Right whales were hunted for oil, meat, and apparel materials — for corset stays, umbrella ribs, and buggy whips — until the early 20th century. Once abundant, the North Pacific right whale is now the ...

Southern and the two species of northern right whales live in temperate Atlantic or Pacific waters, often near the coast. Right whales were named by whalers who identified them as the “right ...

The Southern right whale can be found throughout the southern hemisphere, and several thousand are thought to remain. But the North Pacific right whale is even rarer than its North Atlantic relative.

And although all the creatures inside it play a special role in the ecosystem's health, the North Pacific gray whale is particularly integral. They are bottom-feeders, creating mud plumes during ...