Common Name: Bowhead Whale and Right Whales
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Family:
Balaenidae
Genus:
Eubalaena
Species:
Eubalaena glacialis |

Northern right
whale Eubalaena glacialis |
Taxonomy/Description
Right whales belong to
the Mammalian Order Cetacea, in the suborder Mysticeti. All baleen
whales belong to the suborder Mysticeti, which is Latin for
"mustached whales". The bowhead whale belongs to the right whale
family, Balaenidae. The right whale's scientific name is
Eubalaena glacialis. Whalers called these whale species the
"right" whales because they were the "right" whales to hunt since
they did not sink when killed. Other members of this family include
the pygmy right whale and bowhead whale. Its generic name,
Eubalaena, is derived from the Greek eu, meaning "well or
true" and balaena, meaning "whale". The right whale's
specific name, glacialis, means "icy", referring to the
whale's sub-arctic habitat. Right whales are identified by there
curved mouths, as well as its lacking dorsal fin and ventral white
patch. Large protuberances are located on the heads of right
whales. These patches are roughened callosities, composed of
cornified skin and infested with barnacles. Males usually have
larger callosities than females, leading some researchers to
hypothesize that males use these bumps for aggressive purposes.
These protuberances are even present at birth. The large callosity
on the tip of the right whale's head is called the "bonnet". Right
whales are 45-55ft in length and 24-25 tons in weight. Female right
whales are usually larger than males of the same age.

Northern right whale
Balaena glacialis
Habitat/Diet
Right whales inhabit
temperate waters of the all oceans. However, different populations
throughout their range do exist, and some scientists have divided
the species into three separate species based on their ranges. The
North Atlantic right whale is named Eubalaena glacialis, and
lives in the temperate and sub-arctic waters of the North Atlantic
Ocean. The North Pacific right whale is named Eubalaena japonica,
the word japonica referring to the waters surrounding Japan,
which are within its North Pacific range. Lastly, southern right
whale is named Eubalaena australis, australis meaning
"southern" in Latin. Right whales feed primarily on copepods and
small crustaceans. To ingest these surface-dwelling organisms, the
right whale strains water at the ocean's surface with its 225-250
baleen plates. These plates are composed of keratin, the same
substance of fingernails and hair. The ends of baleen are
brush-like, preventing the prey from escaping. The prey remains
inside, and is consequently swallowed.

Northern right whale
Balaena glacialis
Behavior/Reproduction
Right whales are
commonly observed in small groups of 1-3 animals. Whales of all
three populations migrate to cooler waters to feed during the warmer
months and warmer waters to breed and calve during the cooler
months. Multiple males will breed with a single female. Right
whales have the largest testicles of all living mammals, but like
all other cetaceans, their testicles are internal. Gestation is
about 12-13 months. Newborn calves range between 10-16ft in
length. Young bowhead whales nurse for 9-12 months. Calves are
weaned at one year. Right whales are very slow swimmers, but it is
not uncommon to observe these animals engaging in acrobatic
behaviors, such as breaching.

Northern right whale
Balaena glacialis
Conservation
The right whale has been
protected since 1937. However, the northern right whale species
were rare during the 18th and 19th centuries due to early whaling.
The southern populations were eventually discovered, and harvested
until the early 20th century. Original population is estimated at
100,000-300,000 individuals worldwide. Two-thirds were present in
the Southern Hemisphere. The populations of the western Pacific is
estimated 100-200 whales, the eastern Pacific having 265 whales, the
western Atlantic with 200-300 whales, and the Southern Hemisphere
with 3,000 whales. The population of the eastern Atlantic is nearly
extinct.

Southern right whale
Balaena glacialis