Bowhead whale

SpeciesWhales, Dolphins and Porpoises

An Arctic and subarctic baleen whale, the only living species in the genus Balaena.

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Bowhead whale

Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises

The bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) is a baleen whale in the family Balaenidae and the only living representative of Balaena. Also called the Greenland right whale, Arctic whale, or polar whale, it is endemic to Arctic and subarctic waters. Its large triangular skull can break through Arctic ice. Bowheads have the largest mouth of any animal, long baleen plates, and may live for more than 200 years.

Scientific name: Balaena mysticetus
Range: Arctic and subarctic waters
Potential lifespan: More than 200 years

Sources and credits

Article: Bowhead whale (English Wikipedia)
Wikidata: Q174652
Text: Card text is adapted from the English Wikipedia article by an automated summary. Wikipedia content is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for its contributors. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Article history and contributors
Illustration: By Vicki Beaver, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA FIsheries, Marine Mammal Permit#14245. Public domain · File page on Wikimedia Commons
Vicki Beaver, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA FIsheries, Marine Mammal Permit#14245, https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/f7aa062d-aa47-4295-9e98-942be8b148ef
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