Bowhead Whale (Balaena mysticetus)

	Bowhead Whales (Balaena mysticetus) Photo: Dave Rugh, NOAA
	Did You Know? · Of all large whales, the bowhead whale is the most adapted to life in icy cold water. It has a layer of blubber up to 1.6 feet (50 cm) thick. · The bowhead whale has a huge head that it uses to break through thick ice.

Status
ESA Endangered - throughout its range
MMPA Depleted - throughout its range

Taxonomy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Cetacea
Family: Balaenidae
Genus: Balaena
Species: mysticetus

Key Documents
(All documents are in PDF format.)

Title	Federal Register	Date
ESA Listing Rule	35 FR 18319	12/02/1970
Status Review Report	n/a	1995
Stock Assessment Reports	n/a	various

More Information

• NMFS National Marine Mammal Laboratory Bowhead Whale Information
• NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center Bowhead Whale Information
• NMFS Alaska Regional Office Bowhead Whale Information
• Kids' Times: Bowhead Whale [pdf]
• NMFS Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Establishment of Annual Quotas for the Subsistence Harvest of Bowhead Whales by Alaska Natives [pdf]
• U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Bowhead Whale Species Profile