Hinterland Who’s Who

Bowhead whale

Scientific name

Balaena mysticetus

Habitat

Bowhead Whales like cold water! They are found in Arctic and Subarctic waters. One of the few whales to live so far north, Bowhead Whales stay in the Arctic all year, but migrate north and south as the ice expands and retreats, following it. They’re rarely found away from the ice!

Size and colour

This whale can grow up to 20 metres long, with females being generally larger than males. It can weigh more than 54,000 kilograms! The Bowhead Whale was named for its enormous bow-shaped skull. Its huge head is about 40 per cent of its total body length!

It’s mainly bluish black in colour, with cream-coloured blotches on its lower jaw, white blotches on its belly and a pale grey area on its tail. The Bowhead has no dorsal fin.

Bowhead Whales are well adapted to Arctic conditions. They’re very strong, so they’re able to break through thick Arctic ice to create breathing holes. Bowhead Whale blubber can be up to 45 centimetres thick, helping the whales withstand the extreme cold.