bowhead

The bowhead whale, or bowhead (Balaena mysticetus), is a large baleen whale native to Arctic and sub-Arctic seas. It is the only surviving species in the genus Balaena. The species is named for its distinctive bow-shaped head and thick layer of blubber, which helps insulate it in polar waters.

Adults reach roughly 18 to 20 meters in length and can weigh up to about 100 metric tons. The animal has no dorsal fin, a broad, arched forehead, and a massive head that can comprise a third of its body length. It possesses hundreds of baleen plates on each side for filtering small prey, and two blowholes. Skin is usually dark gray to black with variable scarring.

Bowheads inhabit Arctic and sub-Arctic waters and undertake lengthy seasonal migrations between summer feeding areas and wintering grounds. Their diet consists mainly of zooplankton such as copepods and amphipods, captured by baleen filtering. They are slow swimmers adapted to cold environments and are capable of maintaining breathing holes under ice when needed.

Bowhead whales have long lifespans, with individuals estimated to live over a century. Reproduction is slow, with calving intervals of a few years. Indigenous peoples of the Arctic have hunted bowheads for centuries; commercial whaling was largely halted by the 1986 IWC moratorium, though subsistence catches continue in some regions. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern, though some subpopulations remain vulnerable to climate change, ship traffic, and industrial development.