Bowhead Whale
Balaena mysticetus
IUCN: Least ConcernAbout Bowhead Whale
Bowhead whales are the longest-lived mammals on Earth, with some individuals confirmed to be over 200 years old. These Arctic specialists have the thickest blubber of any whale and can break through ice up to 2 feet thick.
Bowhead whales are named for their distinctive bow-shaped skull, which can be up to 16 feet long—about 40% of their body length. They have the longest baleen (up to 14 feet) and thickest blubber (up to 2 feet) of any whale species.
🌊 Habitat
Bowhead whales are the only large whale that spends its entire life in Arctic and subarctic waters. They're found in the seas around Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Russia, often in association with sea ice.
🦐 Diet & Feeding
Bowheads feed primarily on copepods and other tiny zooplankton, as well as krill and small fish. They're skim feeders, swimming slowly with their mouths open to filter food through their long baleen plates.
🐋 Behavior
Bowheads can break through ice up to 2 feet thick using their massive, reinforced skulls. They're known for their complex songs, which change from year to year. They're generally slow swimmers but can be surprisingly agile.
👶 Reproduction
Females give birth to a single calf after a 13-14 month gestation. Calves are about 15 feet long at birth and nurse for about a year. Bowheads have a slow reproductive rate, with females having calves every 3-4 years.
🛡️ Conservation Status
Bowhead whales are listed as Least Concern after recovering from commercial whaling. Current population estimates suggest about 10,000-25,000 individuals. Indigenous Arctic communities continue limited traditional subsistence hunting under international regulations.
Fun Facts About Bowhead Whale
Bowheads are the longest-lived mammals on Earth—some over 200 years old
Scientists found stone harpoon points from the 1800s in living bowheads
Their skulls can break through ice up to 2 feet thick
They have the longest baleen of any whale, up to 14 feet
Bowheads produce complex songs that change from year to year