Download This Sample
This sample is exclusively for KidsKonnect members!
To download this worksheet, click the button below to signup for free (it only takes a minute) and you'll be brought right back to this page to start the download!
Sign Me Up
Table of Contents
Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera brydei) are tropical marine mammals from the baleen whale family. They are classified as one of the “great whales,” or rorquals, along with blue whales and humpback whales. Bryde’s whales are named after the Norwegian whaler Johan Bryde.
See the fact file below for more information on Bryde’s whales or you can download our 29-page Bryde’s whales worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
- The long and sleek bodies of Bryde’s whales are dark gray with a cream belly. Its head makes up about one-quarter of its entire body length.
- They possess a sickle-shaped dorsal fin about two-thirds of the way back along their bodies. In contrast to other baleen whales, the Bryde’s whale has three parallel ridges in front of its blowhole.
- Bryde’s whales have large eyes and a broad fluke or tail. Their pointed flippers are small and thin.
- These whales are filter feeders with between 40 and 70 throat grooves on their underside that expand while feeding, and 250 to 410 gray, coarse baleen plates on each side of their mouth to sieve their food from seawater.
- Sei whales resemble Bryde’s whales in appearance, but Bryde’s whales are smaller and prefer tropical waters. They likely have no sense of smell, but their vision and hearing appear to be similar to other whales.
TAXONOMY
- The Bryde’s whale is a monotypic species, meaning they belong to one species. Being a member of the baleen suborder, the Bryde’s whale lacks teeth in favor of bristled baleen plates that allow it to filter prey from the water.
- There are currently two distinct subspecies of Bryde’s whale. The smaller Eden’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni) is mostly found in coastal waters in the Indian and western Pacific oceans.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom | Animalia |
Phylum | Chordata |
Class | Mammalia |
Order | Artiodactyla |
Infraorder | Cetacea |
Family | Balaenopteridae |
Genus | Balaenoptera |
Species | Balaenoptera brydei, edeni |
- A larger version, known as the Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera edeni brydei), is mostly found in pelagic seas.
- The “pygmy form” of the Bryde’s whale, also known as the Omura’s whale, was discovered in the late 1970s and early 1980s (Balaenoptera omurai). Each subspecies has a unique habitat, genetic makeup, geographic distribution, and physical characteristics.
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE AND HABITAT
- Bryde’s whales are found in every ocean in the world. However, because they prefer water temperatures between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius, they travel only in the tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.
- They are pelagic and marine creatures that usually follow their food sources. Some Bryde’s whale populations become so accustomed to a place that they are referred to as “residents.”
- On the other hand, small whales from subtropical waters often migrate away from the equator during the year to avoid a lack of food and changes in water temperature. They head back again in the winter.
BEHAVIOR
- Typically, Bryde’s whales are spotted being solitary or in pairs. Nevertheless, there are reports of loosely assembled groups of 20 whales in feeding zones.
- They generally swim at 1 to 4 miles per hour, although they can reach speeds of 12 to 15 miles per hour.
- They spend most of the day within 50 feet of the water’s surface, and they can blow mist 10 to 13 feet into the air when they are at the surface of the sea.
- One of the more energetic rorqual species, the Bryde’s whale may dive for up to 20 minutes and frequently breaches out of the water for 5 to 15 minutes. They press their flukes to the side of their body when diving to depths of up to 1,000 feet.
- These marine creatures are vocal when communicating with each other as they generate short, loud sounds with low-frequency moans. They can repeat these calls every 1 to 3 minutes while moving. Whales call back and forth, and the type of call depends on the size of the group.
- Mothers and calves often feed together, but there are some whales who usually choose to feed alone. Individuals living offshore may feed in groups of up to 30, whereas those living near the coast may only feed in groups of 15 or fewer.
DIET AND NUTRITION
- Bryde’s whales eat microscopic prey. Their diet consists mainly of plankton, krill, and copepods (tiny crustaceans). They also feast on bigger crustaceans, such as crabs and shrimp, as well as a variety of small schooling fish.
