Many people have never heard of such animals as Japanese whales. This is due to the fact that until recently they were not distinguished as a separate species. The small number of populations, which was the result of uncontrolled hunting, also affects.
Today this animal is in danger of extinction, so conservation organizations are making every effort to preserve and increase their number. Our article will tell you about the amazing giants that live off the coast of Japan.
Species
Not so long ago it was believed that representatives of this species belong to the North Atlantic right whales. But the Pacific species was singled out as a separate species, since, with an absolute external resemblance to the Atlantic counterpart, the Japanese smooth whale has a different DNA structure, and most individuals are also larger. Of course, these animals are very closely related, but they cannot be called identical.
External Features
The Japanese whale is a very large mammal. The body length of adult females can exceed 18 meters, and the weight sometimes reaches 80 tons. Males, like many cetaceans, are slightly smaller.
The whale's body is massive, smooth, dark. On the back of the abdomen there is one light spot. The head is very large, with age, calloused growths appear on it. A huge mouth with a curved line of the lower jaw draws attention.
There is no dorsal fin, but the caudal fin is large, with a pronounced notch in the middle.
Habitat
These animals are found in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, the range is limited from the Sea of Okhotsk to the Bering and Alaska Bays. Several times representatives of the species were seen on the other side of the ocean - off the coast of Mexico.
The life of these large mammals of the Pacific Ocean is connected with migrations. For the winter, they go to the waters of the Yellow and East China Seas, where they wait for the onset of the breeding season. Babies are born off the coast of South Korea.
In the summer, whales feed near the Kuril and Commander Islands, in the Sea of Okhotsk. Information that Japanese whales approach the shores is rather scarce. These animals prefer space.
In 2010, whales were sighted off the eastern shores of Kamchatka. Explorers had never seen them come this close to the coast before.
How do Japanese whales live?
The massive physique of many animals creates the illusion of sluggishness. Japanese whales are not dumb at all, they lead a rather active lifestyle. Their movements are unhurried and imposing, devoid of unnecessary fuss, but experts call these animals active and even playful.
The sea giant, like many of its relatives, feeds on plankton. The whale swallows huge volumes of water, from which it filters out crustaceans, and then releases fountains up to five meters high. The favorite delicacy of these whales is kalyanus crustaceans. To get enough, an adult specimen eats up to 2 tons of food per day.
The Japanese whale dives to a relatively shallow depth - up to 25 meters. During the feeding period, layers of subcutaneous fat form under the skin of these animals, which are necessary to maintain strength and normal heat exchange in cold waters.
Sailors who were lucky enough to watch Japanese whales assure that it is a pleasure to admire these animals. Real elegance is felt in the measured movements of sea giants.
Procreation
Females are able to give birth to cubs at the age of 6-12 years. The reproductive potential of these animals is low, which is why the populations are small.
Pregnancy lasts 12-13 months. Childbirth takes place in water. In most cases, one cub is born. In the first year of life, the baby accompanies the mother, feeds on her milk, acquires the necessary skills. The father whale does not take part in the upbringing of the offspring.
It has been established that after the birth of a calf, a female can become pregnant again in at least 3-5 years.
Whaling
Whale hunting was once considered the most dangerous trade. Everything changed when, in 1868, the Norwegian whaler Sven Foyn invented the harpoon gun. This weapon has become a real death machine. Whales were exterminated en masse. Up to 37,000 Japanese whales are known to have been killed between 1839 and 1909.
People thought about the consequences only after a few decades. In 1935 whaling was banned officially. This, of course, reduced the scale of the undeclared war, but did not stop poaching. The fight against illegal extermination continues to this day.
Endangered
The Japanese whale is officially considered the rarest marine mammal in Russian waters. The species faces the real prospect of complete extinction. The animal is listed in the Red Book, whale hunting is prohibited, environmental organizations are doing everything possible, but the population remains catastrophically small. Low fertility simply cannot compensate for the losses incurred.
Currently, two populations are known: Pacific and Okhotsk. The first includes about 4 hundred individuals, while the second can hardly count fifty adult whales. But back in the 19th century, only the Okhotsk population consisted of 20 thousand copies.
Today, many marine animals are dying due to widespread environmental pollution. Japanese whales can also be hit by large vessels or killed by accident in fishing nets.
And although people are trying to make every effort to save these animals, scientists have no confidence that the species will be able to survive and restore its former numbers.
