Bowhead whale: facts. The bowhead whale is an inhabitant of polar waters. How much does a bowhead whale weigh?

A baleen whale that lives in the polar regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Maximum length: 20 m (females), 18 m (males); the weight of an adult animal is from 75 to 100 tons. The maximum recorded weight is 150 tons. Life expectancy is about 40 years. It dives to a depth of 200 m and can remain underwater for up to 40 minutes. Average speed is about 20 km/h. Bowhead whales feed exclusively on plankton, consuming more than 1.5 tons of it daily.

It is quite easy to recognize this whale: its dark body and massive head have a huge curved mouth and a narrow snout with a white chin. The head makes up 1/3 of the entire body length. The massive skull makes the whale extremely heavy. It lacks a dorsal fin and does not have growths, like other cetaceans. They have the largest baleen, reaching 4.5 meters in height in adult whales. They have two humps, clearly visible in profile.

It is very difficult to observe bowhead whales - they live in the cold waters of the northern hemisphere, where there are very difficult climatic conditions. In addition, observations are complicated by the natural isolation of whales and their small population.

Several interesting facts are associated with bowhead whales:

These animals never repeat their mating song twice, but compose a new one every year. Scientists attribute this musical diversity in males to their desire to remain attractive to the opposite sex and have as many different partners as possible, spreading their genes;
On the island of Ittyrgan there is Whale Alley, built from 60 skulls and 30 jaws of bowhead whales. The entire structure is supported by hundreds of specially placed stones. This building dates back to the 15th century AD;
This whale holds the record for longevity among vertebrates, living up to 211 years.
The whale has a very strong sense of responsibility for its children. Protecting her child, the female rushes at all potential enemies, showering them with blows from her tail. However, if there is no threat, then the bowhead whale is very cowardly, and even a bird landing on it can terrify the animal, forcing it to dive 200-300 meters under water.
A German naturalist said interestingly about intelligence that if a whale had a mind corresponding to its height and strength, then not only boats, but not even a single ship could withstand their blows, they would become the only and exclusive masters of the ocean.

Despite their love for polar latitudes, whales do not like to be among drifting ice, and once in such an “environment” they are forced to fight their way to open water breaking ice up to 30 cm thick. Despite its massive size, which allows it to work as an icebreaker, the bowhead whale sometimes dies, suffocating under thick ice. The local population discovers such places where whales die by swollen ice.

Chukotka sea hunters harpooned a bowhead whale for the first time in three years, in addition to the 123 smaller gray whales killed this season, said Yuri Tototto, executive director of the Chukotka Sea Hunters Union. The first bowhead whale in Chukotka since 2010 was caught by sea hunters in the village of Sireniki.

A complete ban on the hunting of whales listed in the Red Book has been in effect since 1947. Their fishing, which is not profitable, is allowed only to the indigenous residents of Chukotka to maintain traditional economic activity and preservation of identity. Whale meat is also an important component of the diet of residents of coastal villages.

In accordance with the new rules for aboriginal whaling adopted by the International Whaling Commission, starting this year, Chukotka has been allocated a quota of 720 gray and 30 bowhead whales for six years.

For this year, we agreed to keep the previous order and distributed 134 gray and 2 bowhead whales among the communities (another gray and three bowheads are in reserve). 123 gray whales have already been brought ashore, divided among indigenous people, or kept for safekeeping. At the same time, the regional budget subsidizes the cost of harvesting 122 animals, the agency’s interlocutor added. He clarified that the region's whalers could have produced more, but now the volume of production for all types of marine mammals fully satisfies the needs of the northerners.

Now in Chukotka there are 8 territorial-neighboring communities of marine hunters, in which about 325 fishermen work.

Due to their enormous size and weight, reaching up to 40-45 tons, Greenlanders are very difficult to transport, pull ashore and cut up. It is no coincidence that the main emphasis has traditionally been on catching smaller, although more aggressive, gray whales.

What types of whales are there?

149 – sperm whale (149a - general view, 149b - tail shape, 149c - front fountain, 149d - silhouette and side fountain);
150 – gray whale(150a - general view, 150b - tail shape, 150c - front fountain, 150d - silhouette when emerging);
152 – bowhead whale(152a - general view, 152b - tail shape, 152c - front fountain, 152d - silhouette and side fountain);
153 - southern whale;
154 - humpback(154a - general view, 154b - tail shape, 154c - front fountain, 154d - silhouette when emerging).

The bowhead whale is the most vulnerable mammal in Russia

How long does a bowhead whale live?

The bowhead whale is a long-liver, many individuals live more than a hundred and even up to two hundred years. This is the only species of baleen whale that spends its entire life in polar waters. According to reports, the bowhead whale population migrates from the northern part of Sea of Okhotsk in its southwestern part and runs along the northern part of the West Kamchatka shelf.

