KidZone Animals
Baleen Whales (Mysticeti)

"Humpback whale underwater shot"; used with permission
under Public Domain

Baleen Whales (Mysticeti)

Baleen whales, also known as Mysticeti, are characterized by their baleen plates instead of teeth. These plates are made of keratin and are used to filter feed on small fish and plankton, making them efficient filter feeders. Baleen whales are some of the largest animals on Earth, known for their gentle nature and unique feeding strategies.

Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus)

• Family: Balaenopteridae
• Description: The blue whale is the largest animal ever known to have existed, reaching lengths of up to 100 feet and weighing as much as 200 tons. They are recognizable by their blue-gray color and slender body.
• Habitat: Found in all the world's oceans except the Arctic, blue whales prefer deep ocean waters where they can find abundant food sources.

Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)

• Family: Balaenopteridae
• Description: Known for their distinctive body shape, long pectoral fins, and complex songs. Humpback whales are famous for their acrobatic breaches and tail slapping behaviors.
• Habitat: Found in oceans and seas around the world, typically in coastal waters. They migrate between feeding grounds in polar regions and breeding grounds in tropical and subtropical waters.

Gray Whale (Eschrichtius robustus)

• Family: Eschrichtiidae
• Description: Recognizable by their gray color and rough, barnacle-encrusted skin. Gray whales undertake one of the longest migrations of any mammal, traveling up to 12,000 miles round-trip between their feeding and breeding grounds.
• Habitat: Found in the North Pacific Ocean, gray whales migrate between feeding grounds in the Arctic and breeding grounds off the coasts of Mexico.

Right whale (Eubalaena spp.)

• Family: Balaenidae
• Description: Right whales are known for their stocky bodies, large heads, and distinctive callosities (rough patches of skin) on their heads. They have a broad back without a dorsal fin and long baleen plates for filter feeding. Right whales are slow swimmers but are often seen performing acrobatic breaches.
• Habitat: Found in both the North Atlantic and Southern Oceans. They prefer coastal waters and are often seen in bays and nearshore areas where they feed on zooplankton and small fish.