Know Before You Go

© 

Fin Whale Facts | Greenland Wildlife Guide

Physical Characteristics

The fin whale is the second largest whale in existence weighing between 45 and 75 tons. It measures between 62 and 76 feet in length (females are generally larger), with the longest recorded animal spanning 85 feet long. The body shape of the fin whale is streamlined and bears a set of wide, triangular tail flukes. Its dorsal fin sits about two-thirds back from its pointed head and curves backward. The fin whale ranges from brown-black to dark gray in color, with a white underside and between 55 and 100 throat grooves. The known lifespan of this species is about 60 years.

The fin whale is very similar to other rorquals, except for its massive size. Only the blue whale is larger than the fin whale. The easiest way to tell the two whales apart is by observing their dorsal fins; after a blow, the fin whale’s dorsal appears quickly, while the blue whale’s dorsal takes longer to show.

Habitat & Geographic Distribution

Fin whales are a pelagic and near-shore species, sometimes swimming in water as shallow as 100 feet deep. They are widely distributed but are less common in tropical waters than temperate waters. In the North Pacific, fin whales can be found in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, the coast of Alaska, around the Aleutian Islands and off the coast of the coast of Baja, California. Historical accounts from the 1960s indicate that the fin whale was formerly the most abundant large whale off California in spring and summer. In the North Atlantic, fin whales spend the summer in a broad region between North America and the Arctic, around Greenland, Iceland, Northern Norway, Spitsbergen and the Barents Sea. In the winter, they are distributed from the ice edges to the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico and the British Isles, to the Bay of Biscay and the Mediterranean.

Similar to other large baleen whales, fin whales migrate towards the poles in the spring and to warmer waters in the fall. Some pods congregate inshore during winters in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, while others reside in areas like the Gulf of California year-round.

Feeding Habits

The fin whales’ diet is dependent on its environment and the time of year. In the North Pacific and North Atlantic, fin whales feed on fish such as capelin and herring, as well as squid, copepods, and planktonic crustaceans. Krill and other amphipods are a staple of Southern Hemisphere fin whale diets.

A fin whale usually consumes prey by lying on its side on the ocean’s surface and gathering an enormous mouthful of water and food as its buccal cavity expands. The fin whale filters its catch through its baleen before swallowing; there are 520 to 950 baleen plates per animal, the largest of which is 36 inches in length. The amount of food consumed daily by fin whales has been calculated as one to 1.5 tons in the North Pacific, 2.8 tons in the Antarctic and 0.533 tons off the northeast coast of North America.

Behavior

There are three fin whale populations that do not interbreed, grouped in the North Atlantic, the North Pacific and the Southern Hemisphere. Within these separate populations, pods of fin whales travel back and forth between mating and feeding grounds. During migration, these whales may travel in groups of up to 300 animals. However, they are usually found in couples or in small groups of six to ten fin whales. Fin whales communicate with each other through groans, clicks, and pulses, and are able to dive up to 750 feet under water.

Breeding

By the age of ten, male fin whales have reached sexual maturity. Females reach sexual maturity a bit earlier, between three and twelve years of age, and will reproduce every two or three years thereafter. Full physical maturity is not attained, however, until 25 and 30 years of age.
  
Fin whales are thought to be monogamous, as they are often seen in pairs. Mating occurs during the winter in warm, low latitude seas and calving usually occurs twelve months later. As many as six fetuses have been reported, but single births are the norm. Newborns measure about 14 to 20 feet in length and weigh nearly two tons. Young whales nurse for six or seven months and are weaned after they reach about 30 to 40 feet. Weaned calves will then travel with their mothers to the winter feeding grounds.

Human Exploitation

After hunting dramatically decreased the population of the blue whale, the fin whale became the favored target of whalers, primarily due to its comparable size. Like the blue whale, once it became hunted, the fin whale population declined greatly.

The major whaling years occurred between 1935 and 1965. Each year an estimated 30,000 fin whales were slaughtered. Due to the extreme number of fin whales killed, the International Whaling Commission placed them under full protection in 1966. The population today is said to be around 50,000, which is only a fraction of its former numbers. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that the species will ever return to its pre-whaling population.
See Fin Whales on These Trips
Repeater Layout : vertical-2up
East Greenland Arctic Adventure 13

East Greenland Arctic Adventure

Encounter raw Arctic beauty and learn about the impacts of climate change near the edge of the Greenland ice sheet. From our deluxe expedition camp, explore by boat, kayak and on foot, where very few travelers ever venture.
10 Days / Jul & Aug
$12995 (+air)
13
Photo Departures Available
Make it Custom Make it Private
Iceland: Circling the Land of Fire & Ice 11
New Trip!

