• Key Information

  • Baleen Whales

  • Species
    16 species: Balaenopteridae, Balaenidae, Cetotheriidae
  • Diet
    Carnivore
  • Length
    20 to 102 ft
  • Weight
    6,600 lb to 190 tonnes
  • Lifespan
    Possibly up to 100 years
  • Classification
    Mammalia > Cetacea > Mysticeti
  • Conservation Status
    Varies, many threatened or endangered
  • Habitat
    Often polar regions, but generally global
  • Learning Point
  • The baleen whales are a family of whales that include the largest animals to have ever lived. They include the blue whale, as well as the humpback whale, fin whales and right whales, and many are capable of travelling vast distances. Thye also "sing", with the humpback whale being the most famous for it.
  • Project
  • Draw a pod of whales.
  • Media
  • Location
  • Places
    Worldwide, often Polar regions
  • Fun Facts
  • The blue whale is the largest animal to have ever lived, and may reach over 200 tonnes.
  • The humpback whale "sings", something many of the baleen whales do, but which the humpback is well known for doing.
  • Baleen whales have often decreased in number compared to before whaling started. The blue whale, for example, had a population of around 275,000, which decreased to as low as 650 in the 1960s, though it has recovered since then.
  • Baleen whales have few if any taste buds, suggesting they have no sense of taste, they can taste saltiness.