Balaenidae

Balaenidae is a family of baleen whales (Mysticeti) that includes the bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) and the right whales of the genus Eubalaena.

Genera and species: Balaenidae contains two genera, Balaena (bowhead) and Eubalaena (three living right whales): E. glacialis (North Atlantic), E. japonica (North Pacific), and E. australis (Southern).

Description and behavior: Members are large, have no dorsal fin, and possess very large heads with baleen plates for filter feeding. They are generally slow swimmers and undertake long migrations between Arctic feeding grounds and temperate breeding areas.

Diet: They feed on zooplankton, including copepods and krill, by filtering seawater with baleen.

Distribution and conservation: Bowheads inhabit Arctic and subarctic seas; right whales occur in temperate and subpolar waters worldwide. Conservation status varies: some right whale populations are critically endangered or endangered due to whaling history, ship strikes, and entanglement, while bowhead populations are recovering in many regions. All Balaenidae are protected under international agreements, with regional protections depending on species and population.