The Jangsaengpo Whale Museum (장생포 고래 박물관) is located in Nam-gu, Ulsan, and is South Korea’s only museum dedicated to whale history and conservation. The museum provides an overview of the region’s past as a prominent whaling hub while also educating visitors about the importance of marine life preservation.
The museum’s collection includes a variety of specimens. The skeleton shown in the photo is a finless porpoise (sanggwaeng-i). The museum also houses an extensive collection of other cetacean skeletons, including those of the Bryde’s whale, killer whale, and gray whale, as well as whaling artifacts . The museum’s total collection of artifacts and historical records numbers around 1,800 pieces . The exhibits collectively offer a comprehensive and educational experience.
• Finless porpoise
• Marsopa sin aleta
• 상괭이
The finless porpoise is a species of porpoise known for its smooth back, which lacks a dorsal fin. They are found in the coastal waters of Asia, including the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, and are sometimes referred to as "smiling porpoises" due to their facial expressions.
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Phocoenidae
Genus: Neophocaena
The classification of finless porpoises is a subject of ongoing scientific discussion. While historically grouped under a single species, Neophocaena phocaenoides, recent genetic studies have shown that the East Asian finless porpoise (N. sunameri) and the Yangtze finless porpoise (N. asiaeorientalis) have had separate gene flows for thousands of years. For this reason, many researchers now classify them as distinct species rather than subspecies. N. sunameri is the species found in coastal waters, including those of Korea, while N. asiaeorientalis is the critically endangered freshwater porpoise found exclusively in the Yangtze River.
Jangsaengpo Whale Museum (장생포 고래 박물관), Nam-gu, Ulsan, South Korea
Camera: Canon EOS 800D / Rebel T7i / Kiss X9i
Lens: TAMRON SP 28-75mm F/2.8 Di A09E
Capture Information:
Focal Length: 51.0 mm
Shutter Speed: 1/80
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 3200
Photo Taken: April 27, 2025
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