Iceland: Circling the Land of Fire & Ice

An immersive journey into the rugged grandeur of a land sculpted by intense geological forces. Make a full loop around Iceland on the most comprehensive nature adventure this compact country has to offer.
11 Days / Jul–Sep
$14695 (+air)
11
Photo Departures Available
Make it Custom Make it Private
New Trip!
Know Before You Go

Send Me Travel Emails

Get the Inside Scoop on the

World of Nature Travel

Our weekly eNewsletters highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Me Travel Emails
Privacy Policy
Thank you for joining our email list

Look for a special welcome message in your inbox, arriving shortly! Be sure to add naturalhabitat@nathab.com to your email contacts so you don’t miss out on future emails.

Get Weekly Updates

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more.

Privacy Policy
We're Proud of the Reputation We’ve Earned
Outside
Voted "World's Best Travel
Company"
by Outside Magazine
Outside
Natural Habitat Adventures Ranked
“Best Outfitter”
NatGeo
Voted Best Winter Trip: Natural Habitat Adventures' Monarch Butterfly Migration, Mexico
VIEW MORE AWARDS

Request Your 2023 Catalog

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Nathab 2024 Catalog

Together, Natural Habitat Adventures and World Wildlife Fund have teamed up to arrange nearly a hundred nature travel experiences around the planet, while helping to protect the magnificent places we visit and their wild inhabitants.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Request Your 2024/2025 Catalog
Continued - Page 2 of 2
To help us customize your catalog request, please tell us more about your travel needs:
Thank you for requesting a catalog
We’ve received your request. If you have any questions about our trips, please feel free to contact an Adventure Specialist today by calling 800-543-8917.

Get Weekly Updatess

Discover the World's Best

Nature Travel Experiences

Our weekly eNewsletter highlights new adventures, exclusive offers, webinars, nature news, travel ideas, photography tips and more. Sign up today!

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Me Travel Emails
Privacy Policy
Thank you for joining our email list!

Look for a special welcome message in your inbox, arriving shortly! Be sure to add naturalhabitat@nathab.com to your email contacts so you don’t miss out on future emails.

Send Us a Message

Send Us a Message

Have a question or comment? Use the form to the right to get in touch with us.

Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Send Us a Message
Thank you for your message

We’ll be in touch soon with a response.

Refer a Friend

Refer a Friend,
Get $250 Off
Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
Refer a Friend

Earn rewards for referring your friends! We'd like to thank our loyal travelers for spreading the word. Share your friend's address so we can send a catalog, and if your friend takes a trip as a first-time Nat Hab traveler, you'll receive a $250 Nat Hab credit you can use toward a future trip or the purchase of Nat Hab gear. To refer a friend, just complete the form below or call us at 800-543-8917. It's that easy! See rules and fine print here.

Thank you for the referral!

We've received your friend's information.

View Our 2023 Digital Catalog

View Our 2024/2025

Digital Catalog

Help us save paper! We offer a digital version of The World's Greatest Nature Journeys. If you'd prefer a mailed copy, please provide your contact details here. To view our digital catalog, please enter your info in the form to the right.
Natural Habitat Adventures Logo WWF Logo
View Digital Catalog
Happy browsing!

Thanks for requesting access to our digital catalog. Click here to view it now. You’ll also receive it by email momentarily.

Our Trips

Polar Bear Tours

Polar Bear Tours

African Safaris

African Safaris

Galapagos Tours

Galapagos Tours

Alaska Adventures

Alaska Adventures

U.S. National Parks Tours

U.S. National Parks Tours

Canada & the North

Canada & the North

Europe Adventures

Europe Adventures

Mexico & Central America Tours

Mexico & Central America Tours

South America Adventures

South America Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Asia & Pacific Adventures

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Antarctica & Arctic Journeys

Adventure Cruises

Adventure Cruises

Photography Expeditions

Photography Expeditions

Women's Adventures

Women's Adventures

Family Adventures

Family Adventures

New Adventures

New Adventures

Questions? Call 800-543-8917

Contact Us

Have a question or comment?
Click any of the buttons below to get in touch with us.

Hours
Mountain Time

  • 8 am to 5 pm, Monday - Friday
  • 8 am to 3 pm on Saturday
  • Closed on Sunday
Call 800-543-8917
Questions? Click to Chat
Questions? Click to Chat
/know-before-you-go/alaska-northern-adventures/greenland/wildlife-guide/fin-whale/