Species group · Mammals

Whales

WAnimals has 7 species of whale, spread across 3 families (Balaenidae, Balaenopteridae, Eschrichtiidae).

7 species
3 families
166 countries
83 parks
Weight
25 t – 150 t
Length
4.5 m – 30 m
Lifespan
45 – 90 years

Ranges calculated from the entries that record the figure, not from all 7.

All 7 species of whales on WAnimals

Each one has its own full entry. This group does not replace them: it brings them together.

Conservation status

4 Least Concern3 Endangered

3 especies in this group están en alguna categoría de riesgo real según la UICN.

See the global conservation status

Where they live

Recorded in 166 countries. The ones with the most species in the group:

Where to see them

Did you know…

  • It is famous for its complex 'songs', which can last from 4 to 33 minutes.

    From Humpback Whale

  • It makes one of the longest migrations of any mammal, between polar and tropical waters.

    From Humpback Whale

  • It hunts using lunge-feeding techniques and bubble nets.

    From Humpback Whale

  • It can weigh up to 150 tonnes and measure over 30 metres long.

    From Blue Whale

  • An estimated 10,000 to 25,000 are left worldwide.

    From Blue Whale

  • It migrates between polar waters, where it feeds, and temperate or tropical waters, where it breeds.

    From Blue Whale

  • Those patterns let researchers identify particular whales across decades of monitoring.

    From Southern Right Whale

  • It feeds on krill and small copepods through plates of baleen.

    From Southern Right Whale

Ecosystems

See every species group · Explore the species one by one