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Bowhead Whale Facts & Worksheets

Bowhead Whale are primarily found in Arctic and subarctic regions, their name ‘bowhead’ is inspired by the bow-like shape of their skulls

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The Bowhead whale (scientific name: Balaena mysticetus) is a whale species from the Balaenidae family and is commonly known as the second-largest animal in the world. Primarily found in Arctic and subarctic regions, their name ‘bowhead’ is inspired by the bow-like shape of their skulls.

See the fact file below for more information on Bowhead Whale or alternatively, you can download our 30-page Bowhead Whale worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

BALEEN WHALES

  • Baleen whales are a family of marine mammals considered some of the largest animals in the world.
  • Their great size is the result of their aquatic habitat, allowing the species the potential to develop great length.
  • Large sizes are beneficial for adaptation, as this helps mammals retain their temperature, affording them more protection from predators and giving them an advantage when it comes to food consumption.
  • The blue whale is enormous with an average length of approx. 75-78 ft., and a mass of 130,000-150,000 kilograms. The record for the largest blue whale measures up to 110 ft., 17 in.
  • Common characteristics of baleen whales are their physical shape and their skin color. Most baleen whales have skin colors in variations of black and gray.
  • Baleen whales are toothless. They use baleen plates to consume their food. Located in their upper jaw, baleen plates allow them to feed on large amounts of prey while filtering out seawater.
  • The baleen whale comprises three extant families: Balaenidae, Balaenopteridae, and Cetotheriidae.
  • The Balaenidae family is divided into two major groups: Bowhead whales and Right whales. Right whales are further separated into three groups: Southern right whales, North Atlantic right whales, and North Pacific right whales.

INTRODUCTION TO BOWHEAD WHALES

  • Bowhead whales, also referred to as Greenland right whales,  are mammals that are part of the Balaenidae family.
  • Bowhead whales are considered the second-largest animal globally, can weigh up to 200,000 pounds, and grow up to 62 feet in length. They also have a very long lifespan, reaching an age of over 200 years.
  • The skeletal form of a bowhead whale comprises six different parts: skull, lower jaw, eye socket, shoulder, flipper, and tail.
  • One-third of their body length includes their colossal head. Their head is composed of their skull and lower jaw, with a curved mouth line.
  • Their bow-like skull inspired its name of bowhead whale. The skull of the bowhead whale is massive enough to break through Arctic ice.
  • The lower jaws of bowhead whales are usually black with white or grey patches or spots.

RIGHT WHALES: IN SUMMARY

  • Besides Bowhead whales, other species belong to the Belainidae family. Each species has its own similar and distinct characteristics and features.
  • Southern Right Whales (Eubalaena australis) are commonly found in the southern hemisphere.
  • Populations of this species are commonly found around South America, South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia.
  • Physically, they have a black body, with a white belly and patches around their chin. Their large head is covered in callosities.
  • Unlike bowhead whales, Southern right whales weigh up to 176,000 pounds and measure from 43-56 feet in length. Their lifespan extends up to 70 years. 
  • For nutrition, their diet commonly consists of copepods and krill.
  • North Atlantic Right Whales are a species of whale that primarily inhabits the Atlantic coastal waters. Still, they also travel offshore, mainly in New England and Canadian waters, for feeding and mating.
  • North Atlantic right whales weigh up to 200,000 pounds and measure from 45-64 feet in length. Their lifespan is at least 70 years. Similar to other right whales, their diet consists of copepods and zooplankton.
  • In appearance, they have black bodies with no dorsal fins, with bellies that could be black or with white patches. Similar to Southern right whales, they also have callosities on their enormous heads; however, the difference is that it appears white due to whale lice.
  • Since 2010, their population has experienced a continuous decrease in birth rate that is below average. Currently, their species is listed among the critically endangered species on the IUCN red list.
  • North Pacific Right Whales, suggested by their name, are a species of whales most commonly found in the North Pacific and Bering Sea, the marginal sea of the Northern Pacific Ocean.
  • Like other baleen whales, the North Pacific right whale weighs up to 200,000 pounds and measures from 45-64 feet in length. Their lifespan is at least 70 years. 
  • Their diet primarily includes zooplankton such as copepods, euphausiids, and cyprids.
  • Similar to other right whales, North Atlantic right whales have black bodies with white patches on the underside. Their large head makes up a quarter of their entire body. They also have callosities on their heads.
  • Unfortunately, their species are currently listed among the endangered species on the IUCN red list.

