northern right whale
Quick Summary
The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) is a stout-bodied whale found in temperate and subpolar waters of the Atlantic Ocean. These whales are characterized by an enormous head, which can be one-quarter to one-third of their total body length, and baleen plates used for filter-feeding on small crustaceans and mollusks.12
Historically, right whales were hunted extensively for their oil and baleen, leading to a drastic decline in their populations. The North Atlantic right whale is now critically endangered, with only a few hundred individuals remaining worldwide. They face ongoing threats from ship collisions, pollution, and entanglement in fishing gear, which hinder their reproductive success and recovery.213
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

