North Atlantic Right Whale Facts
| Defenders At Work | Take Action |
Right whales like the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) are among the rarest of all marine mammal species. These baleen whales have two separate populations – western and eastern.
Fast Facts
Length 45-55 ft.
Weight Up to 70 tons; females are larger than males.
Lifespan 50-100 years.
North Atlantic right whales tend to be black with white on their undersides and lack the typical dorsal fin that most whales have. They have large heads, broad backs, paddle-like flippers and a curved lower lip resembling a frown. The varying patterns of rough patches of skin called callosities found on their bodies are marks of identification that aid scientists to track different individuals. Rather than teeth, right whales have baleen plates in their mouths. These help the whales to filter small zooplankton and krill from the water.
Did You Know?
Right whales got their name because whalers thought they were the "right" ones to hunt, as they float when dead and often swim within sight of the shore.
Diet
North Atlantic right whales eat zooplankton and krill, which they use their baleen plates to filter out of the water.
Population
The western North Atlantic right whale population, which inhabits the waters off the East coast of the United States and Canada, today contains roughly 350 individuals. The eastern population, which was once found from the coast of northern Europe to the northwest coast of Africa, is already nearly, if not completely, extinct.
Range
North Atlantic right whales range from Nova Scotia to the southeastern United States and migrate the length of the U.S. east coast. They are occasionally found within European waters. See a North Atlantic right whale range map >>
Behavior
Right whales are slow swimmers and average up to 6 miles per hour. They are known to make brief shallow dives in succession before submerging themselves underwater for up to 20 minute at a time. They usually travel solo or in small groups.
Right whales are also known to emit low frequency sounds that may be a form of communication. When they feed, the water skimming across their baleen plates creates a clicking "baleen rattle."
Did You Know?
The right whale's scientific name, Eubalaena glacialis, means "good, or true, whale of the ice."
Reproduction
Mating Season: During winter.
Gestation: 1 year.
Litter size: 1 calf.
Females give birth every 3-5 years and at birth, calves tend to be between 13-15 feet long.
Climate Change and Other Threats
Right whales are threatened by human activities which cause at least 50% of all right whale mortalities. This includes entanglement in fishing gear, habitat degradation and ship strikes. In fact, ship strikes alone account for 37% of known whale deaths since 1986.
Climate change affects more than just the atmosphere; changes are also taking place in ocean circulation, sea surface temperatures and even the chemistry and salinity of the ocean. These impacts are altering the marine food web. In particular, right whales’ reproductive success depends on their ability to find rich food sources at critical times of pregnancy and nursing, when their energy needs are highest.
The reproductive success of the North Atlantic right whale is strongly linked to changes in zooplankton availability in the Gulf of Maine, which in turn is linked to phase changes in ocean currents called the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Evidence suggests that climate changes are pushing the NAO to more frequently yield food-poor conditions that could doom this critically endangered species. Also, because the whales are so well insulated, warmer waters are actually more stressful to the animals than cold water.
Reasons for Hope
In 2007 and 2009, the US government changed shipping routes out of Boston in an attempt to reduce collision. NOAA estimates that implementing an "Area To Be Avoided" and narrowing the "Traffic Separation Scheme" by one nautical mile will reduce the relative risk of right whale ship strikes by 74% from April to July!
Defenders at Work
Defenders is actively working to protect North Atlantic right whales through enacting stricter regulations for shipping lanes and boat speeds. More information Defenders' legal work to protect North Atlantic right whales >>
Read a Defenders Magazine article on the right whale:
- Summer 2009: Steering the Right Course
- Fall 2008: Defenders in Action: Victory for Rare Right Whales
- Fall 2005: Species Spotlight: The Right Whale
Read more about Defenders of Wildlife's work on North American right whales >>
Legal Status/Protection
- Endangered Species Act (ESA): The right whale has been listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act since 1973. However, the National Marine Fisheries Service have yet to take the necessary measures to protect the whales by enacting stricter regulations for shipping lanes and boat speeds despite petitions and a lawsuit from Defenders.
- IUCN Red List: Endangered.
- CITES: North Atlantic right whales are listed in Appendix I.
- Learn more about legal status and protection of North Atlantic right whales >>
How You Can Help
- Help North Atlantic right whales and other wildlife by adopting a whale today at our Wildlife Adoption Center.
- Take Action for Wildlife at our Wildlife Action Center.
For additional information
- Right Whales on NOAA's website
- Right Whale Identification Game (New England Aquarium)
- Right Whale Research (New England Aquarium)
