107-406: A whale is a sea mammal. Whale or The Whale may also refer to: Whale Whales are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals . As an informal and colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea , i.e. all cetaceans apart from dolphins and porpoises . Dolphins and porpoises may be considered whales from
214-408: A tapetum lucidum ; these adaptations allow for large amounts of light to pass through the eye and, therefore, a very clear image of the surrounding area. They also have glands on the eyelids and outer corneal layer that act as protection for the cornea. The olfactory lobes are absent in toothed whales, suggesting that they have no sense of smell. Some whales, such as the bowhead whale , possess
321-490: A vomeronasal organ , which does mean that they can "sniff out" krill. Whales are not thought to have a good sense of taste, as their taste buds are atrophied or missing altogether. However, some toothed whales have preferences between different kinds of fish, indicating some sort of attachment to taste. The presence of the Jacobson's organ indicates that whales can smell food once inside their mouth, which might be similar to
428-461: A 2012 New England Aquarium report, 85 percent of the whales have had rope entanglement at least one time and it is the leading cause of death. A whale that survives an entanglement episode may be weakened, have reduced fertility, or become vulnerable to further injury. Because whales often free themselves of gear following an entanglement event, scarring may be a better indicator of fisheries interaction than entanglement sightings. A 2012 analysis of
535-492: A climate shift. Though zooplankton abundance began to rise again in 1999, right whales have such a long reproduction and migratory cycle that the population was greatly affected by the minimal food availability from the year before. In 1999, only one right whale calf was born, compared to the 21 that were born in 1996, before the climate shift. In 2001, after the zooplankton populations greatly recovered, 30 calves were born. Zooplankton abundance has been found to be associated with
642-764: A different reason for it, for example, the killer whale was named "Ballena asesina" 'killer whale' by Spanish sailors. The term "Great Whales" covers those currently regulated by the International Whaling Commission : the Odontoceti family Physeteridae (sperm whales); and the Mysticeti families Balaenidae (right and bowhead whales), Eschrichtiidae (grey whales), and some of the Balaenopteridae (Minke, Bryde's, Sei, Blue and Fin; not Eden's and Omura's whales). The whales are part of
749-498: A few deaths. It was calculated that preventing the deaths of just two females per year would enable the population to stabilize. The data suggests, therefore, that human sources of mortality may have a greater effect relative to population growth rates of North Atlantic right whales than for other whales. The principal factors known to be retarding growth and recovery of the population are ship strikes and entanglement with fishing gear . The single greatest danger to this species
856-576: A form of tourism around the world. The word "whale" comes from the Old English hwæl , from Proto-Germanic *hwalaz , from Proto-Indo-European *(s)kwal-o- , meaning "large sea fish". The Proto-Germanic *hwalaz is also the source of Old Saxon hwal , Old Norse hvalr , hvalfiskr , Swedish val , Middle Dutch wal , walvisc , Dutch walvis , Old High German wal , and German Wal . Other archaic English forms include wal, wale, whal, whalle, whaille, wheal , etc. The term "whale"
963-682: A formal, cladistic perspective. Whales, dolphins and porpoises belong to the order Cetartiodactyla , which consists of even-toed ungulates . Their closest non-cetacean living relatives are the hippopotamuses , from which they and other cetaceans diverged about 54 million years ago. The two parvorders of whales, baleen whales (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti), are thought to have had their last common ancestor around 34 million years ago. Mysticetes include four extant (living) families : Balaenopteridae (the rorquals), Balaenidae (right whales), Cetotheriidae (the pygmy right whale), and Eschrichtiidae (the grey whale). Odontocetes include
1070-422: A high probability that North Atlantic right whales would go extinct within 200 years if the then-existing anthropogenic mortality rate was not curtailed. The combined factors of small population size and low annual reproductive rate of right whales mean that a single death represents a significant increase in mortality rate. Conversely, significant reduction in the mortality rate can be obtained by preventing just
1177-424: A large head, which makes up a quarter of its total body length, narrow tail stock in comparison to its wide fluke, and v-shaped blowhole which produces a heart-shaped blow. The most distinguishing feature for right whales is their callosities , rough, white patches of keratinized skin found on their heads. The right whale's callosities provide habitat for large colonies of cyamids or whale lice , which feed on
SECTION 10
#17327971812801284-552: A preferred target for whalers . At present, they are among the most endangered whales in the world, and they are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and Marine Mammal Protection Act and Canada's Species at Risk Act . There are an estimated 356 individuals in existence in the western North Atlantic Ocean —they migrate between feeding grounds in the Labrador Sea and their winter calving areas off Georgia and Florida , an ocean area with heavy shipping traffic. In
1391-560: A range stretching from Massachusetts to Newfoundland . Particularly popular feeding areas are the Bay of Fundy , the Gulf of Maine and Cape Cod Bay . In winter, they head south towards Georgia and Florida to give birth. According to census of individual whales identified using photo-identification techniques, the latest available stock assessment data (August 2012) indicates that a minimum of 396 recognized individuals were known to be alive in
1498-456: A record number of births among the western North Atlantic population. 39 new calves were recorded, born off the Atlantic coast of Florida and Georgia: "Right whales, for the first time in a long time, are doing their part: they're having the babies; they're having record numbers of babies. We need to be vigilant and still do our part to prevent the whales from being killed." In contrast, 2012
