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 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 as much as 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.

World Status Key
Least Concern Near Threatened Vulnerable Endangered Critically Endangered Extinct in Wild Extinct Not Enough Data
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist.

U.S. Status Key Threatened in US Endangered in US Introduced Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife. Click on U.S. status icon to go to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife species profile.

New Hampshire Status Key Threatened in NH Endangered in NH Breeds in NH (birds) Status taken from NH Fish and Game

Location Key
Africa Asia Australia/Oceania Europe North America South America NH Click for More Info Click for Image
Arctic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Indian Ocean Pacific Ocean Southern Ocean

New Hampshire Species		North/Central American Species
North Atlantic Right Whale - Eubalaena glacialis		Bowhead Whale - Balaena mysticetus North Pacific Right Whale - Eubalaena japonica

Other Species Around the World
Southern Right Whale - Eubalaena australis

Additional Information

Resource Key
Profile Photos Video Audio

Right Whale Listening Network
See where right whales are in Stellwagen Bank off the coast of Massachusetts in the last 24 hours and learn more about the North Atlantic right whale.
Source: Listen for Whales Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Bowhead Whale - Balaena mysticetus
The bowhead whale is found in cold Arctic waters.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Bowhead Whale - Balaena mysticetus
The bowhead whale is the second largest whale in the world, second only to the blue whale.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Bowhead Whale - Balaena mysticetus
The bowhead whale feeds almost exclusively on zooplankton.
Source: NOAA Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School

Bowhead Whale - Balaena mysticetus
The bowhead whale's mouth is up to 10 feet wide.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School

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.
Source: North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

North Atlantic Right Whale - Eubalaena glacialis
The North Atlantic right whale is found from Nova Scotia south to Florida.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

North Atlantic Right Whale - Eubalaena glacialis
Right whales spend much of their time near bays and peninsulas and in shallow, coastal waters.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

North Atlantic Right Whale - Eubalaena glacialis
There are only about 300-400 right whales in the North Atlantic.
Source: NOAA Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School

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.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

North Pacific Right Whale - Eubalaena japonica
Female right whales give birth in winter to a single young every 3 to 4 years after a gestation period of just over a year.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

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
Source: NOAA Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School

Southern Right Whale - Eubalaena australis
The southern right whale is found in the southern hemisphere in all waters between 30 and 60 º south.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Southern Right Whale - Eubalaena australis
Southern right whales migrate to the southern part of their range during the summer months where plankton populations are more abundant.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School

Southern Right Whale - Eubalaena australis
Adult southern right whales are 50 feet long, and can weigh up to 60 tons.
Source: NOAA Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School