What kind of whales are in the Pacific Ocean?

Asked by: Ryan Marshall

Orcas, Gray whales, giant Blue whales, Sperm whales and Humpbacks all live along the Pacific Coast. The prime viewing season varies, depending on the species of whale and their migratory routes.

What are 4 types of whales called?

The suborder Mysticeti includes the types of whales known as baleen whales and contains four families, which includes the Gray whale, the rorquals, the Right Whales and the Humpback Whale which resides in a genus all it’s own.

What are the 2 types of whales?

The order Cetacea, that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises is divided into two main groups: the toothed whales (Odontocetes) and the baleen or whalebone whales (Mysticetes). Toothed whales include dolphins, porpoises, as well as the large sperm and killer whales.

What kind of whale is in Hawaii?

Hawaii is home to the world’s most dense population of North Pacific humpback whales, who make the 6-week journey from Alaska to Hawaii to rest, give birth, and mate.

How many whales live in the Pacific Ocean?

Humpback whales are found throughout the world’s oceans. In the North Pacific, they number more than 21,000 today, up from less than 1,000 at the end of commercial humpback whaling in 1966.

Are blue whales and humpback whales the same?

Are blue whales humpback whales? No. These are two separate species of whale. Humpbacks are smaller, bluer whales, and blue whales are significantly larger greyer whales.

Are grey whales and humpback whales the same?

Gray whales have a streamlined body, and unlike humpback whales, no dorsal fin, which is a good way to differentiate gray whales from humpback whales. They do however have a prominent dorsal hump about two thirds of the way down their back, followed by a series of six to 12 knobs extending to the tail stock.

Do killer whales save humans?

And anyone who has ever seen a killer whale in captivity knows they can be trained to do practically anything in the water. Killer whales know how to work with humans—and save them—but humans have rarely been inclined to help the killers.

What kills killer whales?

Orcas are apex predators, which means they’re at the very top of the food chain and they have no predators. Killer whales are some of the largest and most powerful animals in the ocean, and no other predator is able to challenge them.

Do killer whales eat humans?

There is no record of an orca ever killing a human in the wild. This is because humans are not part of their natural diet. Occasionally, an orca may mistake a human for something they do eat, such as a seal.

Do orcas eat polar bears?

And even whales employing teeth they are known to grab seals right off the ice. They also eat fish squid and sea birds orcas hunt in deadly pods that may prey on different animals.

Are orcas friendly to dolphins?

Dolphins rival orcas at an average of 27 mph, proving to be a formidable racing opponent. Orcas are the only predators of white-sided dolphins in the northern Pacific, but not all of them. In 2019 a group of researchers observing dolphins at play noticed a large pod of orcas hanging out dangerously close.