Alternate name: Black Right Whale Family: Balaenidae, Right
Whales view all from this family Description Large black whale
with large callosities and no dorsal fin. Smooth slope of back
is different from Bowhead’s double-hump profile. Flukes and
wedge-shaped flippers are black with limited mottling. Body is
black except for variable amounts of white on belly. Blow is
V-shaped. This slow, inquisitive whale was the “right” whale to
hunt and was nearly driven to extinction. Modern recovery is
slowed by mortality from fishing gear entanglement and
collisions with ships. Still highly endangered, only about 300
animals survive (red area on map). Dimensions 11-18m,
60,000-100,000kg Endangered Status The Northern Right Whale is
on the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is classified as
endangered in its entire range along the eastern coast of the
U.S. (Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts,
Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Rhode
Island, South Carolina, and Virginia). This whale wa