1605-400: A right whale (although he mainly hunted bowhead whales off eastern Greenland, outside the normal range of right whales). Based on back calculations using the present population size and growth rate, the population may have numbered fewer than 100 individuals by 1935. As it became clear that hunting right whales was unsustainable, international protection for right whales came into effect, as
1712-420: A small bulge sitting on top of its skull, whereas a sperm whale's head is filled up mainly with the melon. The whale eye is relatively small for its size, yet they do retain a good degree of eyesight. As well as this, the eyes of a whale are placed on the sides of its head, so their vision consists of two fields, rather than a binocular view like humans have. When belugas surface, their lens and cornea correct
1819-456: A strong desire on behalf of the whales to communicate with humans, as whales have a very different vocal mechanism, so imitating human speech likely takes considerable effort. Whales emit two distinct kinds of acoustic signals, which are called whistles and clicks: Clicks are quick broadband burst pulses, used for sonar , although some lower-frequency broadband vocalizations may serve a non-echolocative purpose such as communication; for example,
1926-465: A total of 61 confirmed reports of entanglements, including the aforementioned mortalities. It is likely that official figures underestimate the actual impacts of entanglement. Entanglement is stressful on the animal, and repeated entanglement can lead to depleted blubber reserves. It is believed that chronically entangled animals may in fact sink upon death due to loss of buoyancy from depleted blubber reserves, and therefore escape detection. According to
2033-429: A two- to three-chambered stomach that is similar in structure to those of terrestrial carnivores. Mysticetes contain a proventriculus as an extension of the oesophagus ; this contains stones that grind up food. They also have fundic and pyloric chambers. Whales have two flippers on the front, and a tail fin. These flippers contain four digits. Although whales do not possess fully developed hind limbs, some, such as
2140-441: A year-long gestation; the interval between births seems to have increased since the 1990s, and now averages three to six years. Calves are 13–15 feet (4.0–4.6 m) long at birth and weigh approximately 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg). Right whales feed mainly on copepods and other small invertebrates such as krill , pteropods , and larval barnacles , generally by slowly skimming through patches of concentrated prey at or below
2247-427: Is a baleen whale , one of three right whale species belonging to the genus Eubalaena , all of which were formerly classified as a single species. Because of their docile nature, their slow surface-skimming feeding behaviors, their tendencies to stay close to the coast, and their high blubber content (which makes them float when they are killed, and which produces high yields of whale oil ), right whales were once
SECTION 20
#17327971812802354-419: Is an underlying connection to climate change. The temperature, circulation, and prey abundance changes associated with climate change have driven right whales to occupy new habitats (or existing habitats at new times of year), exposing them to anthropogenic threats outside of the scope of protective regulations. In particular, Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence was the site of 17 right whale deaths and injuries during
2461-515: Is characterized by the presence of baleen, a sieve-like structure in the upper jaw made of keratin , which it uses to filter plankton , among others, from the water. Odontocetes (toothed whales) are characterized by bearing sharp teeth for hunting, as opposed to their counterparts' baleen. Cetaceans and artiodactyls now are classified under the order Cetartiodactyla , often still referred to as Artiodactyla, which includes both whales and hippopotamuses . The hippopotamus and pygmy hippopotamus are
2568-437: Is helpful for a 100-ton whale), protection to some extent as predators would have a hard time getting through a thick layer of fat, and energy for fasting when migrating to the equator; the primary usage for blubber is insulation from the harsh climate. It can constitute as much as 50% of a whale's body weight. Calves are born with only a thin layer of blubber, but some species compensate for this with thick lanugos. Whales have
2675-406: Is home to elongated spindle neurons that, prior to 2007, were known only in hominids. In humans, these cells are involved in social conduct, emotions, judgement, and theory of mind. Whale spindle neurons are found in areas of the brain that are homologous to where they are found in humans, suggesting that they perform a similar function. Brain size was previously considered a major indicator of
2782-442: Is in their feeding adaptations and subsequent behaviour. Balaenopterids are the rorquals. These animals, along with the cetotheriids, rely on their throat pleats to gulp large amounts of water while feeding. The throat pleats extend from the mouth to the navel and allow the mouth to expand to a large volume for more efficient capture of the small animals they feed on. Balaenopterids consist of two genera and eight species. Balaenids are
2889-403: Is injury sustained from ship strikes . Between 1970 and October 2006, 37% of all recorded North Atlantic right whale deaths were attributed to collisions. During the years 1999–2003, incidents of mortality and serious injury attributed to ship strikes averaged 1 per year. For the years 2004–2006, that number increased to 2.6. Additionally, it is possible that the official figures underestimate
2996-453: Is known to reach up to off Newfoundland and the Labrador Sea , and several have been found in a former whaling ground east of Greenland's southern tip. Parts of the western group, especially for those seen regularly in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, display different migratory or calving routines than other whales and these are so-called "Offshore Whales". There could be various areas along or off
