North Pacific right whales are so-named because they are easy to approach and catch. Also, they are slow swimmers; their bodies float easily and are rich in blubber. So, hunters singled them out, and they were literally considered the “right” whales to kill and have been widely hunted nearly to the edge of extinction.
Hunting is no longer a threat because of the conservation laws made. Still, human activity, such as entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, ocean pollution, and warming oceans, has negatively impacted their population. These factors, among many others, can directly or indirectly affect their survival; today, no more than 500 individuals of this majestic animal remain alive.
Distribution
Pacific ocean
Okhotsk Sea
Gulf of Mexico
Bering Sea
Japan Sea
Canada
China
Japan
Korea
Mexico
North Korea
Russia
Taiwan
United StatesAnything we've missed?
Help us improve this page by suggesting edits. Glory never dies!
Suggest an editGet to know me
Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd / Group
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