- The inshore groups prefer fish such as anchovies, sardines, pilchards, herring, and mackerel. In contrast, offshore groups eat the krill of the genus Euphausia and copepods, cuttlefish, squid, and octopi.
- An estimated 1,320–1,450 pounds (600–660 kg) of food is consumed daily by Bryde’s whales. They hunt for food in the water column using various techniques, such as skimming the surface, lunging, and constructing bubble nets. They have also been observed eating the leftovers of other predators.
REPRODUCTION AND LIFE EXPECTANCY
- At the age of 10 to 13 years old, Bryde’s whales reach sexual maturity and are capable of breeding every other year. In tropical waters, the breeding and calving season peaks all year round; in subtropical waters, it occurs in the winter.
- Each mating season, females give birth to a single calf. Gestation lasts 11 to 12 months, and calves nurse for about six months. Calves usually are 3.4 meters long and weigh approximately 900 kg when born. The mother leaves her calf to care for itself after weaning.
- Bryde’s whales have a lifespan of 50 to 70 years in the wild. The oldest recorded was 72 years old.
PREDATORS AND THREATS
- Sharks and killer whales have been known to prey on Bryde’s whales. They try to swim away as quickly as possible when a predator approaches or is pursuing them.
- Bryde’s whale populations are exposed to various stressors and threats, including vessel strikes, pollution, ocean noise, and whaling in international waters.
- Bryde’s whales may be injured or killed by unintentional vessel strikes. Throughout their range, they are susceptible to vessel strikes.
- The risk of a vessel strike is significantly greater along the coast, with a high volume of ship and boat traffic.
- In the southern hemisphere, Bryde’s whales are the third most frequently reported species struck by vessels.
- Oil spills, plastic waste, and toxic chemicals from plastic build up in Bryde’s whales, seriously compromising their health and ability to reproduce. A few nations, including Japan, continue to hunt them for food and research purposes.
- Bryde’s whales rely on sound to navigate, communicate, find food, and avoid predators. They can be disturbed, confused, and even left stranded by noise from shipping, oil and gas exploration, and military sonar.
CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT
- According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the conservation status of Bryde’s whale is of the least concern as there are between 90 – 100,000 animals. The Marine Mammal Protection Act ensures protection for all Bryde’s whales.
- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries works to protect and conserve these marine mammals by reducing vessel strikes. This is done by ensuring that whales and vessels are kept apart. Their conservation efforts also include addressing ocean noise and other types of human effects; responding to Bryde’s whales that are stranded; and also educating the public regarding these sea creatures and the threats they face.
Bryde’s Whale Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about Bryde’s Whale across 29 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about Bryde’s Whale, which is a tropical marine mammal from the baleen whale family. It is classified as one of the “great whales,” or rorquals, along with blue whales and humpback whales.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Bryde’s Whale Facts
- Bryde’s Whale Profile
- Whale Captcha
- I Am Unique!
- The Rorquals
- Prey Hunting
- Mating Habits
- Unlocking Vocabulary
- Picture Analysis
- Spreading Awareness
- Whale Conservation
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Bryde’s whales extraordinary?
Dubbed the “great whales,” Bryde’s whale is part of the rorqual family alongside blue and humpback whales. Paying homage to Johan Bryde, a Norwegian who established whaling stations in South Africa shortly after the 20th century began, this majestic species was named in his honor.
How many Bryde’s whales are left?
With an estimated 90,000-100,000 animals worldwide, two-thirds of the population live in the Northern Hemisphere.
How giant are Bryde’s whales?
A fully grown Bryde’s whale can measure between 13-15 meters in length, yet the grandest mammal that ever existed – the blue whale – may stretch up to a whopping 33 meters.
Link/cite this page
If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source.
Link will appear as Bryde’s Whale Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, December 8, 2022
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.