Right Whale 6.5"

Right whales are a group of large marine mammals belonging to the family Balaenidae. They are called "right" whales because they were considered the "right" whales to hunt during the whaling era, due to their slow swimming speed, tendency to float when killed, and high yield of valuable blubber and oil. Today, right whales are one of the most endangered whale species in the world, with only about 400 individuals remaining.

There are three species of right whales: the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis), the North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica), and the Southern right whale (Eubalaena australis). They are characterized by their large heads, which can make up a third of their body length, and the absence of a dorsal fin. They are also known for their distinctive V-shaped blow, which is created by their two blowholes.

Right whales are baleen whales, meaning they feed by filtering small prey such as krill and copepods through comb-like structures in their mouths called baleen plates. They are migratory animals, traveling long distances between their summer feeding grounds in cold, nutrient-rich waters and their winter breeding and calving grounds in warmer waters.

Conservation efforts for right whales include strict regulations on fishing and shipping activities in their habitats, as well as monitoring and protection programs. Despite these efforts, right whales continue to face threats from entanglement in fishing gear, ship strikes, and climate change.