Whales species in the Arctic

Cetaceans

Whales, dolphins and porpoises belong to the same taxonomic order called cetaceans. Cetaceans are mammals - they have a four-chambered heart, are warm-blooded and maintain a high body temperature, even in the cold Arctic waters.

Unlike fish, sea mammals such as whales and dolphins breathe air into lungs. A whale or dolphin does not breathe through its mouth, but has nostrils that have evolved over time into single or double blowholes on the top of their head. Baleen whales have two blowholes, while toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises have only one.

Like other mammals, cetaceans have mammary glands and nurse their offspring with milk. Whale milk is so rich that a blue whale calf can put on 90kg per day while nursing.

Cetaceans spend their whole lives in water. Some cetaceans spend much of their lives alone, while others live in family groups called "pods".

There are over 80 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises.

Twelve species of the whales do not have teeth. These are the baleen whales, and their group contains all the large whales, with the exception of the sperm whale, which is toothed.

Rorqual whales are a sub-group of the baleen whales. Rorqual, which means 'red whale' or 'furrow', is a term used by marine biologists in reference to minke, Bryde's, humpback, sei, fin and blue whales. The name reflects these whales' throat grooves that expand like an accordion when the whale is feeding, showing pink skin between the furrows.

Learn about the different whales in the Arctic

Toothed (Mysticeti):	beluga | narwhal | pilot | sperm | porpoises (Dall's and harbour) | oceanic dolphins (white-sided dolphin and orca)
Baleen (Odontoceti):	blue | bowhead | fin whale | gray | humpback | minke | northern right | sei