Distribution

• north Pacific and Atlantic oceans
• live in polar waters and migrate to sub-polar regions

Diet

• eat copepods

Description

• 13.5-17 meters in length
• weighs 40-80 tons
• 400-540 baleen plates
• plates about 3 meters each
• blue-black to brown in color
• identified by callosities on head

Behavior

• Active with breeching, lob tailing, and flipper-slapping

• Communicate through the following:

• Moan
• Burp

Population

• Less than 1,000
• endangered

Longevity

• unknown

Human influence

• once whaled
• legally protected in 1935

Other

• often confused with the Bowhead whale