3103-438: Is sometimes used interchangeably with dolphins and porpoises , acting as a synonym for Cetacea . Six species of dolphins have the word "whale" in their name, collectively known as blackfish: the orca , or killer whale, the melon-headed whale , the pygmy killer whale , the false killer whale , and the two species of pilot whales , all of which are classified under the family Delphinidae (oceanic dolphins). Each species has
3210-442: Is taken in and expelled. They are warm-blooded , and have a layer of fat, or blubber , under the skin. With streamlined fusiform bodies and two limbs that are modified into flippers, whales can travel at speeds of up to 20 knots , though they are not as flexible or agile as seals . Whales produce a great variety of vocalizations, notably the extended songs of the humpback whale . Although whales are widespread, most species prefer
3317-401: Is then expelled through the baleen, leaving their prey trapped inside. This is an efficient method of hunting, in which the whale has no major competitors. Odontocetes are known as toothed whales; they have teeth and only one blowhole. They rely on their well-developed sonar to find their way in the water. Toothed whales send out ultrasonic clicks using the melon . Sound waves travel through
Whale (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3424-518: Is unexpected, involves a significant die-off of any marine mammal population, and demands immediate response." A UME for the North Atlantic right whale population has been active since 2017, a year where the population of under 400 individuals experienced 35 mortalities and morbidities. The most common direct causes of the deaths and injuries associated with the recent UME have been the same as ever (vessel strikes and entanglements), but there
3531-567: The Indohyus , an extinct chevrotain -like ungulate, from which they split approximately 48 million years ago. Primitive cetaceans, or archaeocetes , first took to the sea approximately 49 million years ago and became fully aquatic 5–10 million years later. What defines an archaeocete is the presence of anatomical features exclusive to cetaceans, alongside other primitive features not found in modern cetaceans, such as visible legs or asymmetrical teeth. Their features became adapted for living in
3638-469: The Bay of Fundy has shown that exposure to low-frequency ship noise may be associated with chronic physiological stress in North Atlantic right whales. Following the tragic events of September 11th , maritime activity in the Bay of Fundy, a crucial calving and nursing ground for right whales, experienced a marked reduction in both ship traffic and density. Analysis of fecal matter collections from right whales in
3745-505: The Chaleur Bay , and up to Anticosti Island , Tadoussac and in the St. Lawrence River such as at Rouge Island. Until 1994, whales were regarded as rather vagrant migrants into St. Lawrence region, however annual concentrations of whales were discovered off Percé in 1995 and sightings in entire St. Lawrence regions have been shown gradual increases since in 1998. For example, in
3852-474: The Monodontidae (belugas and narwhals), Physeteridae (the sperm whale ), Kogiidae (the dwarf and pygmy sperm whale), and Ziphiidae (the beaked whales), as well as the six families of dolphins and porpoises which are not considered whales in the informal sense. Whales are fully aquatic, open-ocean animals: they can feed, mate, give birth, suckle and raise their young at sea. Whales range in size from
3959-759: The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) , the most influential climate force in the Northern Hemisphere. Periodically, pressure anomalies in the system shift from positive to negative as determined by the NAO Index, affecting temperatures and wind patterns. Abundant zooplankton populations have been linked to a positive NAO Index. As global temperatures increase, the NAO is predicted to shift more often and to greater intensities (so-called marine heatwaves). These shifts will likely greatly affect
4066-541: The beluga and the narwhal . They both reside in the frigid arctic and both have large amounts of blubber. Belugas, being white, hunt in large pods near the surface and around pack ice, their coloration acting as camouflage. Narwhals, being black, hunt in large pods in the aphotic zone, but their underbelly still remains white to remain camouflaged when something is looking directly up or down at them. They have no dorsal fin to prevent collision with pack ice. Physeterids and Kogiids consist of sperm whales . Sperm whales consist
4173-433: The blowhole , forming an upward, steamy spout, followed by inhaling fresh air into the lungs; a humpback whale's lungs can hold about 5,000 litres (1,300 US gal) of air. Spout shapes differ among species, which facilitates identification. All whales have a thick layer of blubber . In species that live near the poles, the blubber can be as thick as 11 inches (28 cm). This blubber can help with buoyancy (which
4280-405: The marine environment . Major anatomical changes included their hearing set-up that channeled vibrations from the jaw to the earbone ( Ambulocetus 49 mya ), a streamlined body and the growth of flukes on the tail ( Protocetus 43 mya), the migration of the nostrils toward the top of the cranium ( blowholes ), and the modification of the forelimbs into flippers ( Basilosaurus 35 mya), and
4387-417: The photic zone . Ziphiids consist of 22 species of beaked whale . These vary from size, to coloration, to distribution, but they all share a similar hunting style. They use a suction technique, aided by a pair of grooves on the underside of their head, not unlike the throat pleats on the rorquals , to feed. As a formal clade (a group which does not exclude any descendant taxon ), odontocetes also contains
Whale (disambiguation) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4494-424: The porpoises (Phocoenidae) and four or five living families of dolphins: oceanic dolphins ( Delphinidae ), South Asian river dolphins ( Platanistidae ), the possibly extinct Yangtze River dolphin ( Lipotidae ), South American river dolphins ( Iniidae ), and La Plata dolphin (Pontoporiidae). Whales are descendants of land-dwelling mammals of the artiodactyl order (even-toed ungulates). They are related to
