Extinct Animal : Fin Whale

Sometimes called “the greyhound of the deep,” the average length of North Pacific males is 19 m; those found in the southern hemisphere may approach 25 m. These animals can reach speeds of up to 25 knots in short bursts. They usually appear in small groups of two to seven individuals. An adult fin whale may consume one to one and a half metric tons of food per day, feeding mainly on krill and occasionally herring.

Fin whales reach the Gulf of St. Lawrence on their northern migration in March and they are common off Newfoundland in June, usually appearing about 40 kilometres off-shore. They are also fairly common off Canada’s west coast most of the summer. Present numbers appear to be declining, and it is estimated that there are about 80,000 left.