Black Right Whale
Balaena mysticetus
The bowhead whale, sometimes known as the Greenland right whale, Arctic whale, and polar whale, is a species of baleen whale belonging to the family Balaenidae and is the only living representative of the genus Balaena. It is the only baleen whale endemic to the Arctic and subarctic waters, and is named after its characteristic massive triangular skull, which it uses to break through Arctic ice.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowhead_whale
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Cetacea
Family
Balaenidae
Genus
Balaena
Black Right Whale belongs to the family Balaenidae, order Cetacea, within the Mammalia class.
Species Profile
The bowhead whale, sometimes known as the Greenland right whale, Arctic whale, and polar whale, is a species of baleen whale belonging to the family Balaenidae and is the only living representative of the genus Balaena. It is the only baleen whale endemic to the Arctic and subarctic waters, and is named after its characteristic massive triangular skull, which it uses to break through Arctic ice.
The bowhead whale faces severe threats from climate change-induced Arctic ice loss, which disrupts feeding patterns and habitat availability in ice-edge environments. Ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, and increasing vessel traffic in newly accessible Arctic waters pose additional significant risks to this slow-moving species.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Arctic and subarctic waters, particularly ice-edge environments and pack ice zones where they feed on zooplankton and small schooling fish. They inhabit shallow coastal waters during summer months and move to ice-covered areas during winter.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered
The bowhead whale faces severe threats from climate change-induced Arctic ice loss, which disrupts feeding patterns and habitat availability in ice-edge environments. Ship strikes, entanglement in fishing gear, and increasing vessel traffic in newly accessible Arctic waters pose additional significant risks to this slow-moving species.
Climate change and sea ice loss
Entanglement in fishing gear
Ship strikes from increased Arctic shipping
Oil and gas development in Arctic waters
Underwater noise pollution
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Black Right Whale (Balaena mysticetus). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/black-right-whale