The Bowhead Whale
Where Do Bowhead Whales Live?
How Does a Bowhead Stay Warm in Arctic Waters?
Bowhead whales are the heaviest for their body length because their
blubber (fat) is up to 28 inches thick! These huge animals are the only
whales to live exclusively in the artic, where they spend their time
filter feeding along the pack ice. Bowheads have the longest baleen -
up to 10 feet long! These whales can be distinguished from right whales
by the absence of callosities and having a white chin with black spots.
Like right whales, bowheads do not have a dorsal fin.
Bowhead whales can live a very long time Recent research indicates that
bowheads can live well in excess of 100 years. Researchers at the
Smithsonian Institute estimated harpoons found in the flesh of bowhead
whales at 130-200 years old! The only other animals this long-lived are
the giant tortoise and the giant clam. The harpoons were probably made
in the late 1700s by Inupiat hunters. Additional research continues to
collect data on bowhead lifespan by studying the proteins in their eyes.
Brignole, E. and McDowell, J. Amino Acid Racemization. Today's
Chemist At Work. 2001. v. 10 Carwardine, M. Whales, Dolphins, and
Porpoises, Dorling Kindersley, New York. 1995
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Bowhead Whale Facts
| Order: |
Cetacea |
| Suborder: |
Mysticeti (Baleen) |
| Family: |
Balaenidae |
| Species: |
Balaena mysticetus |
| Weight: |
60-100 tons |
| Length: |
Average 60 feet |
| Diet: |
planktonic crustaceans such as krill and copepods |
| Range: |
Artic and subarctic waters, near pack ice |
| Status: |
Endangered |
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