Sizes of the bowhead whale

The size of the whale is incredibly large; the bowhead whale can be considered the largest animal on earth. An adult weighs about 72-91 tons, with a length of 16-18.5 m. The female is larger than the male, however, all baleen whales have this feature. The skin of the bowhead whale is usually black with a white stripe on the lower part of the snout. The whales are dark blue in color. The bowhead whale does not have a dorsal fin. It has 2 short narrow fins, and a tail fin eight meters wide.

What do bowhead whales eat?

Bowhead whales feed seasonally, filtering plankton and very small crustaceans from the water mass, such as krill, copepods, pteropods and others. They swim slowly with their mouths open, constantly feeding. They sometimes feed from the bottom, filtering dirt from the ocean floor. Whalebone has enormous filtering capacity; it is capable of filtering very small crustaceans from the water mass. The bowhead whale has about 350 pairs of platforms on its jaws, from which hang silvery baleen “bristles.” These whales have the longest and at the same time smallest baleen of all whales, about 4.5 meters long and only 36 cm wide.

How bowhead whales breathe

Whales breathe air near the surface of the water, through two blowholes located on the surface of the head. A bowhead whale can stay underwater without air for about an hour, but the dive usually lasts four to fifteen minutes. They can descend to a depth of 155 meters. They inhale 1-2 times when resting, and 4-6 times when preparing for diving. When a whale blows water, the water flow rises up to 6 meters above the water level. The bowhead whale can break through ice up to 30 centimeters thick to breathe. They use echolocation to determine the thickness of the ice.

How bowhead whales move

During migration, whales move at speeds of 2-7 miles per hour, but in times of danger they can reach speeds of up to 10-12 miles per hour over short distances. While feeding, they move very slowly, approximately 1.2-2.5 miles per hour. The whales usually live in Arctic waters and may migrate to more food-rich waters in the spring. During migration, whales perform vocalizations with a frequency of 50-300 Hz. These sounds can also be used to locate large masses of krill and to communicate with other whales. They usually live in groups of 2-3 individuals, but in the spring the flock can reach 50 individuals.

How do bowhead whales reproduce?

The gestation period is 12-16 months, the baby whale is born tail first, near the surface of the water. A newborn instinctively swims to the surface of the water for his first breath, naturally with the help of his mother. After 30 seconds, the baby whale can already swim on its own. The newborn is about 17 feet long. Twins are truly rare for whales. The baby whale is fed with mother's milk for a year after birth. Mother and child can stay together for about two years. Puberty in bowhead whales occurs at approximately 6 years, with an average lifespan of 40 years. The population of this species of whale is about 8,000-12,000 individuals and is endangered.

Bowhead whales in Russia

The most vulnerable and smallest species of marine mammals in Russia are bowhead whales, of which there are about two hundred left in the Sea of Okhotsk, said UN Development Program (UNDP) expert Vasily Spiridonov. However, he noted that the population is under threat due to its small numbers, and not due to any specific reasons.

A complete ban on the hunting of whales listed in the Red Book has been in effect since 1947. Their fishing, which is not profitable, is allowed only to the indigenous residents of Chukotka to maintain traditional economic activities and preserve their identity. Whale meat is also an important component of the diet of residents of coastal villages.

Now in Chukotka there are 8 territorial-neighboring communities of marine hunters, in which about 325 fishermen work.

What types of whales are there?

The bowhead whale is the most vulnerable mammal in Russia

How long does a bowhead whale live?

The bowhead whale is a long-liver, many individuals live more than a hundred and even up to two hundred years. This is the only species of baleen whale that spends its entire life in polar waters. According to available data, the bowhead whale population migrates from the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk to its southwestern part at the end of August and passes along the northern part of the West Kamchatka shelf.

Sizes of the bowhead whale

What do bowhead whales eat?

How bowhead whales breathe

How bowhead whales move

How do bowhead whales reproduce?

Bowhead whales in Russia

The bowhead (or polar) whale is a representative of the suborder of toothless whales. Another name for this suborder is baleen whales.

belongs to the genus of the same name and forms a separate species.

Bowhead whale - interesting facts About 200 years ago, this mammal was found throughout the Arctic Ocean. Today their numbers have noticeably decreased. Now it can be found in the Chukchi, Bering and East Siberian seas, rarely in the Beaufort Sea. In the west of the Arctic Ocean it is found in the northern part Barents Sea

and near Franz Josef Land and Spitsbergen. Very rarely swims into the waters adjacent to Jan Mayen Island. It usually swims and searches for food in surface waters; it tries not to dive to depths, although it dives well to depths of up to 300 meters.