LIFE OF A BOWHEAD WHALE

  • Bowhead whales live in the polar Arctic waters of the northern hemisphere, in sea ice less than 200 meters deep.
  • Like other baleen whales, bowhead whales have a dark body but a unique white chin.
  • Primary food sources include krill and copepods, but they also eat small crustaceans, invertebrates, and fishes. When eating, they gulp down large amounts of water and food into their mouth and filter it through their baleen plates. The gulped water comes out through a blowhole that can be found on its head.
  • Scientists believe that per year, a bowhead whale needs to eat an estimated 220,000 pounds of crustaceans a year.
  • A bowhead whale takes a long time to mature. This is primarily because of their Arctic environment. But their slow growth rate accounts for their longer lifespan.
  • Baby bowheads are called calves. Calves can swim soon after birth. To stay well-nourished, calves remain close to their mothers for about a year to drink their milk. Calves are usually born with blue or grey skin, which darkens as they get older.
  • Bowhead whales don’t reach sexual maturity until they are 25 years old.
  • Bowhead whales are often observed hunting food in small groups.
  • To communicate with other species, they emit acoustic waves or sounds. These sounds can be a call between a mother and the calf or to look for a mate.
  • Breaching is a feature that describes to their ability to leap out of the water and fall back, creating a splash.

BOWHEAD AND INUITS

  • Inuit refers to the indigenous group of people that inhabit the Arctic and subarctic regions of Greenland, Canada, and Alaska.
  • These communities have hunted bowhead whales for thousands of years and use every part of them for different purposes.
  • Commonly, a bowhead can provide a year of building material.
  • A bowhead whale’s bones could be used for making tents, its meat to feed their dogs, and as an important source of protein,  vitamins, protein, fats, and minerals in their diet.

THREATS AND CONSERVATION 

  • Unlike North American right and North Pacific right whales, bowhead and Southern right whales both have the status of the most minor concern on the IUCN Red List.
  • However, despite this status, bowhead whales face threats to their habitat and population. These threats include severe overhunting activities, climate change, pollution, ocean acidification, and predation.
  • Orca whales, or killer whales, are the main predators of bowhead whales. Their methods against bowhead whales include attacking one as a group, called a pod. For a bowhead whale to escape the pod, and remain alive, it would attempt to swim toward land.
  • In protecting the bowhead whales, several measures for conservation and management were implemented.
  • The National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries or NMFS), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling (ICRW), among other conservation organizations, have done their best to implement these measures.
  • Several acts include minimizing ocean noise, researching the population structure of bowhead whales, reducing vessel strikes, and responding to bowhead whales that are dead, injured, or entangled.
  • The Ninginganiq National Wildlife Area in Nunavut, Canada, served has the first sanctuary for bowhead whales.
  • Several acts such as the Endangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1969, Whaling Convention Act, and Marine Mammal Protection Act are implemented that protect bowhead whales and other marine mammals in terms of regulation, conservation, and management of populations, and other related maritime offenses and prohibitions.

Bowhead Whale Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Bowhead Whale across 30 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching about Bowhead Whale which are primarily found in Arctic and subarctic regions, their name ‘bowhead’ is inspired by the bow-like shape of their skulls.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  • Bowhead Whale Facts
  • Polar Opposites
  • Uncharted Seas
  • Krusty Krab’s Menu
  • A Sea of Colors
  • Inuit’s Emporium
  • A Whale of Life
  • Bowhead Abode Ode
  • Whale Wordle
  • #Flipper
  • 3-2-1 Treasures

Frequently Asked Questions

How big are Bowhead Whales?

Considered the second-largest animal globally, bowhead whales weigh up to 200,000 pounds and grow as long as 62 feet.

Are Bowhead Whales endangered species?

Since 2010, their population has experienced a continuous decrease in birth rate that is below average. Currently, their species is listed among the critically endangered species on the IUCN red list.

What do Bowhead Whales eat?

Despite their enormous size, like many other species of whales, Bowhead Whales only eat zooplankton such as copepods, euphausiids, and cyprids.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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