Gray Whale [Eschrichtius robustus]
Description
The Gray Whale is a baleen whale that migrates between feeding and breeding grounds yearly. It reaches a length of 14.9 meters, a weight of 36 tonnes, and lives between 55 and 70 years. The common name of the whale comes from the gray patches and white mottling on its dark skin. Gray whales were once hunted to near extinction, but have since rebounded and are now protected by international law.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Chordates
Chordata
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Mammals
Mammalia
|
| Order |
Cetaceans
Cetacea
|
| Family |
Gray whales
Eschrichtiidae
|
| Genus |
Gray Whale
Eschrichtius
|