Northern Pacific right whale
| Northern Pacific right whale | ||||||||||||
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Northern Pacific right whale ( Eubalaena japonica ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Eubalaena japonica | ||||||||||||
| ( Lacépède , 1818) |
The northern Pacific right whale ( Eubalaena japonica ) is a species of whale from the family of the right whale (Balaenidae). Until recently, the species was combined with the northern right whale in a common species, but DNA studies have shown that it is a separate species.
features
The northern Pacific right whale is outwardly indistinguishable from the northern Atlantic right whale, but it becomes slightly longer at up to 18.5 meters, with the females being slightly larger than the males. The weight is up to 80 tons. Northern right whales are large, well-built and dark whales without a fin or hump. Only on the abdomen in the genital area is there an irregular white spot that varies between individuals. The head is large and covered with calluses that are individually designed for each animal. Usually there are fewer than the Atlantic right whale. The line of the mouth is strongly curved. The flippers are large and spatula-shaped with sticking out finger bones.
Way of life
Northern Pacific right whales feed on copepods and other small crustaceans . They are slow but agile swimmers who jump frequently. The reproduction rate is low, with females only giving birth to a calf every three to five years from the age of 6 to 12 years. The rate of reproduction is further reduced by the fact that the majority of the population is made up of males. The ratio is between 1: 2 and 1: 9, depending on the estimate.
distribution
The distribution area includes the northern Pacific from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska . The species is rarely seen off Mexico. The females give birth before Japan.
threat
The northern Pacific right whale, like the northern Atlantic right whale, was hunted intensively, especially after the collapse of the Atlantic stocks. It is estimated that around 26,500 to 37,000 animals were killed between 1839 and 1909. In the 1960s, around 500 more animals were illegally caught by Soviet whalers. Today accidents with ships, entanglement in nets and environmental pollution are the main causes of danger. The population is estimated at around 400 animals in the Sea of Okhotsk and only around 30 animals in the Eastern Pacific. The species as a whole is listed as Endangered on the Red List of Endangered Species , the East Pacific population is threatened with extinction and it is uncertain whether it can even recover.
swell
Individual evidence
- ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from May 14, 2017 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ^ Publication at biology letters
literature
- Mark Carwardine : Whales and Dolphins . Delius Klasing, Bielefeld 2008, ISBN 978-3-7688-2473-6 , p. 47-48 .
- Hadoram Shirihai : marine mammals. All 129 species worldwide . Illustrated by Brett Jarett. Franckh-Kosmos, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-440-11277-9 , pp. 36-37 .
Web links
- Eubalaena japonica in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2008. Posted by: SB Reilly u. a., 2008. Retrieved July 1, 2010.