Conservation
Scientific Classification
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Infraorder | Cetacea |
| Family | Balaenidae |
| Genus | Balaena |
| Binomial name | Balaena mysticetus |
Range Map
Description
The bowhead whale grows between 45-65 ft (14-20m) and weighs between 65 and 110 tons. Female whales are larger than males.
They live mainly on krill, copepods and other small and medium-sized crustaceans.
Bowhead whales are slow swimmers but can breach, flipper-slap, bobtail and spyhop. They give birth to a single calf after a gestation period of 13-14months.
They are named for their enormous, distinctive bow-shaped skull.
They are well adapted to life in their freezing home and can break through the ice to create its breathing holes.