
Photo: By National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) - https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/new-whale-species-discovered-in-the-gulf-of-mexico-%E2%80%94-but-its-already-going-extinct/ar-BB1d9oOU, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=99713106
Critically Endangered
Rice's Whale
B. ricei
About This Species
Recently recognized species (2021) endemic to the Gulf of Mexico, reaching up to 12.65m (41.5ft) and 27 tons, virtually identical in appearance to Bryde's whale but genetically and morphologically distinct. Found exclusively along the continental slope at 150-410m depth, feeding near the seafloor on fish rather than krill. One of the world's most critically endangered large whales.
Size
up to 12.65m
Weight
up to 27 tons