North Pacific Right Whale

The North Pacific Right Whale and the North Atlantic Right Whale have been considered one species not until long ago. Separate listings increase the legal protections and help to improve recovery plans, habitat protection and other measures of protection.

This whale also fell victim to extensive whaling. The population number decimated from originally more than 20,000 individuals to maybe 250! Talk about exploitation!

Interestingly, recent genetic studies showed, that this right whale species is closer related to the Southern Right Whale than to the North Atlantic Right Whale.

Length and Weight

At birth, the calf is about 3.9 – 4.6 m long and weighs around 1.1 ton (1000 kg). That is about as much as 3.5 adult grizzly bears!

Range

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