4601-465: The "Swedenborg whale" as proposed by Emanuel Swedenborg in the 18th century, was by scientific consensus once thought to be the North Atlantic right whale. However, the 2013 results of DNA analysis of those fossil bones revealed that they were in fact those of the bowhead whale. As the "right" whale continued to float long after being killed, it was possible to 'flense' or strip the whale of blubber without having to take it on board ship. Combined with
4708-484: The 2.6 metres (8.5 ft) and 135 kilograms (298 lb) dwarf sperm whale to the 29.9 metres (98 ft) and 190 tonnes (210 short tons) blue whale , which is the largest known animal that has ever lived. The sperm whale is the largest toothed predator on Earth. Several whale species exhibit sexual dimorphism , in that the females are larger than males. Baleen whales have no teeth; instead, they have plates of baleen, fringe-like structures that enable them to expel
4815-420: The 2.6-metre (8.5 ft) and 135-kilogram (298 lb) dwarf sperm whale to the 34-metre (112 ft) and 190-metric-ton (210-short-ton) blue whale. Overall, they tend to dwarf other cetartiodactyls; the blue whale is the largest creature on Earth. Several species have female-biased sexual dimorphism, with the females being larger than the males. One exception is with the sperm whale, which has males larger than
4922-520: The American and Canadian Maine lobster fisheries to its "red list" of seafood species to avoid , for the same reason. The MSC and Seafood Watch led some retailers to stop selling Maine lobster . The decision was welcomed by whale-conservation groups, but opposed by the Maine lobster industry and elected officials in Maine, where the fishery is economically important. A 2011 analysis of data collected in
5029-471: The Azores had probably been a migratory corridor rather than a wintering ground). Recent studies revealed that modern counterparts of the eastern and western populations are genetically much closer to each other than previously thought. Right whales' habitat can be affected dramatically by climate changes along with Bowhead whales. In spring, summer and autumn, the western North Atlantic population feeds in
5136-561: The Inuit and the coastal peoples of Vietnam and Ghana, who sometimes hold whale funerals. Whales occasionally feature in literature and film. A famous example is the great white whale in Herman Melville 's novel Moby-Dick . Small whales, such as belugas , are sometimes kept in captivity and trained to perform tricks, but breeding success has been poor and the animals often die within a few months of capture. Whale watching has become
5243-577: The Navy to proceed. Anthropogenic climate change poses a clear and growing threat to right whales. Documented effects in the scientific literature include impacts on reproduction , range, prey access, interactions with human activities , and individual health condition. Climate-driven changes to ocean circulation and water temperatures have affected the species' foraging and habitat use patterns, with numerous harmful consequences. Warming waters lead to decreased abundance of an important prey species,
5350-440: The North Atlantic right whale, also known as the northern right whale or black right whale , is readily distinguished from other cetaceans by the absence of a dorsal fin on its broad back, short, paddle-like pectoral flippers and a long arching mouth that begins above the eye. Its coloration is dark grey to black, with some individuals occasionally having white patches on their stomachs or throats. Other unique features include
5457-1629: The North Pacific species. The largest measured specimens have been 18.5 m (61 ft) long and 106,000 kg (234,000 lb). Females are larger than males. Up to forty-five percent of a right whale's body weight is blubber . This high percentage causes their body to float after death due to the fact that blubber has a low density. There is little data on their lifespan but it is believed to be at least 70 years, although individuals in species closely related to right whales have been found to live more than 100 years. Currently, female North Atlantic Right whales live on average 45 years and males 65 years. Age of right whales can be determined by examining their earwax postmortem. Aside from mating activities performed by groups of single female and several males, so called SAG (Surface Active Group) , North Atlantic right whales seem less active compared to subspecies in southern hemisphere . However, this could be due to intense difference in number of surviving individuals, especially calves that tend to be more curious and playful than adults, and small amount of observations. They are also known to interact with other baleen whales especially with Humpback whales or Bottlenose dolphins . North Atlantic right whales recordings are available online. Many effective automated methods, such as signal processing, data mining, and machine learning techniques are used to detect and classify their calls. North Atlantic right whales are promiscuous breeders. They first give birth at age nine or ten after
SECTION 50
#17327971812805564-703: The TSS by 1 nautical mile (1.9 km) would reduce the relative risk of right whale ship strikes by 74% during April–July (63% from the ATBA and 11% from the narrowing of the TSS). In 2008, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and NOAA enacted a series of vessel speed restrictions to reduce ship collisions with North Atlantic right whales for ships in certain areas along the East Coast of
5671-554: The United States in order to reduce the probability of fatal ship strikes. The next greatest source of human-induced mortality is entanglement in fixed fishing gear such as bottom-set groundfish gillnet gear, cod traps and lobster pots . Between 1970 and October 2006, there have been 8 instances where entanglements have been the direct cause of death of North Atlantic right whales. This represents 11% of all deaths documented during that period. From 1986 to 2005, there were
5778-616: The abundance of zooplankton, posing a great risk for right whale populations that cannot rapidly adapt to a new food source. Decreased abundance of C. finmarchicus as well as shifting seasonal temperature and ocean circulation patterns have also driven right whales to feed in different places and at different time of years compared to historical data. This has meant whales are present in habitats and times of year that are not accounted for by existing regulations intended to protect them from threats such as vessel strikes and gear entanglements. This has led to an increase in whale deaths alongside
