# Bowhead Whale (*Balaena mysticetus*) The Bowhead Whale is a massive, baleen whale known for its thick blubber and massive, curved mouth. They live in icy Arctic waters and can break through thick ice with their massive heads. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Arctic waters - **Also known as:** Arctic Whale, Greenland Right Whale ![Bowhead Whale](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425922/objects/5933.jpg) ## Appearance The Bowhead Whale is a massive, robust whale with a dark grey to black body. It has a distinctive, huge, arched head, about one-third of its total length, often featuring a white chin patch. Uniquely, it lacks a dorsal fin. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Cetacea - **Family:** Balaenidae - **Genus:** Balaena ## Interesting facts - Bowhead Whales are the only baleen whale that lives entirely in the Arctic. - Their giant mouth can be one-third of their entire body length! - These whales can dive for over an hour, holding their breath beneath the icy sea. - They have the thickest blubber of any animal, keeping them super warm! ## Special abilities - **Arctic Ice Breaker:** Bowhead Whales have an incredibly thick, strong skull that helps them break through sea ice up to 60 cm thick to breathe. - **Blubber Blanket:** Bowhead Whales have the thickest blubber of any animal, over 50 cm, that helps them stay warm in icy Arctic waters. - **Whisker Filter:** Bowhead Whales have the longest baleen plates, up to 4.3 meters, that help them filter tiny food from the ocean. - **Deep Sound Mapper:** Bowhead Whales can produce and hear low-frequency sounds that help them communicate and navigate under thick ice. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 1400-1800 cm - **Weight:** 50000-100000 kg - **Lifespan:** 100-200 years - **Speed:** 20 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 400-450 days ## Diet & Feeding These gentle giants filter huge amounts of tiny organisms from cold Arctic waters using special plates. - **Primary Foods:** Copepods, Krill, Amphipods, Other Zooplankton - **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Orca](https://www.snappit.app/explore/orca) (*Orcinus orca*) — Predator to young or injured Bowheads, though rare. - **Depends on:** Arctic Copepod (*Calanus hyperboreus*) — A primary food source for Bowhead Whales. - **Eats:** [Polar Bear](https://www.snappit.app/explore/polar-bear) (*Ursus maritimus*) — Scavenges on Bowhead Whale carcasses. - **Symbiotic with:** Whale Louse (*Cyamus ceti*) — Lives on the whale's skin, a benign relationship. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Singing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/singing): Singing animals produce complex vocalizations, often for purposes of attracting mates, defending territory, or communicating within their species. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Thermoregulating](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thermoregulating): Thermoregulating organisms maintain a stable internal body temperature despite fluctuations in the external environment. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Bowhead Whales are wild animals and should be observed from a safe distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bowhead Whale? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Bowhead Whale? 1400-1800 cm ### How much does Bowhead Whale weigh? 50000-100000 kg ### How long does Bowhead Whale live? 100-200 years ### How fast can Bowhead Whale move? 20 km/h ### What does Bowhead Whale eat? These gentle giants filter huge amounts of tiny organisms from cold Arctic waters using special plates. ### Where is Bowhead Whale usually found? Arctic waters ### How does Bowhead Whale hunt? Filter feeding ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Bowhead Whale: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bowhead-whale)