The Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Preservation
Cetaceans are mammals that spend their entire lives in the water. They share five common characteristics with all other mammals: They are warm blooded, they have hair or fur, they breathe air, and they give birth to live young, whom they nurse with milk. Cetaceans have also developed a blubber layer to insulate themselves from the cold waters, and they have streamlined bodies for more aerodynamic and efficient movement through the water. New York is home to many species of cetaceans throughout different times of the year. All of these species are protected under The Marine Mammal Act of 1972 , and some are protected under the Endangered Species Act as well. Information about some of the species of cetaceans that have been rescued off of Long Island is presented below.
Finback Whale (Balaenoptera physalus)
The Finback Whale is the second largest animal on earth, reaching lengths of 59 - 80 feet, and weighing in at around 30-80 tons. Finback whales are baleen whales, and are found worldwide. New England is one of their favored summer feeding grounds. These whales can be identified by the asymmetrical pigmentation on their head, their grayish-white chevron, their narrow rostrum, and their flat heads. Fin whales are usually dark gray to brownish-black in color, while the undersides of their flukes and flippers are a bright white color. The baleen plates of these whales are white in front and grayish-white in the back, and they have approximately 260-480 baleen plates per side. These plates may reach lengths around 27 inches, and are used to filter the krill, copepods, invertebrates, crustaceans, and capelin that they feed on out of the water. Fin whales are often found alone or in pairs, and sometimes in pods of up to 3-7 individuals. Fin whales are the fastest of the large whales, reaching a maximum swim speed of 19 mph, and their average dives last between 5 and 15 minutes. These whales are capable of diving to depths up to 755ft. Their blow appears as a very tall, narrow column of spray that can reach heights of 13-19 ft. Female Fin whales give birth to a single calf every 2-3 years, and their gestation period is 12 months. Calves are born weighing around 2 tons, and can be as long as 18-21 ft. The only major predator of the Fin Whale is the Killer Whale. Fin whales can live to be over 90 years old, and they are currently listed as an endangered species.
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