5885-573: The actual ship-strike mortality rates, since whales struck in offshore areas may never be sighted due to low search effort. In 2002, the International Maritime Organization shifted the location of the Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS, i.e. shipping lanes) in the Bay of Fundy (and approaches) from an area with the highest density of North Atlantic right whales to an area of lower density. This
5992-469: The annual right whale calving season. When entanglement prevention efforts fail, disentanglement efforts occasionally succeed, despite the fact that such efforts are more frequently impossible or unsuccessful. Nevertheless, they do in fact make a significant difference because saving a few whales in a population of only 400 has a large positive effect against mortality rates. Between 2004–2008 there were at least four documented cases of entanglements for which
6099-447: The baleen whales (Mysticetes) and the toothed whales (Odontocetes). Whales have torpedo-shaped bodies with non-flexible necks, limbs modified into flippers, non-existent external ear flaps, a large tail fin, and flat heads (with the exception of monodontids and ziphiids ). Whale skulls have small eye orbits, long snouts (with the exception of monodontids and ziphiids) and eyes placed on the sides of its head. Whales range in size from
6206-535: The closest living relatives of cetaceans are the hippopotamuses ; these share a semi-aquatic ancestor that branched off from other artiodactyls some 60 mya. Around 40 mya, a common ancestor between the two branched off into cetacea and anthracotheres ; nearly all anthracotheres became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene 2.5 mya, eventually leaving only one surviving lineage – the hippopotamus. Whales split into two separate parvorders around 34 mya –
6313-549: The coast of Massachusetts dragging fishing gear. The 17-year-old whale, who had been continuously entangled for at least 18 months, and was covered in lice and swimming slowly, was considered beyond saving by scientists. In 2022, the Marine Stewardship Council revoked its certification for the commercial Gulf of Maine lobster fishery , citing risks of entanglement of North American right whales in lobster-fishing gear. The same year, Seafood Watch added
6420-695: The colder waters of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres and migrate to the equator to give birth. Species such as humpbacks and blue whales are capable of travelling thousands of miles without feeding. Males typically mate with multiple females every year, but females only mate every two to three years. Calves are typically born in the spring and summer; females bear all the responsibility for raising them. Mothers in some species fast and nurse their young for one to two years. Once relentlessly hunted for their products, whales are now protected by international law. The North Atlantic right whales nearly became extinct in
6527-672: The commencement of the Seven Years' War (1756–1763). A few attempts were made to revive the trade, but they failed. Shore whaling continued sporadically into the 19th century. It had previously been assumed that Basque whaling in eastern Canada had been the primary cause for the depletion of the sub-population in the western North Atlantic, but later genetic studies disproved this. Setting out from Nantucket and New Bedford in Massachusetts and from Long Island , New York, Americans took up to one hundred right whales each year, with
SECTION 60
#17327971812806634-404: The concentration of myoglobin than haemoglobin. Before going on long dives, many whales exhibit a behaviour known as sounding; they stay close to the surface for a series of short, shallow dives while building their oxygen reserves, and then make a sounding dive. The whale ear has specific adaptations to the marine environment. In humans, the middle ear works as an impedance equalizer between
6741-405: The decrease in births, which together account for recent population decline. Even without accounting for deaths which are unreported and undocumented, the number of whale deaths between 2017 and 2020 exceeded the number of births, a trend that could lead to extinction if unaddressed. The Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) defines an Unusual Mortality Event (UME) as "a stranding event that
6848-405: The eastern North Atlantic, on the other hand—with a total population reaching into the low teens at most—scientists believe that they may already be functionally extinct . Vessel strikes and entanglement in fixed fishing gear , which together account for nearly half of all North Atlantic right whale mortality since 1970, are their two greatest threats to recovery. Like other right whales ,
6955-527: The entire North Atlantic (with mixing of eastern and western migratory routes occurring at locations in relatively high latitudes such as in the Denmark Strait ), and three sub-populations of eastern, western, and central Atlantic right whales (with the central stock ranging from Greenland's Cape Farewell in summer to the Azores , Bermuda , and Bahamas in winter, although recent study indicates that
7062-624: The evolutionary relationships between taxa . The point where a node branches off is analogous to an evolutionary branching – the diagram can be read left-to-right, much like a timeline. The following cladogram of the family Balaenidae serves to illustrate the current scientific consensus as to the relationships between the North Atlantic right whale and the other members of its family. E. glacialis North Atlantic right whale E. japonica North Pacific right whale E. australis Southern right whale B. mysticetus bowhead whale Another so-called species of right whale,
7169-553: The females. Odontocetes, such as the sperm whale, possess teeth with cementum cells overlying dentine cells. Unlike human teeth, which are composed mostly of enamel on the portion of the tooth outside of the gum, whale teeth have cementum outside the gum. Only in larger whales, where the cementum is worn away on the tip of the tooth, does enamel show. Mysticetes have large whalebone , as opposed to teeth, made of keratin. Mysticetes have two blowholes, whereas Odontocetes contain only one. Breathing involves expelling stale air from
