Bowhead whale

The bowhead whale is a huge baleen whale that lives only in the Arctic and subarctic waters. It is named for its enormous triangular skull, which it uses to break through sea ice when it needs to breathe. It has a strongly arched jaw, a white chin and no dorsal fin.

It may be the longest-lived mammal on Earth, with some reaching more than 200 years. Early whalers hunted it heavily, but a 1966 moratorium protects it, and the global population is now assessed as Least Concern. It has the longest baleen plates of any whale, and a very thick layer of blubber that keeps it warm.

A mouth like a cave

Bowheads have the largest mouth of any animal, almost a third of their body length. Their baleen plates, the comb-like filters used to strain food from water, are the longest of any whale, from about 3 to over 5 metres. A very thick layer of blubber keeps them warm. Another unusual feature is that the baleen filters food from the water, and the whale lives in water that is often below freezing at the surface.

Five groups

Scientists recognise five stocks, or populations, of bowhead whales. Three are listed as endangered, one as vulnerable, and one is lower risk but still depends on conservation. Carl Linnaeus named the species in 1758, back when scientists believed bowheads and right whales were the same animal. The bowhead was an early whaling target, and its numbers were severely reduced before the 1966 moratorium. Today the whales are protected and watched closely.

On the globe

The model shows a bowhead with its arched jaw and white chin. Look for it in the cold Arctic seas.