16 years
Animals with the same weight as a Harbour porpoise
As a comparison, here are some other animals that weight as much as the Phocoena phocoena:
- Tucuxi with a weight of 42.82 kilos (94.4 lbs)
- Urial with a weight of 51.8 kilos (114.2 lbs)
- Aardvark with a weight of 56.85 kilos (125.33 lbs)
- Vaquita with a weight of 43.11 kilos (95.04 lbs)
- Homo sapiens with a weight of 58.62 kilos (129.23 lbs)
- Queen of Sheba’s gazelle with a weight of 48.5 kilos (106.92 lbs)
- Cougar with a weight of 53.93 kilos (118.9 lbs)
- Abbott’s duiker with a weight of 56.68 kilos (124.96 lbs)
- Impala with a weight of 52.45 kilos (115.63 lbs)
- West Caucasian tur with a weight of 60.73 kilos (133.89 lbs)