FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
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Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
The pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) belongs to the Cetotheriidae family and is a cetacean, regarded as the smallest of baleen whales. These whales have a huge body size wherein the head is almost one-fourth of their total length. They live in ocean waters and have a grey body color. Males and females of this baleen whale species display similar features. The behavior and features of these whales are not like the other whales. But their jawline is similar to that of a minke whale. They come to the surface but do not blow water like most whales. They just breathe and go below the surface.
Here are some of the most interesting facts about the pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata). Afterward, check out these fin whale facts and bowhead whale facts.
A pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) is a baleen whale species. Due to the lack of callosities on its skin and overall similarity with rorquals, pygmy right whales are sometimes mistaken for minke whales.
A pygmy right whale (Caperea Marginata) belongs to the mammals class of animals. It comes from the Cetotheriidae family. They are cetaceans and as a matter of fact, pygmy right whales are not right whales. Pygmy belongs to the family of baleen whales but displays different habits than them.
The total population size of pygmy right whales in the world has currently not been determined by scientists. But it is believed that the population of this baleen whale species is stable in its natural habitat.
A pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) lives in the ocean waters around the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans as part of a group.
A pygmy right whale habitat consists of cold ocean waters. These animals are known to live near coastal waters in summer and spring. They are deep-sea creatures but often surface up to take breaths.
Pygmy right whales live as part of a group with fishes of their own species. They are often seen traveling in small groups across their habitat range.
The lifespan of a pygmy right whale has not been determined. However, typical right whales have an average lifespan in the range of 20-40 years.
Pygmy right whales are viviparous fishes. It is believed that they give birth to one young every breeding season, like other right whales. Similarly, the gestation period for pygmy right whales is also expected to be around 10-12 months. Not a lot of information is available regarding their breeding habits.
Pygmy right whales are not considered extinct. The conservation status of the pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) is that of Least Concern by the IUCN Red List of Threatened species, as their population is stable across the natural habitat in the oceans.
Pygmy right whales are gray in color. Their dorsal part is dark gray and their ventral part is light gray. These fishes have two chevron-shaped light gray patches behind their eyes, on their heads. Their baleen plates are very long and narrow. The baleen plates are cream in color. Their tails are very short and they have a reduced tail area. The jaws of the pygmy right whales are arched which is not enough to distinguish them from the minke whales. Their dorsal fins are dark gray.
*We've been unable to source images of Pygmy Right Whale and have used images of a Southern Right Whale instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of a Pygmy Right Whale, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at [email protected].
Pygmy right whales of Cetotheriidae family are cute fishes. Their huge bodies and variable shades make them look beautiful.
Pygmy right whales use tactile and chemical means for communication. This sea animal can perceive information by the sense of touch of the surroundings. These fishes use pheromones which are chemical signals to transmit information. They have the ability to excrete and receive these chemical signals.
A pygmy right whale is a fish with a giant body length. It has a body length in the range of 5-22 ft (1.5-6.7 m). They are four times bigger than an hourglass dolphin in length.
A pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) is a very fast swimmer in open ocean waters. Its exact speed has not yet been measured by scientists.
A pygmy right whale (Caperea marginata) is a giant fish with its body weight reaching up to 7,560 lb (3429.1 kg), nearly 44 times bigger than a spinner dolphin in size.
No specific names are assigned to the males and females of pygmy right whales species. They are known as males and females respectively.
A baby pygmy right whale is called a juvenile.
Pygmy right whales are carnivorous species. They feed on marine fishes and crustaceans. Their stomach contents suggest that they most commonly eat krill.
The known predators for these right whales are humans and orcas.
Pygmy right whales are not poisonous to humans. If anything they are very useful from a medicinal point of view.
Pygmy right whales have a very giant body. No household tank will be sufficient to hold them. Hence, they do not make a good pet.
Very scarce, limited, and little information is available on the behavior of pygmy right whales. Their social behavior is thus a secret.
These whales are spotted on the coasts of New Zealand and Australia.
Pygmy right whales are known so because of their innate abilities to detect things at a quick pace than normal whales.
The unique feature of pygmy right whales is their skeletal structure. These whales have an additional 17 more pairs of ribs than the other whales. Their ribcage extends up to two-thirds of their body length.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these leopard seal facts and Amazon river dolphins facts pages.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable pygmy right whale coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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