Southern Right Whale — printable fact sheet

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Southern Right Whale

Eubalaena australis

The Southern Right Whale is a large baleen whale native to the Southern Hemisphere's temperate and sub-Antarctic waters. Distinguished by its broad back, lack of dorsal fin, and callosities on its massive head, this whale can grow up to 18 meters in length. These gentle giants a…

Classification

Mammal

Family

Balaenidae

Habitat

Temperate and sub-Antarctic ocean waters

Diet

Carnivore (Filter feeder—mainly zooplankton)

Conservation status

Least Concern

Lifespan

50-70 years

Weight

40,000–80,000 kg

Scientific name

Eubalaena australis

Did you know?

Southern Right Whales have one of the largest testes of any animal on Earth, weighing up to 500 kg each!
Southern Right Whales are known for their acrobatic breaching and tail slapping. Each whale can be individually identified by the unique pattern of callosities on its head. They were named 'right whales' by whalers because they were considered the 'right' whale to hunt due to their slow speed and tendency to float when killed.

What I learned

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