Balaenidae Archives - NatureWorks

Balaenidae - Bowhead Whales, Right Whales

There are four species in this family. They are found in the cold and temperate waters of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. They are large baleen whales (baleen whales are filter feeders) with a bow-shaped lower jaw and a large head that is up to one quarter of their total length.

They are black with white patches and have a scattering of hair on their lower and upper jaw. They have two blowholes, rounded front fins, and a thick layer of blubber. They are 40-60 feet in length and weigh up to 50 tons. Females are larger than males.

They filter feed on krill, plankton, and other small ocean creatures. Species in this family include the bowhead whale, the southern right whale, and the northern right whale.

North Atlantic Right Whale
(Eubalaena glacialis)

North Atlantic right whales sometimes die from collisions with ships, and are often injured and scarred, and sometimes die, from entanglements in fishing gear. IUCN Redlist: Critically Endangered
North Atlantic Right Whale
(Eubalaena glacialis)

The North Atlantic right whale is found from Nova Scotia south to Florida. It can be found off the coast of New Hampshire. There are only around 300-400 right whales in the North Atlantic. Is is listed as an endangered species by U.S. Fish and Wildlife. IUCN Redlist: Critically Endangered
Bowhead Whale
(Balaena mysticetus)

The bowhead whale is also known as the Greenland right whale, the Arctic whale, or the polar whale It is found in cold Arctic waters. It is listed as an endangered species by U.S. Fish and Wildlife. IUCN Redlist: Least Concern
North Pacific Right Whale
(Eubalaena japonica)

The North Pacific right whale is found from Japan and Russia in the west to Alaska and the west coast of North America. It is listed as an endangered species by U.S. Fish and Wildlife. IUCN Redlist: Endangered
North Pacific Right Whale
(Eubalaena japonica)

The North Pacific right whale is between 45 and 55 feet in length and can weigh up to 70 tons. It is listed as an endangered species by U.S. Fish and Wildlife. IUCN Redlist: Endangered