Fin Whale

Fin Whale

Fin-backed whale, Finner, Razorback, Finback, Finback whale, Common rorqual, Herring whale, Razorback whale

Kingdom
Phylum
Subphylum
Class
Order
Infraorder
Genus
SPECIES
Balaenoptera physalus
Population size
100,000
Life Span
80-90 years
Top speed
40
25
km/hmph
km/h mph 
Weight
1.8-7
3968.3-15432.3
tlbs
t lbs 
Length
6.5-24
21.3-78.7
mft
m ft 

The Fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is a cetacean belonging to the parvorder of baleen whales. It is the second-longest species of cetacean on Earth after the Blue whale. American naturalist Roy Chapman Andrews called the fin whale "the greyhound of the sea... for its beautiful, slender body is built like a racing yacht and the animal can surpass the speed of the fastest ocean steamship." Like all other large whales, the fin whale was heavily hunted during the 20th century. As a result, it is now an endangered species.

Di

Diurnal

No

Nocturnal

Ca

Carnivore

Pi

Piscivores

Pl

Planktivore

Aq

Aquatic

Pr

Precocial

Co

Cosmopolitan

Na

Natatorial

Vi

Viviparous

Mo

Monogamy

So

Social

Mi

Migrating

F

starts with

Appearance

The Fin whale is brownish to dark or light gray dorsally and white ventrally. The left side of the head is dark gray, while the right side exhibits a complex pattern of contrasting light and dark markings. On the right lower jaw is a white or light gray "right mandible patch", which sometimes extends out as a light "blaze" laterally and dorsally unto the upper jaw and back to just behind the blowholes. Two narrow dark stripes originate from the eye and ear, the former widening into a large dark area on the shoulder - these are separated by a light area called the "interstripe wash". These markings are more prominent on individuals in the North Atlantic than in the North Pacific, where they can appear indistinct. The left side exhibits similar but much fainter markings. Dark, oval-shaped areas of pigment called "flipper shadows" extend below and posterior to the pectoral fins. This type of asymmetry is seen in Omura's whales and occasionally in minke whales. It was thought to have evolved because the whale swims on its right side when surface lunging and it sometimes circles to the right while at the surface above a prey patch. However, the whales just as often circle to the left. No accepted hypothesis explains the asymmetry. It has paired blowholes and a broad, flat, V-shaped rostrum. A light V-shaped marking, the chevron, begins behind the blowholes and extends back and then forward again. The Fin whale has a series of 56-100 pleats or grooves along the bottom of the body that run from the tip of the chin to the navel that allow the throat area to expand greatly during feeding. It has a curved, prominent dorsal fin that ranges in height from 26-75 cm (10-30 in), lying about three-quarters of the way along the back. Its flippers are small and tapered and its tail is wide, pointed at the tip, and notched in the center. When the whale surfaces, the dorsal fin is visible soon after the spout. The spout is vertical and narrow and can reach heights of 6 m (20 ft) or more.

Video

Distribution

Geography

This species is distributed throughout the globe, though it is rarely seen in tropical or icy polar seas. It is found in the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans. It has two subspecies: the northern fin whale, which inhabits the North Atlantic; and the southern fin whale, which lives in the Southern Ocean. It is the only rorqual found commonly in the Mediterranean. They inhabit the polar and temperate zones of major and open seas as well as, less commonly, the tropical oceans. They more commonly live in shelf and coastal waters, never in water that is less than a depth of 200 meters.

Fin Whale habitat map
Fin Whale habitat map
Fin Whale
Attribution-ShareAlike License

Habits and Lifestyle

Fin whales are one of the most sociable of whale species, often congregating in family groups of 6 to 10 members. Sometimes they gather in groups of almost 250 individuals during migration periods or near feeding grounds. This species is highly migratory: they usually live in colder feeding water during spring and early summer, and in autumn and winter they go back to warmer waters to breed. A fin whale is a filter feeder and hunts by swimming with its mouth open towards its prey, taking in large amounts of water as well as food. Fin whales communicate with loud low-pitched sounds. The purpose of these noises is unknown, but they may play a part in helping whales to locate each other or attract a mate.

Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Fin whales are carnivores (piscivores) and mainly eat plankton-sized animals including fish, crustaceans, and squid.

Mating Habits

MATING BEHAVIOR
REPRODUCTION SEASON
November-January; June-September
PREGNANCY DURATION
11-11.5 mont
BABY CARRYING
1 calf
INDEPENDENT AGE
6-8 months
FEMALE NAME
cow
MALE NAME
bull
BABY NAME
calf

Fin whales are regarded as monogamous, often being seen during the mating season in pairs. Mating takes place in the northern hemisphere between November and January, and the southern hemisphere between June to September. After an 11-11.5-month gestation period, one calf is born. A calf is precocial at birth and is able to swim as soon as it is born. A mother nurses her baby for 6 to 8 months. The calf is about 14 meters long when it is weaned, whereupon it travels to a polar feeding area with its mother and learns there to feed independently of its mother. Males become reproductively mature at 6-10 years of age. Females give birth to a calf every two years once they reach reproductive maturity between 3 to 12 years of age.

Population

Population threats

Fin whales, like other large whales, are threatened by changes to the environment, including habitat loss, climate change and toxins. At present, fin whales are threatened by manmade injuries, the most serious being collisions with boats. They are also threatened by commercial whaling. The majority of whale meat is bought on the Japanese market.

Population number

There are rough estimates of this species' populations for specific regions: North Atlantic - 53,000 whales; Mediterranean Sea - fewer than 10,000 whales; North Pacific - 17,000 whales; Southern Hemisphere - 38,185 whales. Currently, the Fin whale is classified as Endangered (EN).

Ecological niche

Fin whales have a place at the top of the food chain and an important role as regards the marine environment's overall health, consuming vast amounts of plankton as well as other prey items.

Fun Facts for Kids

  • Fin whales can expand their mouths and their throats while feeding due to the 100 or so pleats that go from the end of their bodies right to their mouths. The pleats enable the mouth cavity during feeding to engulf water, Fin whales are filter feeders, with 350 to 400 baleen plates that they use to catch very small up to medium-sized life that is suspended in the sea.
  • Fin whales can dive as deep as 230 meters and stay submerged for around 15 minutes. A fin whale's blow reaches six meters in height and is shaped like a slim cone.
  • Fin whales like to leap completely above the surface of the water as they come up to breathe. Doing this enables them to dive approximately 800 feet back down into the water.
  • Since a calf is not able to suckle, the mother sprays her milk into the baby's mouth. Feeding occurs throughout the day at intervals of 8 to 10 minutes.
  • The Fin whale is the second largest animal in the world, the blue whale being the largest.
  • The shape of their backs and their small pointed dorsal fins have given these whales another name, which is razorback.

Coloring Pages

References

1. Fin Whale Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fin_whale
2. Fin Whale on The IUCN Red List site - http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/2478/0

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