facts about the right whale
Facts About the Right Whale
Much larger than the humpback and gray whale, but significantly smaller than the blue whale, the right whale is one of a kind. In this Buzzle article, we'll take a look at some interesting facts about the right whale and some of its general characteristics, as well.
Identifying a Right Whale ...
... look for distinctive grayish-white callosities (rough patches of skin) on the head of the whale to identify it.Scientific Classification of the Right Whale
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Order | Cetacea |
| Suborder | Mysticeti |
| Family | Balaenidae |
| Genus | Eubalaena |
Physical Description
The right whale is slightly different from other whales in appearance. Distinctive white callosities that are rough, grayish-white patches on the back of its head, set it apart. These callosities appear white in color because of the presence of large colonies of cyamids or whale lice. Even the belly of a right whale is covered with white patches. Right whales are round, have a broad back, and don't possess a dorsal fin. They grow up to 59 feet and can weigh up to a 100 short tons - that's 89 long tons. An average adult right whale could be between 36 - 59 feet long, and could weigh between 54 - 71 long tons. More than 40% of their body weight is made up of low density blubber (a thick layer of vascularized tissue). The fluke of a right whale's tail is broad and its blow is distinctively V-shaped. Right whales are baleen whales and have more than 200 baleen plates on each side of their mouth which help them filter food from the water. Although the blue whale is the largest animal on Earth, it is the right whale who takes credit for having the largest testicles. The testicles of a right whale are ten times larger than those of a blue whale.Habitat
All three species of the genus Eubalaena have adapted to survive temperatures that are moderate, and anywhere between 20 to 60 degrees in latitude. Each whale species inhabits waters in different parts of the globe. The North Atlantic right whale is mostly found in parts of the western Atlantic Ocean, whereas the North Pacific right whale is found in waters of the band that ranges from Japan to Alaska, and all areas of the Southern Ocean as well. Right whales prefer staying closer to peninsulas, bays, and continental shelves, since these areas provide shelter and abundant food.Mating and Reproduction
The mating season for right whales does not occur during a specific time in the year. The females typically breed every three to four years. As many as 20 male right whales consort one female. In a peculiar setting, the males stroke the belly of the female. The gestation period in right whales is one year and both reproduction and calving takes place in winter. The young ones, or calves, of the right whale are born weighing 1 short ton, and are 13 to 20 feet in length. Initially, during the first year, the calf grows at a fast rate, almost doubling up.Diet
Known as extreme opportunistic feeders, right whales primarily feed on zooplankton, smaller crustaceans called copepods, krill, and pteropods. Unlike other whales, right whales have baleens on both sides of their mouth. They swim with an open mouth. The prey enters along with the water inside the whale's mouth. The whales then select their prey on the basis of size, speed, and number. It should be large and slow enough to not escape the baleens, and also large in number to satisfy the animal's hunger. Once the water and the prey enters the whale's mouth, it gets rid of the water to feed on the prey. Conservation Status
Right whales are slow swimmers. Moreover, they swim close to the water surface, which makes them easy prey. Also, owing to its blubber content which yields tremendous amounts of whale oil, the right whale was hunted in extremely large numbers. At the start of the 20th century, whaling picked up pace and right whales were the most hunted. Their numbers soon started dwindling, until their population reached a point of near-depletion. These statistics called for immediate action, and whaling of right whales was banned in 1937. The North Atlantic as well as the North Pacific species have been listed as 'species threatened with extinction which is or may be affected by trade' by CITES, and as 'endangered' by the IUCN Red List. The southern right whale has been listed as 'endangered' by the Australian Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.