The Fin Whale's Resume
Balaenoptera physalus
The fin whale needs a job!
The text below portrays the mass amount of experience the fin whale has, its voluntary work to help its community, and all the credentials it needs to function successfully.
Please consider hiring the fin whale! Without this job, it may go extinct.
Please consider hiring the fin whale! Without this job, it may go extinct.
Meet the FIn Whale
- The fin whale is the second largest mammal in the world, right behind the blue whale.
- They are nicknamed the "razorback" because of the prominent ridges located on their backs behind their dorsal fin.
- They are easy to identify because of a unique feature in their jaw. The lower right jaw is bright white, while the lower left jaw is is black.
- They grow up to 80 tons.
- Their length is 65-80 feet.
- The global population as of now is between 50,000 and 90,000.
The Fin Whale's Habitat
- Found in all the oceans of the world.
- They travel to subtropical waters (warmer waters) during the winter months for mating season.
- They travel to the cooler waters of the Arctic and Antarctic for feeding in the summer months.
- During the winter, the fin whales tend to be spread out in deeper waters.
- Fin whales migrate through the oceans of the world annually.
Community Interactions
- The top of the food chain.
- Eats mostly krill/shrimp like creatures and other small schooling fish.
Why are they becoming Extinct?
For the past century, commercial whalers have hunted these creatures for oil, meat, and baleen. Most of this whale meat ends up in Japanese markets.
Fin Whales are also victims to changes in environmental changes like habitat loss, climate change, and toxins.
Fin Whales are also victims to changes in environmental changes like habitat loss, climate change, and toxins.
Why should we save them?
As mentioned before, the fin whale is at the top of its food chain. If these animals go extinct, the prey it feeds on will become overpopulated and the community will no longer be balanced. Their role is crucial for the overall health of its environment.
Feeding
Fin whale feeding on krill
Size Comparison
A human and a fin whale
Whaling
Commercial whalers have caused many deaths of these graceful creatures.
Citations
"Fin Whale | Species | WWF." WWF - Endangered Species Conservation | World Wildlife Fund. WWF, n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://worldwildlife.org/species/fin-whale>.
"Fin Whale | American Cetacean Society."American Cetacean Society | Education, conservation, and research from the world's first cetacean protection organization.. N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://acsonline.org/fact-sheets/fin-whale/>.