KEYWORDS: right whale species right whale fact sheet Eubalaena glacialis North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena japonica North Pacific right whale Eubalaena australis southern right whale

The right whale may have received its name from whalers who thought that it was the “right” whale to kill because it was correct commercially (oil came from whales in those days), or because it was considered “proper” or “true” which meant typical of whales in general. They were easy targets, if you could ever call going out in small boats with harpoons and lances an ‘easy’ business.

Right whales swim slowly and float when dead, which was important in those days. The exploitation of the right whale began in the Bay of Biscay in Spain by the 12th century and continued, especially in the North Atlantic, for many centuries. Despite being protected since the 1930s, the right whale is today the most endangered of all the great whales. Right Whale (Eubalaena) Fact Sheet »»

KEYWORDS: orca fact sheet killer whale fact sheet odontocete toothed whale largest dolphin facts whale genus species

AUTHOR:

The orca, or killer whale, with its striking black and white coloring, is one of the best known of all the cetaceans. It has been extensively studied in the wild and is often the main attraction at many sea parks and aquaria.

An odontocete, or toothed whale, the orca is known for being a carnivorous, fast and skillful hunter, with a complex social structure and a cosmopolitan distribution (orcas are found in all the oceans of the world). Sometimes called “the wolf of the sea” orca can be a fierce hunter with well-organized hunting techniques, although there are no documented cases of killer whales attacking a human in the wild. Orca (Killer Whale) Fact Sheet »»

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AUTHOR: Lynda V. Mapes, Seattle Times staff reporter

POSSESSION BAY – Languid and liquid as the swells it surfs, the gray whale gives a mighty blow then arcs gracefully in a dive for the bottom.

Its explosive “Pffffooooffffh!” is arresting, and a reminder of our common breath: This is no giant fish from the depths, but a mammal, like us.

The grays’ migration off the coast – one of the longest undertaken by any mammal – is one of the rites of spring. The grays make it look easy, knocking off the 4,300-mile, one-way journey in just 54 days, swimming at a walking pace around the clock. And some grays go even farther – swimming as much as 5,000 miles.

Whales of controversial Makah hunt now making annual trek »»