7276-524: The huge mouthfuls of water they take in while retaining the krill and plankton they feed on. Because their heads are enormous—making up as much as 40% of their total body mass—and they have throat pleats that enable them to expand their mouths, they are able to take huge quantities of water into their mouth at a time. Baleen whales also have a well-developed sense of smell. Toothed whales, in contrast, have conical teeth adapted to catching fish or squid . They also have such keen hearing—whether above or below
7383-567: The intelligence of an animal. Since most of the brain is used for maintaining bodily functions, greater ratios of brain-to-body mass may increase the amount of brain mass available for more complex cognitive tasks. Allometric analysis indicates that mammalian brain size scales at approximately the ⅔ or ¾ exponent of the body mass. Comparison of a particular animal's brain size with the expected brain size based on such allometric analysis provides an encephalisation quotient that can be used as another indication of animal intelligence. Sperm whales have
7490-449: The intervention of disentanglement teams averted a likely death of a right whale. For the first time in 2009 and again in 2011, scientists successfully used chemical sedation of an entangled whale to reduce stress on the animal and to reduce the time spent working with it. After disentangling the whale, scientists attached a satellite tracking tag, administered a dose of antibiotics to treat entanglement wounds and then another drug to reverse
7597-946: The largely terrestrial mammalian clade Laurasiatheria . Whales do not form a clade or order ; the infraorder Cetacea includes dolphins and porpoises , which are not considered whales in the informal sense. The phylogenetic tree shows the relationships of whales and other mammals, with whale groups marked in green. ( carnivorans and allies) [REDACTED] ( horses , rhinos , tapirs ) [REDACTED] ( camels, llamas ) [REDACTED] ( pigs, hogs, peccaries ) [REDACTED] ( cattle , sheep , antelopes ) [REDACTED] ( hippos ) [REDACTED] ( † Ambulocetus , † Protocetus , † Basilosaurus ) ( right whales , grey whales , rorquals ) ( dolphins , porpoises , beluga whales , narwhals ) ( river dolphins ) ( sperm whales ) ( beaked whales ) Cetaceans are divided into two parvorders. The larger parvorder, Mysticeti (baleen whales),
7704-399: The largest and smallest odontocetes, and spend a large portion of their life hunting squid. P. macrocephalus spends most of its life in search of squid in the depths; these animals do not require any degree of light at all, in fact, blind sperm whales have been caught in perfect health. The behaviour of Kogiids remains largely unknown, but, due to their small lungs, they are thought to hunt in
7811-461: The largest brain mass of any animal on Earth, averaging 8,000 cubic centimetres (490 in ) and 7.8 kilograms (17 lb) in mature males, in comparison to the average human brain which averages 1,450 cubic centimetres (88 in ) in mature males. The brain-to-body mass ratio in some odontocetes, such as belugas and narwhals, is second only to humans. North Atlantic right whale The North Atlantic right whale ( Eubalaena glacialis )
7918-433: The mouth of Altamaha River , Cape Canaveral , Sebastian Inlet and around Melbourne . As the population grows, it's also highly possible that more whales would start using rivers or river mouths, shallow estuaries, smaller inlets or bays. Whales have already seen repeatedly at various of these such as Indian River Inlet , Delaware River , Cape Cod Canal , and Jacksonville Drum. In early 2009, scientists recorded
8025-517: The nearsightedness that results from the refraction of light; they contain both rod and cone cells, meaning they can see in both dim and bright light, but they have far more rod cells than they do cone cells. Whales do, however, lack short wavelength sensitive visual pigments in their cone cells indicating a more limited capacity for colour vision than most mammals. Most whales have slightly flattened eyeballs, enlarged pupils (which shrink as they surface to prevent damage), slightly flattened corneas and
8132-440: The neck vertebrae, while increasing stability when swimming at high speeds, decreases flexibility; whales are unable to turn their heads. When swimming, whales rely on their tail fin to propel them through the water. Flipper movement is continuous. Whales swim by moving their tail fin and lower body up and down, propelling themselves through vertical movement, while their flippers are mainly used for steering. Some species log out of
8239-429: The ocean surface. Sei whales and basking sharks (sometimes minke whales as well) are in positions as food competitors and are known to feed in the same areas, swimming next to each other, but there have not been any conflicts observed between these species. The whale's scientific name is Eubalaena glacialis , which means "good, or true, whale of the ice". The cladogram is a tool for visualizing and comparing
8346-417: The outside air's low impedance and the cochlear fluid's high impedance. In whales, and other marine mammals, there is no great difference between the outer and inner environments. Instead of sound passing through the outer ear to the middle ear, whales receive sound through the throat, from which it passes through a low-impedance fat-filled cavity to the inner ear. The whale ear is acoustically isolated from
8453-485: The potential dangers of anthropogenic noise disturbances to the overall health of this already critically endangered species. The US Navy proposed plans to build a new undersea naval sonar training range immediately adjacent to northern right whale calving grounds in shallow waters off the Florida/Georgia border. In September 2012, legal challenges by 12 environmental groups were denied in federal court, allowing
8560-401: The practice was banned globally in 1937. The ban was largely successful, although violations continued for several decades. Madeira took its last two right whales in 1967. For the period 1970 to October 2006, humans have been responsible for 48% of the 73 documented deaths of the North Atlantic right whale. A 2001 forecast showed a declining population trend in the late 1990s, and indicated
8667-440: The pulsed calls of belugas. Pulses in a click train are emitted at intervals of ≈35–50 milliseconds , and in general these inter-click intervals are slightly greater than the round-trip time of sound to the target. Whistles are narrow-band frequency modulated (FM) signals, used for communicative purposes, such as contact calls. Whales are known to teach, learn, cooperate, scheme, and grieve. The neocortex of many species of whale
