North Atlantic right whale

E79779

The North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered baleen whale species native to the North Atlantic Ocean, known for its slow speed, coastal distribution, and vulnerability to ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement.

Aliases (1)

Statements (61)
Predicate Object
instanceOf baleen whale
endangered species
marine mammal
whale species
bodyColor mostly black
calvingInterval about 3 to 10 years
class Mammalia
commonName North Atlantic right whale
Northern right whale
communication low-frequency vocalizations
conservationStatus Critically Endangered
conservationStatusSystem IUCN Red List
diet copepods
euphausiids
zooplankton
distinctiveFeature arched upper jaw
callosities on head
lack of dorsal fin
estimatedPopulation fewer than 400 individuals in the wild
family Balaenidae
feedingMethod skim feeding
gestationPeriod about 1 year
kingdom Animalia
knownCalvingArea coastal waters off the southeastern United States
knownFeedingArea Bay of Fundy
Gulf of Maine
Scotian Shelf
legalProtection Endangered Species Act (United States)
Marine Mammal Protection Act (United States)
Species at Risk Act (Canada)
lifespan up to 70 years or more
managementMeasure fishing gear modifications
seasonal area closures to fishing
ship speed restrictions in critical habitat
maximumLength about 16 meters
about 52 feet
maximumWeight up to 70 metric tons
migrationBehavior migratory
nativeTo North Atlantic Ocean
eastern North Atlantic Ocean
western North Atlantic Ocean
order Cetacea
parentTaxon Balaenidae
Eubalaena
phylum Chordata
populationTrend declining
primaryThreat climate change impacts on prey
fishing gear entanglement
habitat degradation
ship strikes
underwater noise pollution
reproduction viviparous
scientificName Eubalaena glacialis
socialStructure generally solitary or small groups
suborder Mysticeti
taxonRank species
typicalHabitat coastal waters
continental shelf waters
vulnerability coastal distribution
slow swimming speed
surface-feeding behavior


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