The body of this mammal reaches 21 meters in length. But this is an indicator for a male, females are smaller, their body reaches 18 meters in length. The body weight of the bowhead whale varies from 70 to 110 tons.

The bowhead whale does not have a dorsal fin. But it has a powerful tail and side fins. The mammal's small eyes are located near the corners of the mouth. The oral cavity is large, filled with flexible vertical plates of whalebone. These plates reach 4.5 meters in length. Each of them has a fringe. The number of these plates reaches four hundred. The bowhead whale's body is usually dark gray in color. The body of some individuals may be dark blue or black. The neck, lower jaw, and often the belly are light in color. Looks completely different.

Bowhead whale: behavior and nutrition

The diet is based on plankton, namely: fish larvae and eggs, small crustaceans, and pteropods. This mammal eats approximately 2000 kg of this food per day. The whale swims at speeds of up to 15 km/hour.

often makes jumps. This is a very interesting sight: a huge mammal emerges halfway out of the water and then falls to the side. The bowhead whale is constantly in a state of migration. IN summer period he floats away into the cold northern waters

, returns to the coastal areas in winter. The ice on its path does not create obstacles; the animal easily breaks the ice, the thickness of which can reach 20 cm. Whales migrate in an organized manner, the school forms a wedge and swims. Such organization increases the efficiency of hunting. Arriving at the place, the group breaks up. Some of the animals lead a solitary lifestyle, some individuals can gather in small flocks. The whale breathes very interestingly: to clear its lungs of nitrogen, it releases fountains of water into the air. It prefers to sleep almost on the very surface of the water.

Bowhead whale: reproduction, life expectancy In early spring, whales migrate to northern waters. It is there, in cold water females give birth to young. This occurs from April to July. The body of a newborn reaches a length of 4-5 meters, but how much it weighs at birth is not known. The female feeds the cub with milk for 6 months. These whales have not yet been studied enough. They live in harsh conditions on Far North
. Most of their life is spent in ice, which makes them very difficult to study. There is an opinion among scientists that there are two species of whale living in the Arctic Ocean, and not one, but this theory requires proof.

The mating season occurs at the same time of year as childbirth. The bowhead whale's gestation period is about 13 months. Females can give birth to offspring once every 3 years. Therefore, at the same time, some females give birth, while others only mate. A newborn whale has a lighter color than its parents. At the age of one year the skin darkens. The bowhead whale lives for about 40 years, although some experts suggest that its actual lifespan is 100 years.

Enemies of the bowhead whale

Due to its size, the bowhead whale has almost no enemies in the vast expanses of the Arctic Ocean. Only killer whales, whose second name is killer whales, are dangerous for them. They often attack bowhead whales and other marine mammals, but the damage they cause is much less than the damage to humans. People shot these mammals en masse and their population today is negligible. Now bowhead whale, photo see below? included in the International Red Book. Fishing for this mammal is prohibited.

Life on Earth originated in water many hundreds of millions of years ago, but as time passed, during the course of evolution, marine life moved to land and began to develop on land. But proud and majestic whales, which are perhaps the largest animals on the planet, remained to live in the oceans of the planet. And in all oceans, even northern ones. In conditions unsuitable for life, among the eternal cold and frost, one of the species lives - bowhead whales.

The bowhead (or polar) whale not so long ago - some 150-200 years ago - was found throughout the Arctic Ocean in huge quantities. The ships sailing through the waters literally maneuvered in all directions between the swimming fish. In modern times, there are significantly fewer of them, according to scientists - no more than ten to eleven thousand. What is this marine waterfowl like?

Description and appearance

When describing the bowhead whale, we should start with the size, and they are impressive - males reach a length of 18-19 meters, and the females of these animals are slightly larger - their length can be 22-23 meters. Adult whales gain weight up to 100 tons, but this is not the limit - some specimens weigh 150 tons.

The animal’s skull is very massive, its length is almost a third of the total body length, tiny eyes are located on both edges of the huge mouth. The lower U-shaped jaw is slightly larger than the upper and protrudes slightly forward. All organs of touch - vibrissae (popularly called whalebone) are located on it. They are very thin and quite long - 5-5.5 meters, there are more than three hundred of them. The animal's muzzle narrows and becomes sharper towards the end.

The animal does not have clearly defined ears, but its hearing is excellent. The structure of the inner ear allows us to perceive sound waves not only in the usual format and in a wide range, but also in ultrasound.

On the crown of the head of the gigantic fish there is a blowhole - two not very large slits through which the whale releases six-meter fountains of sea water with enormous force. The force of the released liquid is so powerful that the jets break through ice thirty centimeters thick.

There is no fin on the back of the sea creature, but there are two humps. They are clearly visible when looking at the whale from the side. The pectoral fins look like oars - wide, not very long and with rounded tips. The giant's heart is huge - about the size of a car and weighs about half a ton.

