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| Distribution |
In NC waters, found both inshore and offshore from the VA line to the SC line. There are stranding records for seven of the eight coastal counties.
Worldwide in all oceans. |
| Abundance |
The most frequently seen large whale in NC waters from shore. Generally uncommon to fairly common from Cape Hatteras northward, and rather rarely seen south of this cape, perhaps because of a north-south migration that carries it farther offshore south of the cape. Often seen from shore from the VA line to Cape Hatteras. However, it is quite rarely seen more than a few miles offshore. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History mammal collections database (2016) listed 49 records for NC, but essentially all were sightings or strandings and not specimens in their collection; the 2021 version lists just a single collection. |
| Seasonal Occurrence |
Primarily from late fall to spring. There were nine strandings reported up to 1995 (Webster et al., 1995), with all being from December through April (covering all five months). The great majority of the sightings and strandings in the 2016 NMNH database are from October through April; there are none at all in July or August. The species breeds in warmer waters in the subtropics during the winter and migrates north to Arctic waters, where it spends the summer. |
| Habitat |
Oceanic, both inshore (within a mile or two of shore) and well offshore. By far, the most frequently seen whale from shore in NC. |
| Behavior |
This species is known for its spectacular acrobatics, especially for such a huge animal. They often breech, and because the underside of the tail flukes is mostly white, individuals can be identified from photographs of the tail flukes (from below). It is one of the frequent target species of nearly any whale-watching boat off the coasts of North America, as well as in various polar waters. |
| Comments |
This is another whale that is listed as Endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. This seems surprising, considering its relative abundance compared with most other large whales (except Sperm). However, as with nearly all large whales, considerable numbers were harvested in earlier centuries, though the population in the North Atlantic is rebounding, at least slowly. |
| Origin |
Native |
| NC List |
Official |
 State Rank |
S3S4M |
| State Status |
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| Global Rank |
G4 |
| Federal Status |
E |
| subspecies |
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| synonym |
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