8774-608: The records including one report of 29 whales killed in Cape Cod Bay in a single day during January 1700. By 1750, the North Atlantic right whale population was, for commercial purposes, depleted. Yankee whalers moved into the South Atlantic before the end of the 18th century. The population was so low by the mid-19th century that the famous Whitby whaler Rev. William Scoresby, son of the successful British whaler William Scoresby senior (1760–1829), claimed to have never seen
8881-494: The region unveiled a noteworthy decline in fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) stress hormones post-9/11 compared to pre-9/11. This data demonstrates a correlation between ship traffic noise and stress levels in the right whale population. Heightened ambient noise from increased ship activity may contribute to chronic stress in these marine mammals. Prolonged elevation of fGC stress hormones is associated with adverse effects on growth rate, reproduction, and overall immune health emphasizing
8988-556: The right whale's lack of speed through water, feeding habits, and coastal habitat, they were easy to catch, even for whalers equipped only with wooden boats and hand-held harpoons . Basques were the first to commercially hunt this species. They began whaling in the Bay of Biscay as early as the eleventh century. The whales were hunted initially for whale oil , but, as meat preservation technology improved, their value as food increased. Basque whalers reached eastern Canada by 1530. The last Basque whaling voyages were made prior to
9095-691: The right whale's skin as these small crustaceans cannot survive in open water. The relationship between cyamids and right whales is symbiotic in nature but is poorly understood by scientists. Callosities are not caused by the external environment and are present on fetuses before birth. However, Cyamids near the blowhole have been linked to chronic entanglement and other injuries; their presence in this area has been used as measure of individual health in visual health assessments. Adult North Atlantic right whales average 13–16 m (43–52 ft) in length and weigh approximately 40,000 to 70,000 kg (44 to 77 short tons), they are slightly smaller on average than
9202-464: The right whales. These animals have very large heads, which can make up as much as 40% of their body mass, and much of the head is the mouth. This allows them to take in large amounts of water into their mouths, letting them feed more effectively. Eschrichtiids have one living member: the grey whale. They are bottom feeders, mainly eating crustaceans and benthic invertebrates. They feed by turning on their sides and taking in water mixed with sediment, which
9309-527: The scarification of right whales over the years 1980 to 2009 showed that 82.9% of all North Atlantic right whales experienced at least one fishing gear entanglement, 59.0% have had more than one such experience, and an average of 15.5% of the population are entangled in fishing gear annually. In 2007, so as to protect northern right whales from serious injury or mortality from entanglement in gillnet gear in their calving area in Atlantic Ocean waters off
9416-691: The sedation. Despite concerns that the trauma might impair reproduction, researchers confirmed in January 2013 that three disentangled whales had given birth. Due to recently increased presences of right whales in Cape Breton to St. Lawrence regions, increases in entanglements and possible ship strikes have been confirmed as well including serious fatal cases involving three whales between June 24 and July 13, 2015. A female known as Snow Cone gained attention in September 2022 after being spotted off
9523-549: The sensation of taste. Whale vocalization is likely to serve several purposes. Some species, such as the humpback whale, communicate using melodic sounds, known as whale song . These sounds may be extremely loud, depending on the species. Humpback whales only have been heard making clicks, while toothed whales use sonar that may generate up to 20,000 watts of sound (+73 dBm or +43 dBw ) and be heard for many miles. Captive whales have occasionally been known to mimic human speech. Scientists have suggested this indicates
9630-515: The shrinking and eventual disappearance of the hind limbs (the first odontocetes and mysticetes 34 mya). Whale morphology shows several examples of convergent evolution , the most obvious being the streamlined fish-like body shape. Other examples include the use of echolocation for hunting in low light conditions — which is the same hearing adaptation used by bats — and, in the rorqual whales, jaw adaptations, similar to those found in pelicans , that enable engulfment feeding. Today,
9737-400: The skull by air-filled sinus pockets, which allow for greater directional hearing underwater. Odontocetes send out high-frequency clicks from an organ known as a melon . This melon consists of fat, and the skull of any such creature containing a melon will have a large depression. The melon size varies between species, the bigger the more dependent they are on it. A beaked whale for example has
9844-543: The southeast United States, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) revised regulations implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan (ALWTRP). This plan expands the restricted area to include the waters off of South Carolina, Georgia, and Northern Florida. It also prohibits gillnet fishing or even gillnet possession in those waters for a period of five months, beginning on November 15 of each year, which coincides with
9951-429: The sperm whale and bowhead whale, possess discrete rudimentary appendages, which may contain feet and digits. Whales are fast swimmers in comparison to seals, which typically cruise at 5–15 kn, or 9–28 kilometres per hour (5.6–17.4 mph); the fin whale, in comparison, can travel at speeds up to 47 kilometres per hour (29 mph) and the sperm whale can reach speeds of 35 kilometres per hour (22 mph). The fusing of
