The Fin Whale
An endangered Species in North Carolina
The Fin Whale, or "Balaenoptera physalis"
The fin whale is found in the oceans off the coast of N.C. They live in other places too, but they do live in North Carolina's oceans. Because the fin whale is fast (23-25 mph), earlier styles of whaling din't catch it. But now we have new whaling technology, so people can catch fin whales. They are threatened and like to live in temperate and cool waters, usually not the north pole.
Conservation
Estimates say only about 100,000 to 119,000 fin whales live in the wild. The International Whaling Commission has a moratorium on hunting fin whales, but they are still hunted around the world. Their status is "threatened".