It has a worldwide distribution, with a global population of about 700,000, and there may be 3 or 4 distinct populations–two in the Pacific, and one in The Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Its range is moving northward due to global warming. In the Pacific, males average , and females . It generally has a stocky build with black to dark gray/brown skin, and can be distinguished from its counterpart by shorter flippers, fewer teeth, and a shorter beak. They are thought to pursue fast-moving squid typically at a depth of , but the maximum recorded depth is .