10058-461: The summer of 2017; research has since shown that whales had recently begun using the region consistently for the first time. It is not known how many populations of North Atlantic right whales existed prior to whaling, but the majority of studies usually consider that there were historically two populations, one each in the eastern and western North Atlantic. There are however two other hypotheses which claim, respectively, one super-population among
10165-526: The surface of the water—that some can survive even if they are blind. Some species, such as sperm whales, are particularly well adapted for diving to great depths to catch squid and other favoured prey. Whales evolved from land-living mammals, and must regularly surface to breathe air, although they can remain underwater for long periods of time. Some species, such as the sperm whale , can stay underwater for up to 90 minutes. They have blowholes (modified nostrils) located on top of their heads, through which air
10272-479: The survey conducted by the Canadian Whale Institute in 2006, three whales were detected off the peninsula. Some whales including cow and calf pairs also appear around Cape Breton Island with notable increasing regularities in recent years, notably since in 2014, and about 35 to 40 whales were confirmed around Prince Edward Island and Gaspe Peninsula in 2015. Further, the whales' regular range
10379-578: The twentieth century, with a population low of 450, and the North Pacific grey whale population is ranked Critically Endangered by the IUCN . Besides the threat from whalers, they also face threats from bycatch and marine pollution. The meat, blubber and baleen of whales have traditionally been used by indigenous peoples of the Arctic. Whales have been depicted in various cultures worldwide, notably by
10486-461: The water, which may allow them to travel faster. Their skeletal anatomy allows them to be fast swimmers. Most species have a dorsal fin . Whales are adapted for diving to great depths. In addition to their streamlined bodies, they can slow their heart rate to conserve oxygen; blood is rerouted from tissue tolerant of water pressure to the heart and brain among other organs; haemoglobin and myoglobin store oxygen in body tissue; and they have twice
10593-478: The water. Upon striking an object in the water, the sound waves bounce back at the whale. These vibrations are received through fatty tissues in the jaw, which is then rerouted into the ear-bone and into the brain where the vibrations are interpreted. All toothed whales are opportunistic, meaning they will eat anything they can fit in their throat because they are unable to chew. These animals rely on their well-developed flippers and tail fin to propel themselves through
10700-488: The water; they swim by moving their fore-flippers and tail fin up and down. Whale ribs loosely articulate with their thoracic vertebrae at the proximal end, but do not form a rigid rib cage. This adaptation allows the chest to compress during deep dives as the pressure increases. Mysticetes consist of four families: rorquals (balaenopterids) , cetotheriids , right whales (balaenids) , and grey whales (eschrichtiids) . The main difference between each family of mysticete
10807-672: The water; they swim by moving their fore-flippers and tail fin up and down. Whale ribs loosely articulate with their thoracic vertebrae at the proximal end, but they do not form a rigid rib cage. This adaptation allows the chest to compress during deep dives as opposed to resisting the force of water pressure. Excluding dolphins and porpoises, odontocetes consist of four families: belugas and narwhals (monodontids) , sperm whales (physeterids) , dwarf and pygmy sperm whales (kogiids) , and beaked whales (ziphiids) . The differences between families of odontocetes include size, feeding adaptations and distribution. Monodontids consist of two species:
10914-407: The west coasts where could have been frequented by whales potentially and might be re-colonized in the future such as Quoddy , Eastport , Plymouth Harbor , Sagamore Beach , Island of Nantucket , Florida Bay , Pamlico Sound , Gulf of Mexico (as far as to Texas ), Bahamas , Long Island Sound and vicinity to New York City , the mouth of Potomac River , Delaware and Chesapeake Bay ,
11021-549: The western North Atlantic in 2010, up from 361 in 2005. Distributions within other parts of Bay of Fundy is rather unknown, although whales are occasionally observed at various locations in northern parts such as in Baxters Harbour or at Campobello Island . Though their numbers are still scarce, some right whales migrate regularly into the Gulf of St. Lawrence , notably around the Gaspé Peninsula and in
11128-537: The whales' closest terrestrial living relatives. Mysticetes are also known as baleen whales. They have a pair of blowholes side by side and lack teeth; instead they have baleen plates which form a sieve-like structure in the upper jaw made of keratin, which they use to filter plankton from the water. Some whales, such as the humpback, reside in the polar regions where they feed on a reliable source of schooling fish and krill . These animals rely on their well-developed flippers and tail fin to propel themselves through
11235-469: The zooplankton Calanus finmarchicus . This reduction in prey availability affects the health of the right whale population in numerous ways. The most direct impacts are on the survival and reproductive success of individual whales, as lower C. finmarchicus densities have been associated with malnutrition-related health issues and difficulties successfully giving birth to and rearing calves. In 1998, zooplankton populations dropped dramatically following
11342-619: Was the first time the IMO had changed a TSS to help protect marine mammals. In 2006, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) established a set of recommended vessel routes to reduce ship strikes in four important eastern-US right whale habitats. In 2007, and again on June 1, 2009, NOAA changed the TSS servicing Boston to reduce vessel collisions with right whales and other whale species. NOAA estimated that implementing an "Area To Be Avoided" (ATBA) and narrowing
11449-409: Was the worst calving season since 2000, with only seven calves sighted – and one of those was believed to have died. This is significantly below the annual average of 20 calves per year over the last decade. As the gestation period for right whales is a year long, researchers believe that a lack of food in the whales' summer feeding grounds in the Bay of Fundy during the summer of 2010 may be linked to
#279720