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Table of Contents
The North Pacific right whale species is known as Eubalaena japonica. They live in the Northern Pacific Ocean, which stretches along the California coast. The third species of the Eubalaena belongs to the giant baleen whales in the ocean, growing up to 52 feet and weighing over 120 tons.
See the fact file below for more information on Pacific Right Whale, or you can download our 28-page Pacific Right Whale worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Historical Background
- Explorers in the 16th century first discovered the Pacific right whale, but Sir John Narborough, a British naturalist, was the first to make a scientific record about these whales in 1791.
- The Europeans named them after the right Whale, the first whale species. They called them because they tend to be the right kind for whaling – easy to catch and floated once dead.
- The Pacific right whale, extensively hunted for their blubber, is used to make oil and as an additive in animal and machine fuels.
- A Pacific right whale hunted for its oil in 1857 has been harvested off the coast of Chile. It is the first record of a right whale being killed.
Appearance
- The Pacific right whale is the second-largest species of baleen whale, growing up to 52 feet long and weighing up to 120 tons.
- They are dark gray or black on the outside, with a white belly and a grayish-white underbelly. They have a large bulbous head, a long narrow nose, and a large mouth with large teeth.
- Male whales range from 14 to 17 m long, while females are usually longer than males. Males have the largest testes in the world.
- Adult whales can weigh up to 70 to 100 tons, while newborns can be 4 to 6 feet long.
- Several callosities emerge after birth, and the largest callosity is called a bonnet. Their callosities harbor barnacles (Cirripedia) and whale lice (Cyamidae), thus making them appear pink/orange. The pattern of their callosities is not expected to show until 7 to 10 months after birth, and their placement donβt change even if some of them break off as they grow.
Behavior & Diet
- They swim at a depth of 900 feet (270 m) with a speed of 11 mph (18 kph) as their migrate along the California coast.
- They belong to the largest mammals known to migrate in the ocean, spending their summers in warm-to-hot tropical and subtropical seas and their winters in polar waters.
- They produce one of the loudest sounds in the animal kingdom. It is measured at over 130 decibels. They use their large head and broad nasal passages to gather information about their surroundings and use their skin, the second thickest of any mammal, to reflect sound.
- They are the only whale species that travel in pods and are known for traveling in large groups. They are known for their complex interactions, believing to be one of the most intelligent whales.
- They usually live in pods of 10 to 15 whales. Pods are the term used for the group of whales.
- They are known for their acrobatic behavior and complex social structure.
- They are rorquals, which are a suborder of baleen whales. Like baleen whales, rorquals filter tiny organisms from the water that they consume, but unlike baleen whales, rorquals have a second pair of jaws that tear their prey apart.
- The diet of Pacific right whales consists primarily of krill and cephalopods. Right whales consume krill and also small fish, squid, and octopus. Some genetic evidence suggests that the diet of Pacific right whales has changed in the last few decades, becoming less dominated by krill as ocean conditions become more extreme and unpredictable. Other genetic evidence suggests that their diet has evolved less recently and their feeding habit has been highly consistent.
- Right whales have fed on shrimp, herring, and squid, but their primary food source is small schooling fish.
Habitat & Geographic Range
- They are most likely to migrate to higher latitudes when it is time for the spring or summer season. They are likely to be distributed according to the position of their prey.
- There are four reasons why they occupy a specific habitat: nursery, calving, feeding, and breeding areas. Nursery areas are places where they feed and suckle their young; these can be shallow coastal waters with a low latitude. Calving areas are for neonatal nursing and calving. Feeding areas are places they visit seasonally because of the dense population of their prey (copepod and krill). Finally, the breeding areas are where conception occurs.
- Breeding areas are in the warmer, southern waters of the Pacific Ocean and usually range from Japan to Russia to the west of Alaska and the west coast of North America in the East.
- In summer, Pacific right whales are found in the Sea of Okhotsk, Bering Sea, Aleutian Island chain, and the Gulf of Alaska. In winter, they are in the Sea of Japan, Taiwan straits, and Ogasawara Bunto going south of the coastal Baja California in the eastern Pacific.
- Most right whales inhabit an area in the deep ocean called the mesopelagic zone, where they feed on squid and other small schooling fish. The mesopelagic zone is also the primary habitat of the ghost shark, a species of deep-sea fish that preys on the right whale. The ghost shark has a long, skinny body, a large head, large eyes, and a small mouth that gives it a somewhat eel-like appearance.
- The habitat of the right whale ranges from the warm coastal waters to the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean. It has a total area of about 1,400,000 square kilometers, or 580,000 square miles, making it the world’s most enormous cetacean by geographic range. It extends primarily between the Bering Sea and the North Pacific, although it has crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
Threats
- Today, the primary cause of right whale deaths is entanglement in fishing gear and ship strikes.
- Sea lions, ghost sharks, and other predators are the most significant threats to the survival of the Pacific right whale.
- Illegal fishing, oil, and gas exploration also pose a threat to the species.
Population Status
- The greatest threat to their survival comes from industrial shipping and naval activities. In the late 1800s, annual mortality rates of right whales were around 10% and had reached epidemic levels.
- The Pacific Ocean population of the right whale is in a state of decline. Between 1980 and 1995, the population decreased by 50%, from 50,000 to only 24,000 animals. This is because of the mortality caused by ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.
- The population status of Pacific right whales has changed dramatically over the past two decades because of commercial whaling, primary-industry research, and the whaling ban. As of June 2016, their population is expected to be about 2,300, originally over 100,000 in 1993 (Chamberlain et al. 1999). It is supposed that their number will decline by 2022 and fluctuate as the population recovers.
Lifespan & Reproduction
- The Pacific right whale is also one of the most endangered. With a lifespan of around 70 years.
- Mating and reproduction are one of the most intriguing parts of the biology of the Pacific right whale species. During mating season, which takes place from spring to early summer, male Pacific right whales use loud calls and complex behaviors to attract females. Once a female is interested, she will approach the male, allowing him to rub his face against hers. It shows a display of dominance.
- When a female Pacific right whale is ready to mate, she will swim to the surface and emit a series of loud calls. Although females can reproduce without a male partner, once they reach the right age, females can join other female groups called schools. The schools breed together, and the females share parenting responsibilities. Each female has one to three offspring at a time.
Pacific Right Whale Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle that includes everything you need to know about the Pacific Right Whale across 28 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use worksheets that are perfect for teaching kids about the Pacific Right Whale, which is the third species of the Eubalaena belonging to the giant baleen whales.
Complete List of Included Worksheets
Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.
- Pacific Right Whale Facts
- How Whale Do You Know?
- Be a Conservationist
- Whalenatomy
- Whale Facts
- Word Creator
- The Right Whale Species
- Whale or False?
- The Migration
- Pacific Right Whale Info
- Illustrate it!
Frequently Asked Questions
How many North Pacific right whales are there?
There may be fewer than 500 North Pacific right whales remaining. Most sightings are of single whales, but sometimes small groups are seen. It is estimated that only about 30 eastern stock whales remain in Alaskan waters.
Why is the North Pacific right whale endangered?
Endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, these vaquitas are experiencing catastrophic declines. Small population size, vessel strikes, and entanglement in fishing gear are among the causes of their decline.
Will the right whale go extinct?
The North Atlantic right whale is close to extinction, with less than 450 remaining- this includes only 100 breeding females. If something doesn’t change, they will be completely extinct in the next 25 years.
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Link will appear as Pacific Right Whale Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 30, 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.