Georgia Wildlife Federation

Edited from the Georgia Wildlife Web, by the University of Georgia's Museum of Natural History

Only about 300 North Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalaena glacialis) are alive today, according to the University of Georgia's Museum of Natural History. The Right Whale has been listed as Endangered by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. All Right Whales are protected from hunting by international agreements involving all major nations.

These behemoths — adults attain lengths ranging from 40 feet to 57 feet and weigh 40 to 50 tons — are dark brown to black, with white patches in the mid-belly and on the chin.

Right whales are known as baleen whales, lacking teeth, but instead having a baleen, or series of overlapping, long, fibrous-edged plate-like strips, which hang from the roof of the mouth. The baleen acts like a sieve and captures food — tiny plankton — as water is expelled by the whale's tongue. Right whales have about 250 pairs of black to dark brown baleen plates which may reach up to 6 feet in length.

The Right Whale lacks dorsal fins and ventral throat grooves or pleats characteristic in other whale species; pectoral fins are short, broad, and rounded.

Breeding occurs in the late summer and fall, with a single calf born 12 months later at the southern end of the whales' north-south migration routes, in the Atlantic Ocean just off the coast from the Florida-Georgia state line. The calf is about 15 feet in length at birth, and nurses for about one year before being weaned. An adult female gives birth only once every 3 years.

This migratory species inhabits most of the oceans of the world, including both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. These whales move along the south Atlantic coast between early January and late March as they migrate north for the summer, and do not return until late summer or early autumn.

The name "right whale" was given to the species by early whalers because they thought it the "right" or "correct" target to hunt. It swims slowly, making it relatively easy to hunt. It was abundant and not afraid of ships. It did not sink when killed and produced large amounts of whale oil. Migrating close to shore with females and calves frequenting inshore waters, the Right Whale was an easy target for the whaling industry through the 1800s, until its numbers became so low that it was no longer profitable to hunt. Maximum life span for this species has been estimated at about 40 years, although collisions with ships are now the main cause of mortality.

Editor's Note: GWF calls special attention to this highly endangered gentle giant with our newest tribute to the holidays. The Right Whale is one of two native Georgia species to be featured on our original holiday ornaments.