Under the skin of the animal there is an impressive layer - up to 70 centimeters - of fat, which serves as reliable protection from the deadly cold of the northern seas and oceans.

The tail is about nine meters, the tips are pointed, and there is a depression in the middle.

Lifestyle, character

Bowhead whales are gregarious creatures, although sometimes there are individuals leading a solitary lifestyle. Mammals do not stay in one particular place all the time, but migrate all the time. As soon as spring comes, the fish gather in schools (up to 15 individuals) and set off in a northerly direction. They usually move in a school or form a wedge, as birds do.

The advantages of this method of movement are that this way it is easier to push ice and overcome obstacles encountered along the way. And as soon as autumn comes, they migrate back to the southern regions of the northern seas.

Although whales are gregarious, each one lives on its own, constantly searching for food. To do this, they dive as deep as possible, take a mouthful of water, then swim out, releasing huge water fountains. They emerge in an interesting way: first a gigantic head appears outside, then part of the body. Then the whale, turning over on its side, suddenly falls on him.

Like any mammal, the whale sometimes sleeps - before falling asleep, it rises as high as possible and falls asleep. The body, which has a good supply of fat, floats perfectly on the water surface. Over time, it slowly goes down. Having reached a certain depth, the whale strikes with its tail, rises to the top and everything repeats until the fish gets enough sleep.

Nutrition

The diet of bowhead polar whales is animalistic, it includes small crustaceans and crustaceans, fry, caviar, zooplankton, krill, and sometimes bottom-dwelling organisms. The process of eating looks like this: the whale descends to the depths, opens its mouth wide and swims, filtering the water that has entered its mouth. Within a minute, a whale can filter out up to 50 thousand organisms. The contents deposited on the mustache are immediately sent into the stomach with the help of the tongue. To feel full, a whale needs about two tons of food per day.

By autumn, whales accumulate a huge layer of fat, which helps them survive until spring and not die of hunger.

Reproduction

Whales are polygamous; males become sexually mature at approximately 21-22 years of age. And in this matter, females are ahead of males - they reach puberty several years earlier. The mating season begins at the end of February; males attract females by singing songs of their own composition. And every season they come up with new ones.

Pregnancy lasts 13-15 months; next spring, most often in May, a baby whale is born. The baby is round, like a barrel, a little lighter than his parents, the body length of a newborn is 4.3-5.3 meters. The cub grows one and a half centimeters per day while the mother feeds milk. It is similar in thickness to toothpaste and very fatty - more than 50 percent. Maternal feeding lasts a little over a year.

The parent behaves like a very caring mother, staying close to the child all the time, feeding him and protecting him from dangers. Seeing an enemy nearby (for example, a killer whale), the angry mother drives it away, hitting it with its long tail.

Whales and the ecosystem

The role of the bowhead whale in the ecosystem of the Arctic Ocean is important - it acts as a regulator of zooplankton.

Economic significance, pros and cons

Cetaceans have always been of great value to humans - from time immemorial, whalers beat whales and obtained meat, whale oil and quite valuable whalebone. Being large in size, polar whale gives it all in large quantities. Many local residents, living in northern regions(let's say the Eskimos) were heavily dependent on these animals, because thanks to them they had food, fuel and could make labor tools.

Minuses
The only negative factor can be called only cases when animals swimming past interfered with a person’s catching and stocking of fish - they scared and drove away the schools. Sometimes it happened that whales collided with boats and fishing vessels and got caught in nets that were not intended for them.

How long do whales live?

The bowhead whale has the longest lifespan of any mammal. Thus, the average age of killed individuals was 70-80 years, and after studying the nuclei of the eyes, zoologists came to the conclusion that these animals easily live up to two hundred years, since there are very few diseases in the world that shorten the lives of these beauties.

Whale conservation

Since the 17th century, when people began to massively destroy whales for good money, a lot of individuals of all species were destroyed. In the 70s of the 20th century, whales were listed in the Red Book as an endangered species and began to be protected by law. Currently, hunting of animals is strictly limited.

Despite their very impressive size, these giant animals are very frightened. If a whale drifts along the surface of the sea and some bird chooses its back as a perch - a cormorant or a seagull - then the giant immediately dives deep into the waters and waits for the birds to fly away.

Their eyesight is disgusting, their sense of smell is the same - whales do not smell.

The whale's speed is low - about twenty kilometers per hour.

Sometimes among whales there are cases of pseudohermaphroditism - this is when females begin to develop genital organs characteristic of men.

Whales, due to their enormous size, have no enemies - not a single predator wants to get involved with such a giant. The only ones who sometimes try to encroach on animals are killer whales.

Video: Bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus)

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